Performing Arts: Traditional Arts Residency
Experiment and incubate new inter-cultural and disciplinary work with a strong Traditional Arts focus.
Last updated on 25 September 2026
Traditional Arts Residency
The Traditional Arts (TA) Residency invites individuals, groups or collectives to experiment and incubate a new intercultural and/or cross-disciplinary work with a strong Traditional Arts focus, with plans for international dissemination.
2026 Edition
The 2026 TA Residency will span 4 to 6 months within the period of 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The lead applicant of the project can be either (1) an arts practitioner primarily practising Traditional Arts, with at least 2 years of relevant experience working in the arts; or (2) an arts practitioner with track record of integrating Traditional Arts into their practice and creation, with at least 2 years of relevant experience working in the arts.
The artist-in-residence will receive residency support, including:
A grant of up to S$30,000, which comprises support for:
Up to S$20,000 covering the artist-in-residence and collaborator’s honorarium, research and other relevant costs associated with the residency; and
Up to S$10,000 for Project Showcase expenses;
Mentorship guidance and support by overseas mentor Long Play Lab (LPL) (opens in new tab);
A rent-free (utilities included) studio space at SAC fitted with air-con and lights for 6 months, shared amongst all the artist(s)-in-residence, subject to availability.
Application
The application window closes on 15 July 2026 (Wednesday), 2359h. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. Successful applicant(s) will be notified by September 2026.
For more information on the Traditional Arts Residency, please refer to the open call guidelines here [PDF, 561.76 KB] (opens in new tab). Interested applicants may find the application form here [DOCX, 79.42 KB] (opens in new tab) and budget sheet here [XLSX, 112.91 KB] (opens in new tab). If you have any further queries, please contact Amanda Koh at amanda_koh@nac.gov.sg.
About Long Play Lab
Helmed by Topi Lehtipuu (left) and Ivan Ludlow (right), Long Play Lab (LPL) (opens in new tab) is a strategic cultural think tank that designs training and strategy programmes for cultural institutions and government departments. Both directors have a wealth of experience in performing, programming and producing, as well as an extensive international network of cultural executives and practitioners.
LPL will oversee and provide tailored feedback on the artistic developments of the residency projects, as well as conduct a 6-module curriculum for the artists-in-residence.
Past Residencies
Since its inception in 2018, there have been five runs of the TA Residency and NAC has awarded a total of nine artists-in-residence. Scroll down to find out more about the artists and the projects that were supported through this TA Residency across the years.
T.I.M.E. in I-Ching by T.I.M.E. (Lead Applicant: Phang Kok Jun)
Residency period: 1 June 2024 to 31 October 2024
T.I.M.E. (Theatrically Immersive Musical Experience) — led by Phang Kok Jun and Danny Yeo in collaboration with Neo Hai Bin — implores the audience to consider a personal question, connect with Chinese music inspired by the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, and experience I-Ching “live” onstage. This showcase is a presentation of the artists’ processes during the residency, including snippets of the full show concept as well as pre-show and post-show engagement activities.
(& they echo) 余音 • 续曲 by PB&J Collective (Lead Applicant: Ng Wei Xuan)
Residency period: 1 June 2024 to 31 October 2024
(& they echo) is a story of cultural preservation despite Singapore’s modernisation across the decades, told through one Ah Seng’s life and music.
Why Not Me? – by the Kriya Collective (Lead Applicant: Niranjan Pandian)
Residency period: 1 June 2024 to 31 October 2024
Kriya Collective presents Why Not Me?, an evocative multi-disciplinary experience that explores the theme of prejudice. Through a compelling narrative, the collective sheds light on the inner world of an individual who is perpetually overlooked. Prepare to be captivated by a series of thought-provoking plot twists designed to engage, challenge, and inspire empathy within the audience.
