Published:
July 2021
Issue:
Vol.16, No.1
Word count:
4529
About the authors
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MA Art Therapy, M(Arch), MA, BSSc(Hons), AThR
Yoko is a registered art therapist based in Singapore, who currently works in a humanitarian mission providing creative arts therapy to populations living with challenging life situations such as adverse childhood experiences, chronic illness, delinquencies or neurological disorders. She provides art therapy for self-care, and for preventing dementia for adults in a public art institution. She teaches a module of creative art therapy and education in a local university, and is a co-founder of an artist-therapist collective, FoundSpace, providing community arts and well-being programmes in Singapore and India.
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MA Art Therapy, BCrA
Roshni is an art therapist based in Bangalore, India, who currently works with children, youth and communities. During her MA art therapy training, she worked at a children’s home and a shelter for young women with backgrounds of complex trauma in Singapore. Roshni has a BA in Creative Arts in contemporary arts practices and is interested in expanding the boundaries of therapeutic spaces while bringing ethical art therapy practice to India. She is the co-founder of FoundSpace, a cross-cultural collective of art therapists that works with communities in various settings.
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MA Art Therapy, BA(Hons), AThR
Xu Ning is an art therapist who is currently working with children, youths and adults who have experienced complex trauma. During her art therapy training, she did her clinical placement at a sheltered home for individuals struggling with addiction, and a child protection agency for children and teens who experienced adverse childhood experiences. Prior to becoming an art therapist, Xu Ning completed her BA(Hons) in Psychology, worked as a research assistant, and was an educator for teenagers with special needs.
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MA Art Therapy, DipCounselling, BSc(Merit), AThR
Shulian works as a school counsellor for local schools in providing counselling services for the students and case management for school key stakeholders and parents. As part of the MA Art Therapy programme requirements, Shulian interned as an art therapist at voluntary welfare organisations, working with young persons living with chronic illnesses and their caregivers, providing them with emotional support through their creative art-making. Shulian provides art therapy services on a project basis for different populations such as stroke survivors, older adults, and at-risk adolescents.
This work is published in JoCAT and is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND-4.0 license.
Project Memories: A community-based arts project from an art therapy perspective in Singapore
Yoko Choi Chi Mei, Roshni Bhatia, Boo Xu Ning, Lee Shulian
Abstract
This paper documents the development of Project Memories: Hawker Edition (Project M) in Singapore, which was implemented by four art therapists amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Project M collaborated with different multi-generational groups within the community. The project was funded by a local arts organisation and the outcome included 57 art-based workshops with over 125 artworks created. Multiple case-vignettes are used to illustrate the three themes: multi-generational narrative art, materiality and nostalgia, which brought about therapeutic opportunities for intimacy, social connectedness, community bonding, empathy, self-esteem, a sense of identity and positive emotions for the participants. The paper concludes with a reflection of the art therapists’ perspectives on developing a community-based arts project such as this with multi-generations, which addresses the future directions of similar work in Singapore.
Keywords
Community-based arts, Singapore, multi-generations, narratives, materiality, nostalgia
Introduction
Art therapists are expanding their practice beyond clinical boundaries, striving to bring therapeutic experiences to support the social well-being of individuals and communities. In Singapore, art therapy is considered an emerging profession in the mainstream social services and has progressively been recognised in the mental health sector in recent years (Kelly et al., 2017; Lay, 2018). The need for advocacy and educational efforts to expand and deepen the social awareness of art as a therapeutic tool to support mental health remains essential, if not critical. Community-based art projects act as a conduit between art spaces and art therapy practice. By making art more accessible to the public, it benefits the community’s well-being. This notion is supported by a growing number of studies that examine the relationship between visual arts engagement and the reduction of mental health conditions in the community (Rashith, 2018; Yoong, 2020).
This article documents Project Memories: Hawker Edition (Project M), an initiative by four art therapists (Collective), from its conception to production. The project received funding from a local arts organisation and collaborated with different multi-generational groups within the community. The outcomes included 57 art-making workshops, with over 125 artworks created. The article will give an overview of Project M, the challenges faced due to Covid-19, the potential therapeutic benefits of the community-based workshops, and the implications of such community-based arts projects in Singapore.
Context
Project M implements culturally focused art directives that lead participants to explore beyond their (intra)personal connections. As participants observe their subjective experiences in relation to other people, places and materials in the space, the reciprocity of perspectives specific to the cultural and social influences of that space and time also communicate their overall experiences (Atkinson et al., 2019).
