Student entrepreneur Isaiah is pursuing a double major in English Literature and Art History. The interdisciplinary nature of his degree has enriched his learning journey by opening up diverse experiences and opportunities, and motivated him to set up The CreativeWerkz. 

I chose to read a Double Major in English Literature and Art History at NTU because I had previously written my H3 Literature in English research paper in Junior College on the feminisation of Asian mythology and spent time in the collections of the Asian Civilisation Museum and National Gallery Singapore. This led me to develop a keen interest in interdisciplinary research in the arts and humanities, drawing novel approaches to studying and creating projects that look at the revitalisation of pre-modern Southeast Asian art histories and literatures. I considered, applied and was accepted into similar Joint Honours programmes at the University of York, University of Birmingham, and University of Bristol. However, I was drawn to NTU because of the diversity in its wide course offerings which cover subjects from classical global art histories to innovative forerunners such as Literature and Medicine.

Specialising in Southeast Asian art histories, literatures and performance theories while pursuing a career in arts entrepreneurship and education excites me because of how new this field is in Southeast Asia. No one day is the same and the potential to explore new approaches to art making while being able to find and use opportunities to impart this knowledge to the next generation of students, artists, historians and scholars is what motivates me.

As a student in the NTU School of Humanities, I have been given the opportunity to interact with high profile gallerists, artists, curators and scholars within and beyond my field, allowing me to forge ties with industry professionals for current and future collaborations. I was also given the space to explore my ideas through creative projects and discussions, some of which were expanded into projects beyond the classroom.

As part of the programme and the larger NTU family, I honed my interpersonal skills especially when dealing with clients beyond my immediate circle of influence, independence in working and collaborating with others and most importantly, I have learnt how to think critically outside the box in order to find solutions to real world problems when it comes to my career.

Although I did not go for an exchange programme, I was partially funded to travel to Indonesia and Thailand for my dissertation research on modern Indonesian painting and dramatic literature. This gave me first-hand experience in gathering primary research data in the humanities in a foreign language which I was able to translate for my final paper.

Half of my university education happened during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. This ran alongside the development of my career in arts, business and education. As such, both my educational and professional experience moved me to adapt to new ways of teaching, communication and administration. Particularly, the shift to online learning and changing the ways in which we assess students was a major change that turned out to be rather beneficial in changing the education business landscape.

My degree opens up young and emerging networks among individuals and groups of diverse interests (business, arts, modern languages, and curation just to name a few), introduces me to different career pathways that could be possible in the future, and gave me opportunities to work alongside passionate students and faculty to develop curatorial projects (SCCC ReMix 2022 Open Call), arts productions (Single Mothers, Anamnesis, The Concubine) and research stints (Centre 42 Arts Research Residency).

I set up The CreativeWerkz primarily out of passion and need; passion for arts and education, need because I noticed many freelance designers and artists requiring opportunities to learn and create in a safe, inclusive and forward-thinking environment. As such, I try to involve as many creatives as possible in each project that I take on. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of my degree, I am taught and motivated to think out of the box, not necessarily conforming to pre-existing paths when it comes to problem solving and spearheading business ventures and projects. I also tend to use the skills I have acquired in art history (visual literacy, creative enterprise, analysis and research, consolidation and data collection) and literature (critical reading, synthesis of data, reading against the grain) when curating pedagogies and curricula for potential clients.

An entrepreneur should be passionate, self-driven, humble and most of all, adaptable. A company that is constantly resistant to change cannot prosper in the long run especially given that we live in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world that needs to evolve in order to develop. Problem-solving, being creative, daring to take calculated risks and continue to grow in terms of developing digital literacy and skills also prove to be indispensable skills that I have learnt to embrace as an entrepreneur.

The CreativeWerkz, being run by a founder who is trained both as a classical art historian and literary critic with over 15 years of performing arts and teaching experience, offers educational programmes (Drama-in-Curriculum, assembly shows, and contract teaching programmes) that cater to a wide range of clients. Regardless of need, we are able to provide both graphic design and educational services that marry aesthetics and effectiveness of pedagogy. Unlike conventional education and design companies, my team and I include innovative teaching practices and a diverse offering when it comes to both small and large-scale event planning, design and execution.

As a general principle, I would urge prospective students of this Double Major programme or even in any discipline in the Humanities to maintain an open-mind and a proactive spirit. Your career is your own and it is up to you to find opportunities and develop your skills in a way that is relevant, inclusive and necessary. A majority of people give up halfway through, so stay the course and never give up—always return to your ‘why’. That is, why did you want to do this in the first place.

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