Lineup of ArtsWok mascots in order of bridging, listening, advocating, developing, researching, and a cat-like animal with a wok-shaped head. Illustration Credit - Anngee Neo

Team

Meet Team ArtsWok. Each of us has a personal stake in the vision of ArtsWok Collaborative:
hear the stories of our ArtsWok voyages here.

Staff

Portrait of Ngiam Su-Lin

NGIAM SU-LIN

Co-Founder | Executive Director

Su-Lin has been active in the Singapore arts scene for more than two decades, specifically in the areas of education, community, creative producing, and interdisciplinary collaborations. She has worked with various arts organisations before co-founding ArtsWok in 2013.

Su-Lin produces community theatre and festivals in collaboration with the public, people, and private sectors. She has worked with numerous schools, social service, community, and health organisations to incorporate arts processes and approaches into their programmes, including the development and writing of training toolkits. Su-Lin also develops and facilitates capability development programmes and initiatives on arts-based community development.

A theatre studies and psychology graduate, she holds a Master of Arts degree in Research (Drama-in-Education) and two other post-graduate degrees in Counselling and Theological Studies, respectively.

“Co-founding and managing ArtsWok has been such an adventure and a meaningful journey. It is a deeply felt, humanistic, and spiritual response to the desire to create and bridge communities, in order for all of us to have opportunities to relate authentically, fulfil our potential, and co-create the society in which we exist. Tackling thorny social issues, and collaborations can be challenging and requires time, but is essential if we want real change, if we want different ways of being and relating. The arts provide meaningful and powerful ways to ask critical questions, to reveal truths, to generate and deepen relationships, and to imagine, rehearse and create new realities. I am so grateful for this space ArtsWok occupies to experiment, play hard, collaborate, and contribute towards community development in Singapore.”

Su-Lin
Portrait of Seah Sze Yunn

SEAH SZE YUNN

Director, Strategic Development

Sze Yunn is a design practitioner with over 20 years of experience in diverse areas of work, such as co-curricular learning, visual arts, branding, and marketing. Her research interests include the management of design processes and collaborative practices. Prior to joining ArtsWok, she was engaged in the strategic design and development of co-curricular learning at Singapore Management University. In 2007, she co-founded Perception3, an interdisciplinary art duo that produces artistic projects and arts-based learning experiences. She is a recipient of the LASALLE Scholarship for MA Studies and holds an MA in Design, with Distinction, from Goldsmiths, University of London, as well as a degree in advertising from RMIT University.

“I first came to know of ArtsWok back in 2017 at a conference presentation, and later became acquainted with the Both Sides, Now project through their public programmes. While my encounters with ArtsWok were brief, they impressed me with their arts-based approach towards community engagement and development. As someone who is a part of an art duo that creates art installations in public spaces, I have an interest in observing and articulating how artistic processes and interventions can be well-suited and valuable to engage communities meaningfully, to imagine and construct shared narratives of how we live together, and to recognise the ripple effect of our individual actions.”

Sze Yunn
Portrait of Jerusha Tan

JERUSHA TAN

Company Manager

Jerusha has worked in the arts and cultural sector in Singapore for more than 10 years. She has a background in creative producing, project management, and strategic communication. A firm believer in the transformative nature of the arts, Jerusha is driven by how she can help others to express their creativity and realise their artistic vision. Her interests span across placemaking, social action, and cultural participation. She holds a MA with Distinction in Arts, Festival, and Cultural Management from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.

“I first encountered ArtsWok in 2012 at IPS Prism, where they presented a bold vision of what arts-based community development could be. The Greenhouse Sessions and Both Sides, Now followed soon after, capturing my attention in distinct yet complementary ways. In the years since, my relationship with ArtsWok has taken on different dimensions as a participant, volunteer, and creative producer. What has been constant, however, is my admiration for the imagination, empathy, and heart in all that they do.”

