#subbeyondphysicalwalls

A Gathering Ground to imagine and create the arts

The Substation lives in the moments we gather —
quietly, openly, and with room to grow.

Pok Yue Weng
Programme Director, The Substation

The Substation nurtures independent creative practitioners in collaborative community through the multi-disciplinary curation of contemporary arts practices from theatre and dance to film, music, literary arts, performance art, visual arts, and related fields.

As one Singapore’s first independent arts organisations, The Substation's incubation & residency programmes, public workshops, and September anniversary events (SeptFest, Gathering Ground), serve as platforms for the development and showcase of a diverse range of artists, performers, curators, producers, writers and intellectuals—many of whom continue to shape our creative landscape.

Founded in September 1990 by dramatist & Cultural Medallion recipient, the late Kuo Pao Kun, The Substation was housed for 30 years in the conservation site of a much beloved power substation on Armenian Street until moving out of the premises in 2021. Our presentations have included classically-trained dancers, indie rock bands, established visual artists, young poets, publications, international short film festivals, experimental theatre, and seminal conferences on Singapore arts and culture.

Today, The Substation embraces arts programming, community gathering, and events producing beyond physical walls—that is, without its own space, while continuing the founding ethos of the discovery of new talent, the value of diversity, and the development of creative practices. Its vision: to expand the gathering ground through art-making and dialogue in Singapore, Southeast Asia, and beyond.

The Substation continues as an independent, non-profit arts company, fuelled by the dedication of like-minded practitioners and the generosity of supporters of independent art—from donors and foundations to government, sponsors, and volunteers.

The company operates with a hybrid team of programmers, producers, and advisors, in collaboration with community and venue partners.

THE SUBSTATION TEAM

COMPANY INFORMATION

The Substation Ltd is a registered charity in Singapore with an Institute of Public Character (IPC) status. All donors benefit from a 250% tax deduction for all qualifying donations.

View our audited financial statements and annual reports:
FY2020/21
FY2021/22
FY2022/23

Learn more about IPCs here.