Singtel has launched its Expressions Through Art exhibition, a platform for special education students to showcase their creativity and artistic talent to the larger community.
Held at National Gallery Singapore, Expressions Through Art is the first exhibition that features artworks from all 21 local special education schools and speaks to Singtel’s values of diversity and inclusivity.
The exhibition, to commemorate the Singtel Touching Lives Fund’s (STLF) 20th anniversary, was opened by President Halimah Yacob and Dr Mohamad Maliki bin Osman, Second Minister for Education and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. President Halimah, Dr Maliki, together with Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon and STLF Chairperson Ms Aileen Tan, toured the exhibition and engaged special education educators and students to learn more about the students and their 120 artworks on display. At the event, APSN Tanglin School students also collaborated with Singtel staff to create an artwork together.
President Halimah said, “I’m happy to launch the Expressions Through Art exhibition, which celebrates the spirit of creativity and inclusivity. As we grow as a nation, it is important that we continue to embrace diversity, leaving no community behind. I hope that more companies will step up to support the less privileged members of our community.” Liza Ow, Principal of APSN Tanglin School, said, “The APSN and other SPED schools have benefitted from the programmes and funds from STLF over the past 20 years, which has helped us to support our students through the different stages in their lives – providing them a holistic education and training, enabling them to lead independent and meaningful lives. The inaugural Expressions Through Art exhibition, in providing an open and conducive platform for students from all the SPED schools in Singapore to showcase their artistic talents, is a great effort to help everyday Singaporeans better understand our community. I would like to encourage everyone to come to the exhibition and see what these students can accomplish – their talent, dreams and aspirations.”
Yuen said, “Our Group’s purpose, Empower Every Generation, is the driving force behind our Singtel Touching Lives Fund, which aims to help everyone achieve their fullest potential. Since its launch in 2002, we have raised more than $50 million for children and youth with special needs across more than 20 charities. At the same time, we recognise the power of art in facilitating meaningful connections and conversations, hence our on-going support for National Gallery Singapore since 2015. Art is no less important to our special needs student beneficiaries and we are pleased to marry both our causes by bringing the work of SPED school students to the Gallery to mark the 20th anniversary of STLF. This is a shout out for inclusivity, diversity and harnessing our strengths to help the more vulnerable segments of our community so that every generation moves forward.”
Expressions Through Art will be held at National Gallery Singapore, Supreme Court Terrace, from 17 to 28 August, every day from 10am to 7pm. Access to the exhibition is free.
Since 2002, STLF, Singtel’s corporate philanthropy programme, has raised more than $50 million to meet the critical education needs of children and youth with special needs across more than 20 charities including six SPED schools. This year, with more relaxed pandemic safety measures, Singtel will be hosting the annual flagship Singtel Charity Golf at Tanah Merah Country Club on 26 August. The annual Singtel Carnival will be held later in the year. It is something that many SPED students look forward to and in 2019, the last full-scale carnival before the pandemic, more than 1,600 students turned up to enjoy the food and games.
This content was originally published here.