More than 400 names from the Scottish arts world have signed a new open letter in protest and "shock and dismay" at the suspension of the late night licence of The Arches venue in Glasgow.

The letter, sent to three of the top arts figures in Scotland, says the potential closure of the arts venue would have a "catastrophic effect" on the cultural life of Scotland.

It warns of the "huge ramifications" of the decision of one of the key venues of the "cultural renaissance" of the city in the last 25 years.

The decision by the licensing board of Glasgow City Council, effectively closing its nightclub activities and thereby threatening the future of its arts activities, which the club income supports, has caused outrage and concern in the arts world and beyond, with more than 36,000 signatures already on an online petition to reverse the decision.

The names on the new open letter have been submitted from across a spectrum of Scottish creative talent: actors and writers, musicians and DJs, poets and playwrights, contemporary artists and designers, journalists, critics, commentators and bloggers.

The letter is written to three of the senior figures in Scottish arts: Fiona Hyslop, the culture secretary, Janet Archer the chief executive of Creative Scotland, the national arts funding body, and Bridget McConnell, chief executive of Glasgow Life, the arms-length cultural body of Glasgow.

The signatures include the Makar, or national poet, Liz Lochhead, electronic musician Hudson Mohawke, Stephen Greenhorn, members of Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian and Franz Ferdinand, Orla O'Loughlin Artistic Director of Traverse Theatre, Andy Arnold Artistic director of The Tron, leading contemporary artists Toby Paterson & Jim Lambie.

Names signing the open letter include Cora Bissett the theatre director, Dominic Hill, Artistic Director of The Citizen's Theatre, actors Ashley Jensen, Aidan Gillen and Kate Dickie, the writer Irvine Welsh and the comedian and writer Stewart Lee.

Also signing the letter is leading DJ Order Meikle, Angus Farquhar the creative director of NVA, Guy Hollands, the associate director of the Citizen's Theatre, the musicians RM Hubbert, Dave Anderson the playwright and composer, Ben Harrison, the artistic director of Grid Iron Theatre Company and Alan McGee the manager and founder of Creation Records.

Mark Thomas the writer and comedian, Don Paterson the award winning poet, and Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai have also signed the letter.

It says: "While we understand there are concerns around safety and drug use, we do not believe the proposed measures actively combat these issues in the city nor help the people affected.

"They also represent a needless loss of jobs.

"However, our main concern is that we are not satisfied that full consideration has been given to the potentially catastrophic impact this decision will have on the cultural life of Scotland.

"The Arches is a hugely important institution in Scottish culture which performs a number of key roles. The Arches nightclub is a powerhouse of the electronic music scene.

"It has nurtured home-grown acts who have gone on to achieve international renown. It has consistently been voted one of the top UK dance venues over the last decade.

"Thousands of people from all over the country come together at the Arches at weekends, and it is widely regarded by leading professionals as one of the best venues in the world.

"The Arches nightclub also plays a vital role in the live music scene of which Glasgow is so rightly proud, and which is reflected in the city's status as UNESCO City of Music.

"Alongside the nightclub's own role, it helps to fund the Arches theatre and arts venue.

"This a uniquely successful and innovative financial model which deserves to be celebrated and encouraged. The Arches theatre performs a crucial role in Scotland. It is a vital first step for many new artists at the start of their careers.

"It is a platform for experimental work that would otherwise be marginalised, and it is the most important year-round home for international contemporary performance in Glasgow.

"As a key venue at the centre of Glasgow's remarkable cultural renaissance of the past 25 years The Arches importance to the future of the cultural life of Scotland cannot be overstated, and yet this latest decision leaves it in an extremely compromised situation, the cultural ramifications of which are huge."