Jerusha
Portrait of Jennifer Kwan

JENNIFER KWAN

Manager, Programme & Engagement

Prior to joining ArtsWok, Jennifer worked in local publishing for 7 years, valuing the opportunities to platform underrepresented voices and fresh perspectives through bestselling books and meaningful dialogues. Experienced in sales, logistics, and event planning, Jennifer treasures the relationships that form when collaborating with others, and finds joy in connecting people together whether for work or for play. She is also passionate about accessibility and climate justice, and how these causes can converse and grow with each other through intersectional feminist practice.

“I find deep purpose in work that platforms underrepresented perspectives and social issues, and felt an alignment to the values and competencies that drive ArtsWok’s programmes. It’s nourishing to be part of a team that honours the intricate process of collaboration, and values the arts as an avenue for social participation and community development. I’m looking forward to more opportunities to collaborate within and beyond the arts.”

Jennifer
Portrait photo of Durrah Qistina

DURRAH QISTINA

Senior Programme Executive

Durrah holds a BA (Hons) in Arts Management from Goldsmiths, University of London. Trained in visual arts and arts management, Durrah believes in the significance of the arts in communicating, engaging, and reaching out to underserved communities. With her skills and knowledge in arts management, she aims to advocate for the role of the arts as a catalyst for social change and for creating inclusive spaces. As part of her art collective NAYA, Durrah served as an artist-in-residence at The Artground to create an immersive play space for babies and young children.

“I first came to learn of ArtsWok through Both Sides, Now. It inspired me to take up the opportunity to embark on a traineeship with them. The meaningful experiences I gained along the way motivated me to continue on this journey with the team. I’m hopeful for the future of arts-based community development! And look forward to co-creating more projects which empower communities and strive for social change.”

Durrah
Portrait of Kyara Devaser

KYARA DEVASER

Senior Content & Communication Executive

Kyara is a creative force and an art-maker with a BA in Arts (History of Art) from the University of Western Australia and a Diploma in Communication Design from Temasek Polytechnic. Rooted in exploring what mortality means, she believes in the significance of art as a platform for shaping and interpreting the world. With a passion for uncovering untold stories, she seeks to provide platforms for diverse perspectives, contributing to knowledge production through art, design, and curation. Inspired by the concepts of metaphysics, Kyara aims to weave narratives that open minds and hearts.

“ArtsWok’s mission is something I truly resonate with — that the power of the arts can bring about change. Using my strengths in art and design to initiate positive change is something I’ve always pursued. Through exploring various social issues, the arts have inculcated within me a deep sense of curiosity about the world and its intricacies. I’m grateful to be a part of ArtsWok, an organisation that champions such impactful programmes.”

Kyara

Board of Directors

Portrait of Bruce Liew

BRUCE LIEW

 Chairperson

Bruce has spent nearly three decades moving across the people, public, and private sectors — helping organisations and communities create systems where individuals can thrive. Being ‘tri-lingual’ in the languages of people, policy, and possibility has taught him that impact isn’t driven by talent, technology, or techniques alone. It happens when we translate across contexts, align strengths, and build ecosystems where people, organisations, and communities work better together.

Bruce currently serves as Senior Director of Disability and Inclusion in AWWA, working alongside passionate colleagues to design services and strategies that empower persons with disabilities to live fully and independently. Besides this, he is a Board member of Odyssey Dance Theatre and an Advisor to Artery.

“ArtsWok’s approach of combining the ‘relational approach’ of community development with a ‘creative approach’ unique to the arts resonates with me, as artistic experiences can catalyse the organic and often unpredictable development of communal relationships and capabilities. It inspires me to do more in this niche and relatively nascent field.”

Bruce
Portrait of Su Lin Goh

GOH SU LIN

 Board Member | Treasurer

Su Lin is a commercial mediator accredited by the Singapore International Mediation Institute, and a part-time learning coach on INSEAD Online executive programmes. She recently retired from a long career in arts management, working with non-profit theatre organisations. In the course of that, she co-founded Six Degrees, a network for independent creatives, and Emily Hill Institute for Creative Enterprise where she developed and delivered WSQ Diplomas in Creative Entrepreneurship and in Arts Management. Her other experience includes stints as Consultant, Law & Business Affairs, MTV Asia, and an Adjunct Lecturer with the Master of Non-Profit Management programme at Singapore University of Social Sciences.