Hawker centres are social spaces that embrace people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. They are a representation of Singapore’s living heritage, built from an amalgam of cultures (National Heritage Board, 2021; Yong, 2020). Imagine the flavourful intermix of scents and noises from the spices and wok hei (a Cantonese term describing the charred aroma from stir-frying of the wok over open flames) to the slurping and chatting of customers from the youngest to the oldest at the tables, in a well-ventilated, high-roof-top dining hall, creating a symphony that is unique to Singapore’s hawker scene.
Our present-day hawker centres are a spin-off from street-hawker stalls that emerged in Singapore in the early 1800s. The street hawkers then were primarily immigrants, who introduced cuisines from their home countries. Throughout the years and over the generations, the hawkers adapted their home recipes to match the evolving taste buds of the locals. In essence, hawker centres make space for people to reconnect with their roots, bond and reminisce over cuisines that spark conversations and memories (National Heritage Board, 2021; Roots, 2021). As a significant cultural symbol of diversity and heritage, Singapore’s hawker culture was deemed as a fitting catalyst in stirring dialogues with different generations. The senior communities were the first to be on board.
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 significantly impacted the project. This resulted in changes in the entire structure of the public engagement, with a reduced budget and changes in the timeline. The project was put on hold for recalibration and reconceptualisation. The initial plans involving face-to-face interactions within the community and a site-specific exhibition were nearly impossible. Amidst the uncertainty in the overall social and economic environment, the project inevitably transitioned online to meet the funding timeline.
Eventually, Project M adopted a combination of publicity and outreach methods, both online and blended digital marketing strategies. Different social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and the Collective’s website (https://www.wefoundspace.com/projects) were used. An open call for artwork submissions from various generations was initiated in four languages, both digitally and physically, together with several online tutorials and online art workshops for members of the public to create art together in response to the hawker theme.
The result was a myriad of multimedia artworks and interactive experiences. As the safe-distancing guidelines for Covid-19 were still ongoing, the plan for a site-specific exhibition at the selected hawker centre did not materialise. Despite that, the art therapists came together to curate a physical exhibition in a large local community hub. The final physical artworks, participants’ narratives and a 5 minute 20 second video documentation of the project were showcased.
The art therapists embraced the responsibilities of both curators and docents in the art exhibition. Some of the curatorial work included orchestrating the art exhibits in the physical space to make the exhibition site relevant and engaging for the viewers (Wittman, 2012). To gaze at the art exhibits was one level of the bodily experience; to understand the exhibit narratives was another (Duthie, 1990). The docent guided the viewers around the exhibits and explained to them the connections between the artwork displays and the objectives of Project M. To preserve the integrity of the voice of the community and minimise biased projections, the art therapists created response art and engaged in reflective process writing to contain any forms of ambivalence or nuances (Fish, 2012).
Community-based arts project in Singapore
Several art therapists have emphasised the need to expand their practice to community settings (Hocoy, 2007; Kapitan, 2009; Talwar, 2016). Coss and Wong (2016), in their article ‘Cultural context and the practice of art therapy in Asia’, write that art therapists in Singapore expressed the need for more community-based services as compared to a private practice that has gained popularity in the country’s successful economy. In recent years, the trend for therapeutic arts projects has been picking up, with more emphasis on mental health in the arts scene (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010).
The National Arts Council (2019), a key organisation overseeing the development of the arts in Singapore, set its vision for 2018–2022 as ‘Excellence that inspires our people and connects our communities’. Hoe (as cited in Xue, 2019) observes that the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth has made significant adjustments in their cultural policy-making towards empowering social cohesion and community building. Moving in tandem, the two statutory boards have created significant opportunities for art therapists to bring arts into the community spaces to promote community well-being (Xue, 2019).
Ethics
Art therapists bear social responsibilities and maintain professional integrity in accordance with the codes of art therapy ethics and principles of professional practice established locally and internationally (American Art Therapy Association, 2017; Art Therapists’ Association of Singapore, 2021; Australia, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association, 2018; British Association of Art Therapy, 2019; Personal Data Protection Commission Singapore, 2021, to name a few), even if the work is not clinical per se. One characteristic of Singaporean culture is to speak Singlish, an informal localised English language. It intermixes elements of different languages and dialects that reflect the unique multi-ethnic Singaporean identity (Yeo, 2010). Singlish signifies a sense of intimacy, humour, national pride and belonging to the local community.
