School of Creative
Industries
BA(Hons) Arts Management
Arts managers and artist-led systems of access: Two Singaporean case studies
The arts and disability field in Singapore has seen an exponential boom in development and activity in recent years. While much headway has been made in the area of accessibility for audience members, there has been comparatively less open discussion centred around access for artists with disabilities in their working process.
With a focus on the rehearsal processes of theatre in Singapore involving performers with physical and sensory disabilities, this paper argues for the need for a caring, artist-led system of access support in order to create an equitable and ethical work environment. Through a qualitative analysis of two disability-led productions: And Suddenly I Disappear: The Singapore ‘d’ Monologues (2018) and What If (2020), this research also aims to identify the producer's, production manager's and stage manager’s roles in implementing such systems, and position these arts managers as key figures in creating and upholding them.
Keywords: arts and disability, artist-led systems of access, artists with disabilities, arts manager
Subtopics: caring relationships, collective responsibility
Koh Yi Wei
Yi Wei is graduating with a BA(Hons) Arts Management degree from LASALLE College of the Arts. Upon graduation, she intends to pursue a career in production and stage management. Her production credits include And Suddenly I Disappear: The Singapore 'd' Monologues, True Colours Festival, and M1 Fringe Festival's Does This Work For You?.
Through her work, Yi Wei hopes to bridge the gap between critical works and listening audiences, and is continuously learning and developing the skill set to better allow her to do so.