Join Slow Art Day 2025, join us for a dynamic roundtable featuring experts from the participatory arts, creative health and community outreach. Each expert will share their perspective on how they have integrated slow looking—typically understood as a the practice of deeply engaging with art and the environment at a contemplative pace—into their professional practices. Together, they will extend the potential of slow looking into socially engaged work as they explore the question: What can slow looking offer as a practical framework to help us create meaningful and lasting relationships with the community?

 
This roundtable is the culmination of a two-year Slow Art Guide Research Project that led to the development of the new episodes of the Slow Art Guide. Commissioned by the Gallery to be the lead researcher of the project, Dr. Felicia Low will kick off the panel with a presentation on the research process and key findings. She will also share about her experience of applying slow looking in person-centred arts facilitation. Dr. Low will be joined by Dr. Michael Tan and Alicia Teng for the roundtable discussion.

 
Whether you are from the arts, healthcare or social service sectors, this roundtable will benefit anyone who is looking to build deeper connections with their audience using creative and thoughtful methods.

There is live Speech-to-Text Interpretation during the programme. This programme is at Singapore Courtyard and audiences may sit along the steps. Cushioned seating is available but does not have backrests or armrests. Chairs with backrests are available upon request.

  • When: Sun 6 Apr 2025 | 1.30pm - 3pm
  • Suitable For: Adults, Visitors 65 and above, Visitors with accessibility needs, Students and Educators
  • Where: Singapore Courtyard 
  • Free, registration required
Register Here
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About the speakers

Dr. Felicia Low

Dr. Felicia Low is a visual artist, art educator and applied arts researcher. With support from the National Arts Council, she created a pedagogical guide on Person-centred Arts Practices with Communities. Dr. Low is the founding director of Community Cultural Dimensions, a non-for-profit organisation that aims to provide a critical discursive platform for artistic practices that engage with communities in the region. Since 2000, she has been working with various arts institutions and social organisations to conduct and research on arts programmes and community-based practices. As the lead researcher of the Slow Art Guide Research Project, Dr. Low will kick off the panel with a presentation of the research process and key findings, followed by a sharing of her experience of applying slow looking in art facilitation.

Dr. Michael Tan 

Dr. Michael Tan is the Dean of Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of the Arts Singapore, Nanyang Academy of Arts. As a leading creative health researcher, and advocate in Singapore, his contributions include the State of Arts and Health Development Singapore and numerous cross sectoral/discipline collaborations with stakeholders such as the AIC, NAC, Duke-NUS to explore, interrogate, and imagine the culture of care. Dr. Tan’s ongoing inquiries include mental health, end of life and, disability. He will share his learnings from Gesture of Care—a creative movement workshop he developed to create a space to slow down practice of care, and an invitation to pause and reflect on the place of listening in care exchange. 

Alicia Teng

Alicia Teng is the Deputy Director of the Community and Access (C&A) team at National Gallery Singapore (Gallery), which oversees access initiatives, volunteer management and community engagement. Since 2018, she has led the development of various pioneering access initiatives, such as the Access Guide, Slow Art programme, Art with You and the Calm Room, all while working in close partnership with community stakeholders to engage diverse communities at the Gallery. Alicia will share how principles of slow looking has enabled the Gallery to reimagine its community outreach efforts, making room for meaningful and creative methods of engaging communities through art.