Given that the first and second authors of this article are not Singaporeans, as foreigners facilitating a local project they learnt and adapted Singlish to connect, particularly with the heartlanders – a term often used to refer to less educated people, middle-to-low income blue-collar workers (Lee, 2015). Having the cultural sensibility to stay connected with the locals is part of the art therapists’ ethical considerations.
This article begins with the inception of Project M and is followed with a discussion of the findings in the next sections. The article concludes with a reflection of the role of art therapists in developing a community-based arts project with multi-generational groups, and addresses the implications of Project M.
Discussion of art-based findings in response to Project M
This section chronicles an in-depth discussion of art-based findings in response to Project M. Multiple case vignettes were used to illustrate the three themes: namely, multi-generational narrative art, materiality and nostalgia, which brought therapeutic opportunities to the participants.
Multi-generational narrative art
Kaplan (2007) postulates that the use of art to record history, shape culture and prompt social action can raise critical awareness, build community and motivate individuals to take action around a social issue. With a similar view, Project M invited the multi-generational groups to share their perspectives, personal experiences and dialogue through art-making centring around the local culture.
Narrative therapy advocates that people are experts in their own lives. They are capable of problem solving when guided appropriately. Through a narrative inquiry approach, clients can re-story their life script, externalise feelings of their ‘undesired’ realities and re-author their individual experiences (Madigan, 2011). A narrative approach in community work focuses on interpreting people’s experiences through the use of language, either written or verbal, or visual representations (Clarke, 2021). In art therapy, the use of narrative approach or storytelling is common, as clients often use the narratives of the artworks or art-making process to reflect upon their lived experiences.
When integrating the two approaches in the examination of all the collected narratives from the various generation groups, a common concern emerged from several participants from different generations. Many had externalised their emotions about their experiences with Covid-19 more than exploring the hawker theme. A narrative approach allowed multi-generations to touch on more urgent issues in their existing realities or the world. Here are two examples to illustrate.
An international student narrated her experience of Covid-19 using her art as follows:
I created a huge Corona virus which totally changed our life including travels, eating out, workplaces and so on worldwide. I made this extremely hateful virus somewhat humorous and suggested, “Let’s eat it up” so that we wouldn’t have to be threatened by infection, pneumonia symptoms, and in the worst-case scenario death. (Kumiko Matsushima, personal communication, 9 September 2020)
Whereas, Mr See (pseudonym), an older adult in a nursing home, recounted the following:
My brother used to bring me curry puffs during visitations but I was not able to see my brother during Covid-19… I hope my brother can come again and buy me the crispy curry puffs. The artwork ‘curry puffs’ I created reminded me of perfect happiness. (Mr See, personal communication, 21 October 2020)
Community work using a narrative approach empowers the individuals by inviting the ‘outsider-witnesses’ to create a supportive audience, thus allowing themselves to reconnect with their personal and cultural identities (Chiu, 2020). During a physically present session with a class of multi-national art therapy postgraduate students, the art therapist-facilitators first presented a video clip and artworks made by older Singaporean adults and then prompted the students to create their art in response to those narratives and artworks.
Michelle Barbara, who has a Croatian background, shared this:
Having lived in Singapore for 15 years, I created pratas and curry puffs as my hawker memories. In celebration of my cultural heritage, I also included the Croatian food, ražnjiči, which are similar to Singapore’s satay – simply meat on a stick, but of course with different flavours. The art-making induced childhood memories of baking with my grandma, so I also made several medenjaci (or gingerbread cookies in English). My artwork, just like myself, is a mixture of cultural identities. (Michelle Barbara, personal communication, 22 October 2020)
The above narrative shows how an international student used art-making (see Figure 1) to reflect on her cultural differences and reclaim her cultural identity through her own narrative that was inspired by the narratives from the older adults.
Project M later facilitated a live online Zoom dialogue session connecting the postgraduate art therapy students with older adults in a nursing home. Although the connection was through the screen, the virtual dialoguing (see Figure 2) did not hinder the two generations from actively engaging one another. The older adults responded animatedly and cheerfully, expressing with a lot of hand gestures while sharing their stories, albeit with the challenges of unclear audio exchanges as well as hearing disabilities for some of them. The students, on the other end, maintained high levels of curiosity, attentiveness and amusement as they listened to the older adults.
