I refer to the article, "The Substation to close for good after leaving premises" (March 3).

The Substation's announcement of its closure in July, together with the closure of the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore at Gillman Barracks this month, indicate how dire Singapore's cultural landscape is.

Are we sacrificing these two arts icons because of purely economic reasons without understanding the full implications?

Surely a compromise can be reached in the negotiating positions taken by the National Arts Council (NAC) and The Substation's board to preserve Kuo Pao Kun's vision and legacy.

We may need to step back and then move forward with another new board, to revitalise and re-energise this indie hub for the future of the arts here.

Surely NAC can also be more involved and not be too bureaucratic in these unusual pandemic times.

Let us prepare for The Substation's next phase of revitalisation with Kuo's vision intact.

Hua Tye Swee