The Work of Art Now: Practices and Pedagogies in Southeast Asia

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The University of the Arts Singapore (UAS) brings together artists, educators, practitioners, and researchers to address critical questions on arts practices and arts education today and into the future. A century ago, artists and intellectuals contemplated ‘the work of art’ in an age of technological advancement and the rise of mass society. Throughout the 20th century, Southeast Asian artists and educators grappled with ‘the modern’ as their societies emerged from colonial rule amid massive social transformation. As the region enters the second quarter of the 21st century, what does it mean to make art, teach and learn art, enjoy and embody art in our everyday lives and livelihoods — and shape our collective life?

The UAS Arts Education Symposium 2025, The Work of Art Now: Practices and Pedagogies in Southeast Asia, explores the evolving demands of arts practices and arts pedagogies under new material and social conditions. In a crisis-ridden world, artists and arts educators ‘dwelling in doubt’ foster deeper engagement and discovery, encouraging reflection, even speculation, on new and unknown frontiers. These include artmaking in digital and physical spaces, the co-existence of traditional and contemporary practices in the curriculum, transdisciplinary and interdisciplinary inquiries, and creativity in the service of economic and social life.

Acknowledging the complex interrelationship between arts practices and arts pedagogies, the Symposium aims to establish critical readings of current developments in arts education, opening new lines of inquiry on how we can develop a sustainable and caring ecosystem that contributes meaningfully and effectively to the sociocultural development of our peoples and the region.