Earlier this year, beloved independent arts centre The Substation shattered hearts when it announced its decision to close for good following the return of its 45 Armenian Street premises to the National Arts Council this month.
However, in a new turn of events, The Substation has decided to remain open, evolving from an arts centre to an arts company. The news comes after members of The Substation board worked together to conceptualise a new Substation that would reconcile The Substation’s historical artistic mission with the long term objective of financial sustainability.
Enter The Substation 2.0, a fresh arts company that aims to support new and diverse voices in the arts community. The vision of The Substation 2.0 is to create a path for emerging artists of all disciplines through incubation and mentorship—besides creating a regional presence in Southeast Asia through partnerships and collaborations.
By the end of August, The Substation 2.0 will be led by a new board of directors, comprising arts professionals and practitioners from various disciplines to offer valuable insights and experiences.
The Substation 2.0 will therefore also welcome Raka Maitra as its artistic director and Serene Yap as the general manager.
Says new Artistic Director Raka Maitra: “I am honoured to be given the opportunity to lead The Substation as its Artistic Director during this period of critical transformation. The Substation has always championed independent artists and in doing so, has created a space for new kinds of artworks in Singapore. We remain committed to being an incubator of new talents and presenting works that inspire and create dialogue.”
So while The Substation 2.0 works on a new future and probably finding a new home, arts enthusiasts can rejoice. It may not be the exact same concept as when it was housed at 45 Armenian Street, but it will continue to spearhead authenticity in the arts scene. And that’s good enough for us.
More information available here.
