Let's Connect! 2024: Activating Arts for Wellbeing

The theme for Let’s Connect! 2024, Activating Arts for Wellbeing, explored how arts, health, and social care professionals could enhance community and individual wellbeing through the arts. The event featured presentations by industry leaders Tamsin Greulich-Smith (School of X), Michael Tan (NAFA-UAS), and Lee Sze-Chin, a panel discussion facilitated by Joanne Yoong, case studies from The TENG Company, ArtsWok Collaborative, and The Esplanade, and an extended networking lunch with facilitated conversations by Michael Tan and Jonathan Tang. A tour to National Gallery Singapore’s Slow Art Exhibition was also offered to interested participants. Here are some of the highlights:

Presentations

Painting a Healthier Horizon

Tamsin Greulich-Smith, Director, School of X, DesignSingapore

Tamsin’s presentation addressed the increasing need to adopt preventative, holistic, and health promoting approaches to meeting our population health needs. The talk highlighted some of the key global and local trends in healthcare, such as the shift towards holistic and preventative health, and explored how collaborations between creatives, clinicians, and careers can enable new and more sustainable health models that can meet our changing needs.

Rethinking Systems and Deepening Cross-sectoral Relationships for Creative Health: Assets, Values, Equity

Michael Tan, Director of Research, NAFA-UAS

Michael’s presentation introduced the concept of Creative Health, and reflected on developments since the publication of Connecting the dots: the state of arts and Health in Singapore, a seminal paper on the state of arts and health in Singapore in 2021. By exploring questions such as "What might be causing inertia?" and "What needs activation?", the presentation offered considerations for lowering barriers to cross-sectoral collaborations.

Arts for Health and Wellbeing: Ground-up development from a practice perspective

Lee Sze-Chin, Artist, Educator and Art Therapist

Sze-Chin’s presentation advocated for the transformative role of the artist in healthcare settings. He shared candidly about the challenges arts practitioners might encounter in health and care environments, and offered suggestions for how to navigate them, such as through fostering long-term relationships. He also shared some of his own artistic explorations, such as PortrAIts: Small Things that Matter – an art therapy programme that helped patients with dementia express their memories of the past and connect with their family members through co-created AI art works.

Case Studies from Arts Organisations

Going from theory to practice, three pioneering arts organisations presented short pitches on how they have activated the arts for health and wellbeing.

Samuel Wong, Artistic Director from The TENG Company showcased Music for Mindfulness – a music experience that promotes wellness and reduces stress and anxiety using binaural beats and ancient Chinese philosophies of music therapy.

Ngiam Su-Lin from ArtsWok Collaborative demonstrated the value of arts for having end-of life conversations and community building through Both Sides, Now.

Grace Low from The Esplanade shared about the impact of Harmony in Motion – a dance project that fosters cross-generational connectedness and understanding between youths and seniors.

Click here for the full recording of Let’s Connect! 2024: Activating Arts for Wellbeing.