Arts: Usha Chandradas, Mok Cui Yin, and XUE talk with Aditi Shivaramakrishnan | Jom

Usha Chandradas, Mok Cui Yin, and XUE spoke with Aditi Shivaramakrishnan at the inaugural Jomfest, held at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore on May 19, 2026 What is the state of the arts in Singapore, and how do artists and arts workers navigate our local environment? This culture and critique panel explored the precarious balance between artistic independence and institutional reliance in a country where the government is the biggest employer and funder of the arts, and where operating outside the system borders on untenable. Usha, Cui, and XUE are carving new creative paths through, respectively: a South-east Asian art magazine without the jargon; a biennale that envisions art in everyday Singaporean life; and a community-led collective of butoh enthusiasts committed to demystifying this fringe form. Moderator Aditi guided the conversation on the sustainability of their craft, their definition of success, and their role in Singapore’s ecosystem, particularly given the emerging notion of leaning into our interdependencies instead of going it alone.