Writing, Applied Theatre and

Reminiscence Art for Wellbeing

The Tapestry Project SG

The Tapestry Project is a voluntary ground-up initiative, not-for-profit online publication run by persons-in-recovery who share a passion for mental health awareness, education and empowerment. Founded in 2014, The Tapestry Project champions mental health recovery through the power of first-person stories and aims to inspire hope and challenge mindsets associated with mental health, illness, and recovery today.

Rosie McGowan

McGowan combines her knowledge and training in applied theatre (Drama in the Community and Drama education) and counselling to work with young people. She has designed and conducted arts-based, experiential workshops in schools with teachers and students, to promote understanding of mental health and self-care; self-harm and suicide prevention; spotting and managing harmful behaviours; self-esteem. She has worked with organisations including the Community Rehabilitation Centre; Singapore's only female halfway house, The Turning Point; The Esplanade (Singapore); and Outside Edge Theatre Company (London). Other applied theatre work includes drama workshops with people in recovery; working with transgender youth exploring science and gender, and mentoring a project about the stigma behind mental illness.

Reminisce Connect

Established in 2017, Reminisce Connect is an initiative spearheaded by couple Patricia and Arthur, to foster meaningful engagement and bonding amongst elderlies, their caregivers and care professionals. It currently offers two flagship programmes namely: Take off Your Cap! and Tell me Your Story Pa and Me!. Guided by the Curated Archives of Person’s belongings (CAP), the former is a 12-week group reminiscence programme uses role-play and artefacts such as photographs, oral history interviews, audio visual materials, music and art to trigger the elderly senses, stimulate memories of the past and encourage the elderly to tell their stories, voice their opinions and share their feelings. The latter is a customised reminiscence program for caregivers, volunteers and professionals to develop interviewing skills to enable them to better connect, communicate and document their life story. Reminisce Connect also worked closely with the Alzheimer’s Disease Association Singapore to develop the Journey with Arts and Dementia (JADe), a reminiscence and art engagement programme for their day care centre clients under the Family of Wisdom programme. Reminisce Connect also collaborated with learning institutions such as Ngee Ann Polytechnic, School of the Arts (SOTA) to promote awareness and appreciation of reminiscence work.