Unfinished Business — A SeptFest Town Hall Meeting

Thursday 24 September, 7:30pm
The Substation Theatre
Free admission

This year, the Singapore arts community has convened a few notable Town Hall-type gatherings, some to elect representatives to serve as an arts NMP, and others to discuss the issues of regulation and censorship in the arts. The Substation, throughout its history, has been an important platform for the whole arts community to come together and engage and share our diverse perspectives. As part of
this SeptFest, we feel it’s timely to convene another community-wide gathering, to build on the year’s discussions of our various collective concerns.

Sixteen years ago, in 1993, The Substation held the landmark conference, Art Vs Art. The late Kuo Pao Kun, our founder, reported this in the newspaper a few days after the event. “We expected about 40 people, but more than 100 turned up. More than sheer number, though, it was the intensity at The Substation which made the Art Vs Art conference last weekend a memorable one. This was
the first time a substantial group of practising artists engaged an equally solid group of academics in a common endeavour to fathom the complexity of the issues relating to Art…. The community spirit was infectious. Many questions were asked, and useful responses given. There was scepticism but no cynicism, passionate arguments but no
potshots…. there were fewer argeements than explorations during Art Vs Art. More like frustrated groping … for an understanding, for a Space to continue grouping … If there was any consensus at all, it was to go on searching.”

What Pao Kun started with The Substation, what Alvin Tan started with the arts community e-group, what so many amongst us have started with one initiative or another, these endeavours remain unfinished business — there is work to be done. So let’s meet and talk, and see what we can do.