We Chat With Audrey Perera, Festival Director of Singapore’s Inclusive ‘True Colours Festival’

PUBLISHED March 13th, 2018 06:00 am

There’s a new arts festival coming to Singapore, and it’s the region’s most inclusive one to date. Do you appreciate music with your ears or your eyes? Can you look past disability and feel the true emotions of a dancer in your heart? The inaugural True Colours Festival asks those very questions, as it brings together some of the world’s foremost musicians and artistes with disabilities in a multi-faceted celebration of the arts.

Happening from 23 to 25 March 2018, True Colours Festival will feature an international conference on inclusion, free experiential activities for the public (including a ‘Dialogue in the Dark’ space), community outreach activities, as well as a world-class concert experience headlined by artistes like award-winning Japanese dance company Dazzle, New Zealand professional dancer Rodney Bell, and Canadian violinist Adrian Anantawan.

In anticipation of this groundbreaking event, we speak with Festival Director Audrey Perera, the woman who leads it all.

Hi Audrey! What led you to start a festival featuring artistes with disabilities?

I was inspired after attending a UNESCO conference to mark International Day of Persons with Disability in 2015, and one thing led to another. Presenters The Nippon Foundation (TNF) and UNESCO appointed Very Special Arts Singapore to be the producer of the festival in Singapore, and then I was appointed to be the festival director. TNF has, for many years, been engaged in initiatives to support people with disabilities, within Japan and overseas, and works to eliminate social, attitudinal and environmental barriers.

I’m guessing True Colours is a reference to the Cyndi Lauper song?

Actually no. When I was first appointed to conceptualise and produce the festival, I knew it needed a catchy name that would carry a deep meaning. The song had come to mind but I’d put the idea aside. While researching ‘artistes with disabilities’ online, I came across two artistes who made the same point. They expressed the view that social media, instead of challenging negative stereotypes, actually made them stronger, because it could decree what was and was not ‘acceptable’. One of the artistes was particularly eloquent. She said that this social media phenomenon made people like her – with disabilities – feel unwelcome at the table, and made them hide their true colours. That’s when I knew it was the title I’d recommend.

What are some things about artistes with disabilities that abled people are ignorant about?

I wouldn’t say that people are ignorant, I’d say we’re unaware. And it’s not ‘people’, it’s all of us. We tend to define persons with disabilities by their disability, while they want to be seen as people with dreams and aspirations and frustrations living out their lives. It doesn’t occur to us that we could have been a person with a disability, had our circumstances, luck, or genes been just a little different. By the same logic, artistes with disabilities want to be recognised for their talent and ability. One of our Singapore artistes, Danial Bawthan, said to me once: “My body is disabled, and I accept that. But my music isn’t. People describing my music as ‘disabled music’? That’s just rude and offensive.”

What is the relationship between the arts and disability activism?

Very Special Arts Singapore turns 25 this year, which makes this festival particularly meaningful for us! VSA is now a full-scale arts training centre, and has also launched an inclusive literary arts programme and its own inclusive theatre company called Very Special Theatrics (VST). It comprises actors with disabilities and seasoned theatre professionals. At this point in our evolution, VSA is beginning to take on an advocacy role for the arts and disability sector.

What are some partner organisations that you’re working with for the festival?

Our principal partners are Singapore Sports Hub, SportSG & SportCARES, APCD (Asia Pacific Development Centre for Disability) British Council and Singapore Airlines, and our largest Singapore sponsor is DBS. We’re working with many more partners, including SPD, SADeaf and SAVH.

Who are some artistes we can look forward to?

It’s almost impossible to single out specific performances to catch as they’re all outstanding and all these artistes have captured international headlines. There’s Adrian Anantawan from Canada, ILL-Abilities, a breakdance crew from many countries, Tony Dee from Australia, DAZZLE from Japan, Ma Li & Zhai Xiaowei from China, Alienette Coldfire from the Philippines, Drake Music Scotland’s Digital Orchestra from the UK … you see what I mean?

What’s next for the festival after its first edition here? Are you planning to expand it to other countries?

This is a first and we’d love to continue to build the momentum in this part of the world, because it’s not just a festival about entertainment, but it’s about entertainment with a cause. And that cause is celebrating ability and talent, and generating respect.

Your thoughts about inclusivity and accessibility in the arts world?

Different countries are at different points along this path. Countries such as the UK are far ahead in terms of inclusivity in the arts. Singapore is moving in the right direction, I feel, with a real will, although we’re still far from the ideal captured in the mantra “Nothing About Us Without Us”. In the recent past, we’ve seen many more inclusive theatre and music productions, more work around the theme of disability, more public dialogues and forums and even an inclusive story-telling festival which broke new ground just a few months ago. It will be neither easy nor straightforward to create an arts world that is 100% inclusive, and there’s no need for that, so at this point in time, we’re going in the right direction.

Come show your support for inclusivity! The True Colours Festival is happening from 23 to 25 March 2018 at Singapore Indoor Stadium and OCBC Square.