Once upon a time... sorry, wrong story. 

This the story of Art:Connect. Let me start this story with a bit about myself. I am a 14-year-old student in Singapore hoping to pass school and have a good time with her friends and family. I absolutely love art, and am a trained dancer in Indian classical dance. For me, art has always played an important role in my life. Be it painting or dancing, it was a safe place for me, an outlet for my emotions. Perhaps it was for that reason, that the idea  Art:Connect was always there at the back of my mind, but it was that one incident that really sparked it.

​

In early 2018, my father went through a second kidney transplant. It was a very tough phase, not only for me but for my whole family. It was physically and mentally draining and there wasn't much I could do to help my father who was going through so much.

​

Being a medical care professional has always been my dream. Ever since I learned the definition of a “job”, I wanted to become a doctor. However, no matter how cliché this sounds, my dream of being a doctor came into perspective during this period. I had immense respect for all the healthcare personnel who worked so hard to help my father and all the patients, that I just wanted to have the opportunity to do the same.

 

During the hospital visits, which I may say were very frequent for my father, I noticed that many of the clinics did not have a positive enough environment that would aid the healing process.  The use of visual arts (example paintings, photography) was very limited. I went back home to research about healing using the arts. That was when the idea of Art: Connect was born. My thought process was simple - All patients and even healthcare workers, for whom their healthcare centres have almost become synonymous for "home", it is only fair that they have a vibrant and positive environment.

 

Art:Connect aims to make use of the immense talent of the youth, take their art and display them in healthcare centres. This not only benefits all patients but serves as a platform for the youth to display their creativity and develop an inclination towards patients care.

 

Art:Connect is a dream of mine. Something that needs to be turned into a reality, which I believe we all can achieve. I believe that Art:Connect will help make that small bit of change in the world.

I may not be the first one to implement this, but I definitely shouldn't be the last one.

​