草动知风向: Ta Ri Ki Ta (A straw will show which way the wind blows: Our Dance) by Li Ruimin
Residency period: 16 June to 6 October 2022
This work presents the key moments in the personal dance journeys of Li Ruimin and her collaborator, Sufri Juwahir, to demonstrate how their training in the traditional arts (Chinese dance and Indian dance respectively) have evolved into their current contemporary practice. It aims to illustrate the experiences that have helped these dancers become more aware of the coexistence of preservation and development in a traditional art form, which prompts the audience to question their preconceived notions of ‘tradition’. Ruimin and Sufri collaborated and danced alongside three musicians for the live showcase – namely, Indian percussionist Govin Tan, Indian classical flautist Niranjan Pandian and Pipa player Gildon Choo. There is also a prerecorded track by Dayn Ng used for Ruimin’s solo in an earlier section of the show.
Chinese Dance for Young Audiences by Melissa Quek
Residency period: 23 November 2020 to 26 February 2022
The showcase, When the Mirror Birds Fly, is an interactive dance performance of 45-60 minutes for children aged six to nine years old, with facilitated discussions. The showcase starts with an introduction to the Chinese folk dance and classical dance inspiration and influences, followed by a 30-minute dance performance and story, and concludes with a facilitated discussion based on the performance and the theme of co-existing in nature. The work is a manifestation of the residency process of applying a creation approach to making and performing dance for young audiences that is not bound by genre, which contributes to the way traditional dance practices are introduced to children. This project was workshopped with performer-choreographers Yong Yong Xin and Lynn Tan, and SAtheCollective was engaged to compose and record an original piece of music specifically for the ethnic dance work.
Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales by Hanfugirl Collective
Residency period: 22 March to 11 July 2021
Yanzilou: Forgotten Tales by Hanfugirl Collective is a site-specific, multidisciplinary and multisensorial performance showcasing the origin and legacies of Chinese performing arts, particularly the dance and music traditions. The project is an immersive time-travelling experience into the past, where one encounters the ancient virtuosos of Chinese arts, the Tang Courtesans, and hear their forgotten tales while appreciating the beauties of the artforms they have created. Through a long and rigorous research process, audiences will gain insights on the female perspective of performing arts, which has unfortunately been erased from history due to their largely patriarchal world.
To find out more about the project: https://linktr.ee/Hanfugirl (opens in new tab)
Rupavikara (metamorphosis) by Durga Devi Mani Maran
Residency period: 1 November 2019 to 21 February 2020
In collaboration with Visual Artist Mumtaz Maricar and Sound Designer Anand Krishna, Durga Mani Maran‘s Rupavikara (metamorphosis) is an interdisciplinary performance that transforms traditional practice through innovation and play. The work is inspired by Ashtapadhi, a traditional poetic text about the Hindu god, Lord Krishna, who resides in the Sri Krishnan temple along Waterloo Street. Unlike a typical Indian dance performance, the visual artist and sound designer interpreted the text before the dancer. The final performance embraces digital technology as it manipulates space, sound and colours, allowing audiences to experience an Ashtapadhi rather than merely watching it as a dance.
Project Transit: Echoes of Waterloo by Thamizhvanan Veshnu Narayanasamy
Residency period: 1 July to 20 October 2019
A collaborative effort led by Veshnu Narayanasamy, Project Transit: Echoes of Waterloo is an interdisciplinary exploration of cultural memories centred on the Waterloo Street area—a precinct where early migrants of different ethnicities and religions have partly left their mark, while much is also rapidly forgotten in the fast-changing urban milieu. The vocabulary in this piece is developed and created through interactive theatre and a combination of various Asian dance techniques. The final work is a blend of traditional and contemporary dance, re-choreography of traditional work, multimedia images, ancient songs and modern tunes.
Night Walker - 夜行者 by Neil Chua
Residency period: 25 July to 30 November 2018
Conceptualised by Artistic Director Neil Chua and Creative Director Lim Chin Huat, Night Walker - 夜行者 is a multidisciplinary and multicultural presentation that redefines how traditional musical arts are presented while preserving the essence of each cultural element. The theatrical recital cuts across three genres – Traditional Chinese instrumental music, Traditional Indian dance and Electronic Music with Live Soundscape. The work explores how the daily human lifestyle can affect the quality of one’s sleep, as well as how it is correlated with the Rise, Fall and Reborn of Ruan (阮).
To find out more about the project: https://www.ruanatworkz.com/nightwalker (opens in new tab)