A student wrote in his reflection after the Zoom dialogue:
I was inspired by the sharing of their hawker story from the seniors I met during my MA art therapy class on Zoom… Talking about food is great conversation with anyone as it brings out the life and the memories of the person. (Yau Gee Lam, personal communication, 22 October 2020)
The students, as ‘outsider-witnesses’, helped to authenticate the lived experiences of the older adults in the community (Chiu, 2020). In the work with multi-generational groups, Project M showcased how the art-making from various generations was interwoven with the process of sharing, telling, and listening to each other’s narratives. This process supported the two generations to experience social connection, respect, empathy and positive emotions (Chiu, 2020). Verbal feedback from the nursing staff and the older adults, as well as written feedback from the students, demonstrated positive comments in regard to their online interactions.
Figure 1. Michelle Barbara, My cultural identity, 2020, flour, salt, warm water, cinnamon, turmeric, wooden sticks, glitter (inside the curry puffs, or should I say glitter puffs), dimensions variable.
Figure 2. A screen shot showing the online dialoguing session between art therapy students and older adults in a nursing home.
Materiality
Our senses are closely tied to our lived memories and there are few things in life more engaging to our senses than food. Food is the source of our life force, energy and vitality. The mere smell of a beloved dish or even the distinct design of a childhood utensil can send us back in time to a forgotten memory. The recipes we enjoy throughout our lives and the spaces where we feast as a community connect us in the present as well as to our ancestors in the past.
To invite evocative memories of hawker food, perishable and richly sensational materials like flour, salt, spices, oils, food wrappers, takeaway food boxes and utensils were provided for the art directive to give participants a full tactile experience. The participants could choose to make clay-dough objects or sculptures using purely flour, water, oil and salt directly with their hands.
Understanding the therapeutic qualities of different art materials enabled the art therapists to adapt their art directives in a short time. Instead of doing a series of in-situ art workshops, Project M moved to a series of online art workshops using the Zoom application. Since physical bonding and human interactions were limited due to stricter safety policies during Covid-19, the authors decided on homemade clay, commonly known as salt dough, using perishable ingredients like flour, salt, spices, and oil to mimic food preparation.
Clay is known for its malleable and three-dimensional qualities that allow direct shaping, stretching and moulding to whatever forms one desires (Buchanan, 2015). Elbrecht and Antcliff (2014) highlight how touching clay can repair the neural pathways in trauma clients, allowing them to re-experience love, secure attachment and social interaction. In a study by Bae and Kim (2018), patients living with Parkinson’s disease reported improved moods and were more self-expressive after interacting with clay. In Project M, salt dough was used in the hope of achieving a similar effect. The participants connected as they reflected on cherished memories shared with their loved ones, around the hawker theme, while kneading their salt dough.
Similar to the clay process (Bae & Kim, 2008), the salt-dough directive helped the participants feel relaxed as they recounted their social experiences revolving around the hawker centres. To facilitate a quality experience, steps were demonstrated in creating the salt dough, basic kneading and sculpting techniques for the participants to follow (see Figure 3). The mirroring of action was an important avenue to forge a social connection, intimacy and empathy between the participants and the facilitators (Franklin, 2010; Gallese, 2009; Sholt & Gavron, 2006; Wardi-Zonna, 2020).
Verbal responses from the participants informed the facilitators about how connected they felt throughout the engagement process. To illustrate, one senior resident, Mdm Wang (pseudonym) looked at the final artwork and jokingly said, “It’s okay for whatever it is, the art-making should be for fun and leisure” (Mdm Wang, personal communication, 6 November 2020). She added, “Don’t be too serious, and we all should be able to let go.” After the sharing, Mdm Wang could not stop giggling, and repeated a few times, “Whatever it is, it is.” It was evident that the senior resident felt connected and appreciated. She even requested the facilitator to return so that she could continue to learn more.
The preceding section of this article explores the emerging themes from the artworks and narrative recollections by the participants as they participated in the therapeutic opportunities. The following section discusses the reflections on the authors’ roles as art therapists in a community-based arts project.
Figure 3. Screen shots of online art-making session with older adults.
