Cover Art:Dis Singapore executive director Angela Tan
Art:Dis Singapore executive director Angela Tan
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The executive director of Art:Dis Singapore shares how the non-profit organisation is dedicated to providing persons with disabilities equal access to arts education and professional development in the arts
When Art:Dis Singapore staged Chachambo: Taking Flight as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations in 2023, the landmark disability-led music theatre work featured a main cast of 10 actors with disabilities, many of whom were graduates of its Beyond Dis:Play programme, which offers professional theatre training for persons with disabilities.
In the leading role was Claire Teo, a visually-impaired artist and educator, who is also the playwright of the musical staged at Victoria Theatre. The community engagement project also included both disabled and non-disabled artists, as well as seniors from the Yong-en Active Hub, one of Art:Dis’s neighbours at its Bukit Merah centre. “During the production, the seniors got to know Claire, a trained classical soprano, and when the production ended, they asked her if she could teach them singing because they were amazed by how well she performed,” shares Angela Tan, the executive director of Art:Dis.
Describing this as “a full-circle moment” for the non-profit organisation’s work in the arts and disability space, Tan adds, “It’s a whole shift in dynamics. You have a visually-impaired artist, who is now empowered by the community. I thought that it was a memorable way to cap that performance project, which has now continued [with Teo teaching the seniors].” Teo is the first visually-impaired graduate of Lasalle College of the Arts’ diploma in performance programme. She recently completed a two-year industry mentorship programme with Art:Dis, and also teaches drama and mentors students at special needs and mainstream schools, senior activity centres, and performing arts colleges.
Above 'Through The Looking Glass' by visually-impaired artist Claire Teo (pictured centre). The immersive, multi-sensory installation was part of the Light to Night Festival 2025 at the National Gallery Singapore (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
'Through The Looking Glass' by visually-impaired artist Claire Teo (pictured centre). The immersive, multi-sensory installation was part of the Light to Night Festival 2025 at the National Gallery Singapore (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
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It was with the mission of championing the learning and livelihood opportunities for persons with disabilities in and through the arts that Art:Dis, formerly known as Very Special Arts Singapore, was founded in 1993 by Singapore’s ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh, who is its patron today. Currently, the non‑profit organisation runs three centres in Bukit Merah, Bedok and Changi, where it reaches out to about 800 individuals through its visual and performing arts programmes.
When it comes to designing accessible and inclusive programmes for the disability community, Tan says, “We often look at it from a ‘software’ and ‘hardware’ perspective. The ‘software’ is looking at the suitable curriculum that we can put in place to enable continuous growth. For our arts programme, we developed our own curriculum in-house and designed it in a way that’s person‑centred and interest-led.”
Bearing in mind that one’s competencies and interests are different, and no two person’s journey in arts is the same, Tan shares that “a lot of the individuals we work with have learning disabilities, so we often try to find a way into their world and open it up through the arts to help them to find their voice and express themselves. Therefore, finding that circle of interest is important in connecting [with them].” When it comes to the “hardware” considerations, Art:Dis’s three centres are designed to be inclusive spaces with barrier-free access, soft lighting, and even calm rooms. “Our centres mean a lot to the disability community. It’s their safe haven, a space where they are free to express themselves, knowing that they are supported.”
Read also: SG Enable CEO Ku Geok Boon on building a more inclusive Singapore
Above For its New Nanyang collection in 2024, design brand and museum store Supermama paired 10 Singaporean artists with 10 Japanese makers to create art objects (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
Above Noah Tan, a visual artist with autism, was paired with traditional lacquer craftsman Settsu Urushi, who translated Tan's painting 'Tropical Paradise' into exquisite lacquer trays made of Akita cedar (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
For its New Nanyang collection in 2024, design brand and museum store Supermama paired 10 Singaporean artists with 10 Japanese makers to create art objects (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
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Aside from its community education programmes, Art:Dis also organises capacity building and mentorship programmes to support the professional development of artists with disabilities. “There is a growing awareness that we must be more equitable in all aspects of our lives, including in our cultural sector. Specifically, we need to focus on equity for artists with disabilities, ensuring they have the same opportunities for professional development, mentorship, and access to industry resources as non-disabled artists. The challenge lies in creating a comprehensive practice that supports this,” Tan explains
Through its artist development programmes, conducted at artist-in-training, emerging and professional artist levels, Art:Dis empowers individuals to realise their unique perspectives in art while fostering new knowledge. “We want to help them develop their practice, and we also need to think about showcasing their work, be it through exhibitions or performances, to raise their visibility and build patronage for them. At the same time, we are also creating job opportunities for them, whether through performance gigs or commissioned art, as a means of livelihood.”
One way Art:Dis is developing such employment pathways is through its affiliate Art:Dis Studio, which creates quality lifestyle products and corporate gifts featuring artworks made by artists with disabilities. It also runs a ceramics open studio, where it trains individuals to do production‑level ceramic works.
Above ‘Brightening Lives’, a light show featuring eight paintings by artists with disabilities which were animated and projected onto the facade of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, as part the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
‘Brightening Lives’, a light show featuring eight paintings by artists with disabilities which were animated and projected onto the facade of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, as part the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown (Photo: Art:Dis Singapore)
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Before joining Art:Dis, Tan—who graduated from Goldsmiths College in London with a joint degree in visual arts and history of art—spent over a decade at the National Arts Council developing policies, funding programmes and events to bridge arts in the community. “Art, at the end of the day, is about the people,” she says. “We were constantly looking at how to bring art into the everyday. You also realise that everybody comes from a different place of seeing the world— and I learn a lot from the [disability] community that we work with [at Art:Dis].”
This is why Art:Dis continues to advocate for access. The sixth edition of its Arts and Disability Forum in March saw expanded discussions on accessibility from diverse Asian perspectives in a move towards a more inclusive future. “Accessibility is a term that is often used now, but for some, the understanding of accessibility might be limited to thinking about, ‘Do I have a sign language interpreter? Do I have wheelchair access? Do I have captioning access?’. But actually, accessibility as a mindset is a lot more than that,” Tan expounds. “What does accessibility really mean to the arts and disability community? Surely, it’s not just about the accommodations that we provide when they come to watch shows or exhibitions, but it’s also about meaningful representation in our cultural spaces, in the programmes that we organise, and with their own lived experience contributing to it as well.”
Credits
Photography: Frenchescar Lim
Hair: Angel Gwee
Make-Up: Angel Gwee
As Senior Editor of Tatler Singapore, Hashirin champions and refines the storytelling across platforms—curating and crafting compelling profiles, cover stories and features that spotlight visionaries shaping culture, business and impact. Driven by curiosity, she draws inspiration from the artists, changemakers and trailblazers she encounters through her work. Beyond the pages of Tatler, she is an avid supporter of local theatre and delights in seeking out art in every city she visits.
