In his own words: Arts and Accessibility is A Two-Way Bridge

In this powerful reflection, Muhammad Hidayat, a theatre practitioner and accessibility consultant, shares his journey as a vision-impaired artist navigating new creative mediums. Through his experience at our printmaking workshop, he discovered how adaptive tools and a collaborative environment could expand artistic possibilities beyond traditional expectations.

Dear All: Reflections from Co:Creation’s Our Time to Shine DEI Community

In her reflective piece Shahirah shares the moving stories of individuals who came together to redefine what inclusion in the arts can look like.

Ageing can be beautiful too

It’s Monday morning and Mary Monterio is having a ball of a time. While laying out flowers on cyanotype paper, the 78-year-old exclaims that the flowers appear to be saying hello to her. A stray flower escapes the arrangement and she chides that it’s getting “naughty”. She uses bold brushstrokes to coat the print with a special light-sensitive solution and gives a final flourish.

She speaks through her hands

Nur Rabiatutadawiah Binte Mohamed Rafi (‘Rabia’) feeds a strip of yarn over the latch-hook, pushes it through the canvas backing to create a small, even loop. She pulls the string taut, brow furrowed in concentration. It’s a delicate process which requires steady hands and plenty of patience. Rabia repeats the process over and over again, until a bright yellow sunflower slowly forms.

One boy’s journey with his potato Chip characters and fibre friends

Seated on a wheelchair beside her is young mentee Tamimi Pohan, born with brittle bone disease. The 14-year-old works slowly, carefully using a lino cutter to cut out the shape of a durian. The afternoon rays of the sun fall slanting on their table, casting a honey-gold hue over the scene. Working with marginalised communities and giving them a voice has always been a guiding philosophy of Mary’s artistic practice.

Through ceramic, he moulds imaginary worlds and characters into life

Intricately molded dragons perched atop the rim of a ceramic bow, fashioned after the characters in How to Train Your Dragon. A cheery-looking miniature train inspired by Thomas the Tank Engine. Troll figurines that stand stiffly like sentinels. These tiny, delicate marvels are just some of 19-year-old Ang Shuhao’s clay creations made during his free time, offering a tiny glimpse into the rich inner world of his imagination.

Category: Impact Stories