Nostalgia
Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for the past (Sedikides et al., 2008; Vess et al., 2012; Wildschut et al., 2006), is regarded as a universal social emotion across cultures and ages (Hepper et al., 2020). When one is reminiscing about the past, memories comprising recollections of meaningful events from one’s life evoke a mixture of happiness and sadness (Sedikides et al., 2018). Because the process of reminiscence does not occur in a vacuum (Molinari & Reichlin, 1984 as cited in Bohlmeijer et al., 2007), sensory stimulations such as sounds, movement, dance, smells, vibrations and food, or events, anniversaries and places, can trigger nostalgic memories. As one ruminates over the valued relationships and social experiences, positive affect is generated, social connectedness to the environment is strengthened and self-esteem is boosted because of a deeper appreciation of ‘who I am’ in times of change (Abakoumkin et al., 2019).
After a close study of the narrative accounts of all participants of Project M, the theme of nostalgia was identified. The following section describes three case vignettes that echo sentimentality for the past in their recollections.
Mdm Choi (pseudonym), was in her 80s, and living in a nursing home when she participated in Project M. She drew a seaside scene. The trees swayed in the background, looking out to the sea waves (Figure 4). Mdm Choi described herself as an introvert, who preferred less crowded places. Hence the bench was her favourite hang-out. She shared how hawker foods were affordable alternatives to home-cooked meals, given that more people were working long hours and had no time to cook their meals. Mdm Choi said that for social reasons, she used to eat out with her close friends around the Katong area (the eastern part of Singapore), at a hawker centre by the seaside. She said that the food served there was reasonable and what she valued most were the moments spent with her close mates (Mdm Choi, personal communication, 29 July 2020).
Shen Jiaqi, a local artist, responded to the open call to the public with a painting (Figure 5) based on the only photo she could find of Seletar Hills food centre (a hawker centre in the northern region of Singapore). The hawker centre was one that held many of her childhood memories, from the weekly routine of getting Saturday morning breakfast to the delicious ban mian that she loved as a kid. She recollected making friends and meeting neighbours who made a living from the food centre, and how they would excitedly tell the customers about the day’s happenings. Jiaqi recounted, as a child, sitting and watching the repetitive motions of the stall owners as they served one customer after another, while her family chatted with the friends whom they bumped into. Jiaqi noted how these were precious memories that could never be recreated, as the site has been transformed into a bustling shopping mall (Shen Jiaqi, personal communication, 29 September 2020).
Figure 5. Shen Jiaqi, Reminiscing Seletar, 2020, acrylic paint on wood panel, 430×660mm.
Another response to the open call was from a school student, Theresa (pseudonym), who reflected on her personal symbolism behind a particular dish (Figure 6). She expressed, “I have liked fishball noodles since young. I used to eat it quite often with my parents before they separated… no particular reason, I hardly eat fishball noodles anymore. Now I have started to eat more… seeing it reminds me of the good times I had with my parents” (Theresa, personal communication, 11 June 2020).
Figure 6. Theresa, My Memories with Fishball Noodles, 2020, watercolour on paper, 228×305mm.
Project M capitalised on the hawker concept where food consumption evokes our five senses, particularly our senses of smell and taste, which have already imprinted strong memories in the participants’ minds. The participants recounted memories of the food and the social connections, accompanied by positive emotions such as happiness, comfort and warmth. Their narrative accounts were congruent with the research study by Vignolles and Pichon (2014) in which nostalgic memories paired with foods were enjoyed at a precise time, at a common place and in the presence of others (mainly family or friends). In the case of Theresa, even though the memory brought with it the sadness of her parents’ separation, she expressed her nostalgic emotion positively that now eating the dish allowed her to remember the good times she had.
Notably, the narratives by participants expressed a reliving of positive affect, as phrases like “valuable were the moments”, “precious memories” and “good times” were used. These nostalgic engagements also invited reflections of participants’ social connectedness, which fuelled their self-esteem – to “feel good about myself” – and heightened optimism – “hopeful about the future” (Cheung et al., 2013).
What assisted in the process of reminiscence was the creative engagement of the participants. Art-making gave the participants a sense of control in what they wanted to create. As such, the art-making mediated between the retelling of a nostalgic memory and a final art product for an art exhibition. Project M provided a non-threatening platform for participants to recall their younger selves comfortably and connect with others over simple hawker foods. In this nostalgic process, the individual gained a sense of fulfilment and comfort, which contributed positively to their current well-being.
Reflections on the role of art therapist in community-based work
The authors are a collective of four emerging art therapists with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and expertise. The Collective’s vision is to reignite human connection to the material environment and enhance a sense of well-being through a hands-on approach. Through advocacy and experiential outreach, the Collective works toward a larger goal of bringing art and its healing power to communities. It was the Collective’s intention to pilot a community-based art project and gather collaborative efforts at multiple levels. Despite many challenges due to Covid-19, the authors tapped into the qualities of solidarity, resiliency and compassion in the process of project planning and execution as art therapists.
