Along Armenian St lies a nondescript grey and white colonial building, which used to be a power station between the late-1920s and 1970s. It is easy to miss the building at first glance, as it blends into the row of conserved shophouses along the street. This is The Substation, whose modest setting helped launch the careers of some of Singapore’s most prominent artists such as Alvin Tan, and Zai Kuning. As visitors wander past the heavy, wooden doors into the foyer, they are greeted with a teeming hive of creativity. A turn to the right immediately leads to a gallery of art exhibitions and a quick visit to the second and third floors will bring them up close with artists rehearsing for their next acting or dance performances. The first independent arts centre in Singapore, The Substation was set up by theatre doyen Kuo Pao Kun in Sept 1990. It was envisioned as a home for the arts — a place where anybody from the arts community could walk in to create and put up works without the fear of failure.... Continue Reading