Arts Acceleration Programme

Hear from experienced arts practitioners on key insights and strategies to build up one's portfolio career, develop a strong personal branding and leverage digitalisation for growth and productivity.

Guest speakers include Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie, Jahan Loh, Evan Low, Aaron Gan and Audrey Lim (moderator).

Please note that Inch Chua is no longer available for this panel. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

About the Speaker

• Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie, Showbiztress

Cynthia is a multi-faceted actress, voice actor and puppeteer from Singapore. Her performances have taken her to Kuala Lumpur, Edinburgh, Toronto, Paris and Tours. Her most noteworthy stage performances include her roles in Cabaret and Closer. On screen, she starred as the title role in popular TV sitcom, Ah Girl, making her a household name. Cynthia’s famed performance won her a nomination for “Best Actress in a Comedy” at the Asian Television Awards. More nominations for Best Actress followed at the Life! Theatre Awards for her emotional performance in The Vagina Monologues and her powerful portrayal of porn actress Annabel Chong in 251. At yet another event, Theatre Idols, Cynthia was awarded the Audience Choice Awards for Favourite Performer, sealing her popularity as an accomplished actress.

Her most recent screen works include Teenage Textbook: The Series, as the quirky and vivacious Miss Debbie, as well as Netflix’s Mr Midnight, where she played, puppeteered and voiced 5 different characters. She was last seen in period drama Sisters of the Night, the prequel of Last Madame, as money hungry and opportunistic Okasan.

• Jahan Loh, Artist

Jahan Loh is a Singaporean contemporary artist and curator known for his distinctive fusion of street art, pop culture and Eastern iconography. With a career spanning over two decades, Loh has established himself as a leading figure in the Asian art scene, captivating audiences all over the continent with his dynamic and thought-provoking works. As the first artist to bring street art to galleries in both Singapore and China, Jahan has been credited as one of Asia's most successful street artists, for taking Singapore Pop Art international, and for influencing modern art practices in Taiwan. 

Loh has also ventured into the realms of graphic design, fashion, and music, showcasing his versatility as a multi-disciplinary artist. Some of his key creations include his iconic luncheon meat and Spacemen series, which have gone into the collections of celebrities and collectors such as Jay Chou, Larry Warsh, the Casio Foundation, the Far East Group and the Fujiko Family Art Foundation. As a curator and mentor to young artists, he often links them with brand and industry partners, creating opportunities for them to gain more exposure and expand their reach overseas. From time to time, Loh also gives talks at schools, joins panel discussions, as well as organises them for visiting artists.

• Evan Low, Music Producer, Music Director, Young Artist Award 2024 Recipient

Evan Low is a highly accomplished music producer and music director, renowned for his innovative sound and visionary approach that have significantly impacted the music industry. With a deep passion for creating compelling musical experiences, Evan has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Benjamin Kheng, iNCH, The Sam Willows, and esteemed music directors like Sydney Tan and Martin Tang. His creative talent and keen ear for detail and ideas have made him a sought-after collaborator for artists looking to elevate their sound.

Currently, Evan is on tour as the programmer and arranger contributor for legendary artist Amei on her ASMeiR Max world tour, where his expertise helps bring Amei's iconic sound to life on stage. As a music director, Evan has led numerous high-profile projects, including Childaid 2022, and has worked closely with Singaporean music heavyweights such as Benjamin Kheng, The Sam Willows, and iNCH. Evan's passion for interdisciplinary collaboration is evident in his work with visual artist Sam Lo (SKL0) and the urban dance crew O School, blending music with visual and performance arts.

• Aaron Gan, Artist

Aaron Gan is the Gold Award winner of the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Established Artist Category. Born in Singapore in 1979, Aaron graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Dean's List) from the University of Western Australia in 2003. In 2012, he gave up his corporate career to fulfil his childhood aspiration to become a professional artist.

Following his numerous sell-out shows, Aaron's artworks have been collected and commissioned widely both in Singapore and internationally. These include the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Library Board, GIC, Wheelock Properties, Julius Baer, the Association of Banks in Singapore and others. In 2017, he collaborated with Nespresso on a regional media campaign spanning China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. In 2018, Aaron was appointed the Art Ambassador for Faber Castell, Singapore. In 2020, he worked with Castiglion del Bosco on their exclusive Zodiac wine label. In 2021, his artwork "Charging Bull" was used for UOB's Lunar New Year campaign.