Quality of solidarity
Overall, Project M was a humbling experience for the authors. They learnt to embrace individual differences in the clinical approaches, personalities and creative practices of each other. The process of executing a community-based project required both hard and soft skills. Skills and qualities such as interpersonal communication, critical thinking, self-reflection, evaluation, pragmatics, work ethics, resourcefulness, innovation, project management and even financial sensitivity were essential to maintaining a successful collaboration. The authors helped each other to grow with solidarity and to reflect with a heightened awareness of the inherent value of each author’s work and its relationship with the community.
The project was dedicated to raising social responsiveness and awareness of the role of art therapists in the community. The project invited collaborations from various social service organisations, art institutions, schools, community centres, artists’ communities and the local community. These actions were strategic, bringing focus on the therapeutic opportunities in art-making to a large audience group.
Quality of resiliency working in times of Covid-19
Covid-19 forced the art therapists to move out of their conventional practice as physical workshops had to transition online. Parker-Bell (1999) notes that “no art tool including the computer suits all needs or situations but most can be used well in a therapeutic context if the therapist knows the properties and potential they hold” (p.184). The authors drew on their knowledge of the properties of different media to choose materials that enhance social connectedness and intimacy, in order to counter the limitation of being physically separated in space.
Bringing the workshop online also meant that, while facilitating, the authors had to deal with unpredictable technological faults, such as loss of internet connectivity or audio output, which could potentially result in frustration and loss of engagement on the participants’ end. To counteract this, the authors applied their experience of creating emotionally safe and engaging holding spaces in their clinical work to cyberspace (Ioannides, 2016). For example, the authors would check in with the participants whenever there was a technical glitch, instead of rushing through the workshop to complete it in time. To ensure smooth operation, the authors and on-site staff kept each other posted of the latest on-site situation via text messages. With this resiliency attribute in mind, the authors did their best to reach out and provide emotional support to the vulnerable groups of older adults in the community.
Compassion at the heart of empowering communities
Drawing on a strength-based approach, celebrating every milestone invites the individual to feel validated with each of their contributions (Aroogh & Shahboulaghi, 2020; Levasseur et al., 2010; Yazawa et al., 2016). The authors believe it is especially important to recognise every person who contributed with their presence and experiences in the project, including the on-site staff, the participants and the viewers who visited the exhibition, all constituting the community of the project.
In particular, the older adults who were engaged from nursing homes can often feel that society at large has forgotten them. Akin to their rich accounts of the hawker experiences in their younger days, these older adults contributed to the development of Singapore into a metropolitan country, and food is often looked upon as a symbol of love and care. To thank the older adults for their time and investment in Project M, the authors sent them their choice of hawker foods.
This section presents the reflections of the perspectives of art therapists in community-based arts projects. Amidst the challenges complicated by Covid-19, the authors responded with solidarity, resiliency and compassion to bring Project M to fruition. The next section highlights some areas for improvement in future projects.
Future directions
Although the authors envisioned an inclusive platform to promote social connectedness through Project M during Covid-19, more could be looked into to improve cultural nuances between ethnic groups (Lee & Robbins, 1995) and accessibility for diverse abilities (National Gallery Singapore, 2021). For example, the inclusion of a multilingual audio system or on-site translators could be arranged in order to cater to larger multilingual groups. Assistive technologies for persons with disabilities could be made available at the exhibition site. Furthermore, the diversity of the country could be further celebrated by creating outreach programmes for those marginalised communities that may be underrepresented even in hawker centres.
Conclusion
In summary, this paper illustrated how four art therapists brought the therapeutic practices of art-making through a community-based arts project to support individuals and communities in Singapore. The authors have discussed how the art-based findings of multi-generational narrative art, materiality and nostalgia brought about therapeutic opportunities for the participants to improve their sense of intimacy, social connectedness, community bonding, empathy, self-esteem, identity and positivity or positive emotions. The authors have also iterated their vision as a collective of art therapists and reflected on their perspectives on the challenges and future directions of community-based arts projects in Singapore.
Glossary
For the purpose of this article, the terms used interchangeably are as follows:
Facilitators, art therapists, authors, curators, docents, Collective.
Older adults, seniors, residents, elders.
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