3 days ago
Art by dyslexic children brighten i Light Singapore 2025
[SINGAPORE] Cavenagh Bridge stretching across the Singapore River will be lit up until Jul 20 – not with lights, but with neon ink on large bamboo sticks that have been drawn on by children across the country.
They worked with ultraviolet markers with glow-in-the-dark ink. A thousand bamboo sticks – which each span more than 1 m in length – were then strung together to light up the Bridge of 1,000 Dreams.
On May 10, hundreds of children gathered at South Beach for this initiative. The bridge is one of the displays at i Light Singapore 2025, a light art festival that is sponsored by UOB.
About 60 of the children were beneficiaries from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), a long-time community partner of UOB. The bank organised the art workshop.
One such beneficiary was 11-year-old Primary 6 student Selina Grace Goh, who previously faced criticisms from her peers for being a slow learner. After attending DAS classes in Primary 4, her learning began to improve significantly, and she has become more confident.
On her bamboo stick, Goh drew a paintbrush and palette to show her passion for art. She has always liked art because it is a creative outlet that allows her to express herself, and it keeps her calm.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
Sign Up
Sign Up
Selina Grace Goh (left) with Leonard Tan, head of group corporate social responsibility at UOB; she has drawn on her bamboo stick a paintbrush and palette to show her passion for art. PHOTO: UOB
The 1,000 bamboo sticks each have different drawings and symbolise Singapore's shared growth, noted UOB. This is in conjunction with UOB's 90th anniversary and SG60.
The bamboo sticks are decorated using ultraviolet markers with glow-in-the-dark ink. PHOTO: UOB
Leonard Tan, head of group corporate social responsibility at UOB, said: 'In this activity, the children get to share their dreams and aspirations for Singapore – and for themselves as well. The interesting and fun thing for them is that they can be proud of their artwork being displayed at Cavenagh Bridge at i Light, and they can bring their family and friends to come and enjoy this piece of public art.'
After i Light is over, they will be able to take the bamboo sticks home to keep as mementos. The festival features 17 light installations in total, with Bridge of 1,000 Dreams as one of its new exhibits.
UOB's giving-back efforts are focused on children, art and education. 'Being future-oriented, children are a key focus group. And with that, we want to enhance their lives – especially those from underserved communities – and level them up through programmes and experiences in education and art,' Tan added.
Earlier in May, UOB launched its first Learning Playzone at The Artground to teach financial literacy skills to kids through role-playing activities and art.
The bank also currently supports Fresh, a programme run by charity Children's Wishing Well, in which UOB volunteers bring groups of children to the supermarket to learn about budgeting and nutrition twice a month. Each child is paired with a volunteer and given S$50 for the shopping experience.
i Light Singapore 2025 runs nightly till Jun 21 while Bridge of 1,000 Dreams will extend until Jul 20.