• Audrey Lim, Moderator, Arts Advocate and Presenter/Producer

Audrey has dedicated the last decade to exploring every facet of the entertainment industry, with experiences ranging from radio presentation, documentary hosting and stage work; to music performance and music management; to entertainment law, career coaching, and content creation. Audrey also co-opened a semi-fine dining restaurant in 2018 that earned a mention in the 2019 Michelin Guide.

During the pandemic lockdown, Audrey co-created a virtual music festival experience, Take Back The Nights, where she mounted concerts and conferences in the metaverse. She is an advocate for the arts and is the president of the Visual Arts Development Association Singapore.

As her 10 years of exploration comes to a close, Audrey has chosen to focus on moderating panels at conferences, hosting more events and documentaries, and taking on other audience-facing work to prove that a brain is a terrible thing to waste.

Learn useful tips and strategies to build up a creative business as an SEP, with key frameworks such as understanding value proposition to better articulate your values and work, and exploring value-based pricing strategies to boost your career.

Featuring guest speakers:

• Tan Siew Ann, Freelance Writer, lancerx

Siew Ann is a freelance writer specialising in digital marketing and entrepreneurship blog content. Over the last six years, she has built a regular base of clients from Singapore, the United States, Spain and other countries. Siew Ann also shares her freelancing experiences and insights in a fortnightly email newsletter to help freelancers run meaningful and sustainable businesses.

• Patrick Ng, Innovation Director, Spark Launchpad

Patrick Ng is passionate about innovation, helping enterprises identify innovation opportunities and build better products. With over 23 years in engineering and corporate experience, he filed 12 patent families and held leadership roles in innovation and R&D. Innovation and entrepreneurship are synonymous with Patrick; he offers venture creation knowledge to startups and corporates. Patrick also teaches entrepreneurship and innovation at universities, guiding founders on their venture journey.

Take part in a sharing and workshop on shaping a strong personal branding through effective communication and use of digital marketing tools and strategies.

Featuring guest speakers:

• Toby Tan (tobyato), Visual Artist

tobyato is a visual artist illustrating his way through sprawling wall murals and artist-brand collaborations. His artworks are often bold, striking and inspired by traditional Asian motifs with playful influences that reflect both his own heritage and personality. As a lover of street culture, he has worked with brands such as Nike, ASICS, Samsung, Levi’s, and HUGO among others. Outside of his home island, he has also left his mark abroad, painting murals in Jakarta, Paris, and Los Angeles.

• Ngee Ann Polytechnic CET Academy

Join us for an industry sharing on how to manage your work more productively with the help of digital tools. Don't miss an exciting panel on navigating emerging technologies such as AI/Gen AI and its potential opportunities and impact on the creative sector!

Featuring guest speakers:

• Grace Lee Khoo, Founder of Access Path Productions

Grace Lee Khoo is the Founder of Access Path Productions, Singapore’s first disability-led theatre company. She graduated with an MA in Applied Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and a BA (Honors) from the National University of Singapore’s Theatre Studies program. 

A director, performer, producer, dramaturg, drama educator, audio describer for the blind/vision-impaired and creative access consultant who works internationally, Grace was International Artist-in-residence at London’s Graeae Theatre Company in 2017.

Grace currently serves as the Lead Artist of the Inclusive Young Company (iYC), a holistic acting programme in collaboration with Singapore Repertory Theatre. With SRT, Grace has directed Kaite O’Reilly’s The 9 Fridas (2022), Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis (2023) and Hijinx Theatre’s Meet Fred (2024). 

The past 2 editions of the Arts Acceleration Programme (previously known as Acceleration Programme for the Arts) were designed to help arts organisations strengthen their business and digital capabilities towards greater sustainability and growth.

The Programme comprised panel discussions, industry sharing, hands-on learning, consultations and small group discussions on topics such as digital transformation, business development, business operations and digital marketing.

It was also a fruitful opportunity for arts practitioners from various disciplines to network, collaborate, and foster stronger relations with one another - nurturing a stronger sense of community within our diverse arts sector.

Hear more on some of the participants' takeaways and insights from the Programme here.