“What I appreciate most about ArtsWok is the heart and time they invest in the community. They open up spaces for genuine encounters — with the arts, and with one another — where empathy and agency can grow. I’m happy to contribute to their work of catalysing connection, dialogue, and development through the arts.”

Su Lin
Portrait of Simon Siah

SIMON SIAH

Board Member

Simon is the founder of Qurious Consulting, a multidisciplinary innovation training and consultancy firm which specialises in assisting organisations develop innovation capabilities. He also serves as an innovation advisor to Y-Lab, an innovation lab at the National Gallery Singapore that bridges the realms of technology and art to enhance the art viewing experience, visitor engagement, and the work environment for museum professionals.

“I was first introduced to ArtWok’s work through Both Sides, Now. It piqued my interest in understanding how art can serve as a catalyst for fostering discussions on sensitive topics, such as coping with death. The latter is a subject that grows in significance as we age and confront the reality of our mortality. Art offers a non-threatening and expressive avenue for individuals to convey their emotions and connect with others who share similar experiences. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to learn and actively participate in a meaningful cause, utilising art as a tool for promoting positive change and fostering connections within our community.”

Simon
Portrait of Ranganayaki Thangavelu

RANGANAYAKI THANGAVELU

Board Member

Ranga is an accredited social worker and community development practitioner with over 20 years of experience in the charity sector. During her time at Beyond Social Services, where she last served as Deputy Executive Director, she worked closely with families in rental housing neighbourhoods in Singapore. She champions strengths-based, community-led approaches that emphasise local participation and collective responsibility. 

Currently based in Berlin, Ranga is a lecturer in Social Work in the Department of Social and Educational Sciences at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences (FHP) in Germany. She integrates her social work experience into her teaching, focusing on community development methodologies and practices in social work. She also serves on the boards of The Constellation, an international network of practitioners promoting community-led change, and A Good Space Co-operative. Through her leadership in the non-profit sector and her deep commitment to building community competence, she hopes to contribute meaningfully to ArtsWok’s mission.

“I got to work closely with Su-Lin and the team at ArtsWok in 2019 when we collaborated on a community theatre performance at the M1 Peer Pleasure Youth Theatre Festival focusing on poverty and inequality. At every stage of the process, ArtsWok’s professionalism and passion was apparent, and they fully supported our team and youth through the staging of The Block Party at the Esplanade. I am familiar with the community theatre process when we stage in the neighbourhoods, but it was a whole new experience of four shows in three days in a theatre. The opportunity gave a boost to the youth and the whole team, and no one can forget the life-changing experience. I look forward to strengthening the link between asset-based community development and arts-based community development.”

Ranga
Portrait of Nicole Chua

NICOLE CHUA

Board Member

Nicole Chua is a strategist in human experience and systems thinking with over two decades of experience helping people and communities learn, connect, and thrive. Her work spans experiential learning, organisational transformation, leadership development, experience design, and community engagement, combining strategic thinking with a deep understanding of human behaviour and change. She has partnered with organisations across Asia to build capability, strengthen relationships, and inspire collective action through thoughtfully designed experiences. 

Nicole believes meaningful transformation happens when people feel seen, heard, and empowered to contribute. She is passionate about creating conditions where creativity, dialogue, and shared experiences foster belonging, deepen understanding, and unlock new possibilities. As a Board Member, Nicole is honoured to support an organisation that reflects her belief in the arts as a catalyst for connection, empathy and social change. She looks forward to bringing her experience in strategy, systems thinking, and experience design to support ArtsWok’s mission of strengthening communities.

“I’ve always been fascinated by what happens when people come together with openness and curiosity. The most meaningful transformations often begin with a conversation, a shared story, or a moment that helps us see one another differently. That’s what draws me to ArtsWok. It uses creativity not as an end in itself, but as a way to build empathy, strengthen communities, and remind us of our shared humanity. I’m deeply honoured to be part of a community that creates space for these moments to unfold.”

Nicole