From the International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA)
Hear from members of the International Society for the Performing Arts about their work across global regions
In conversation with Nelson Chia, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Nine Years Theatre (Singapore)
What was the initial vision behind establishing a Mandarin theatre company in Singapore, and how has that vision evolved over the years?
Singapore is a multicultural migrant society. To me, being truly multicultural means preserving strong foundations in each linguistic and ethnic culture. It is the interaction of these diverse cultures that gives depth to the word “multi”. If these foundations weaken, our society risks becoming a collection of differences rather than a truly multicultural whole. With this urgency in mind, I co-founded Nine Years Theatre to strengthen Mandarin theatre as part of Singapore’s cultural fabric. Through high-quality Mandarin productions with English subtitles and stories that speak to our shared humanity, we celebrate Singaporean Chinese identity while contributing to a richer, more balanced multicultural landscape.
Our NY26 Congress theme is Resilience: A Global Dialogue. How has resilience shaped your artistic practice, and how do you see this reflected in the international performing arts community today?
Resilience often emerges when order is disrupted. To me, it means embracing differences – cultural, linguistic or political – rather than retreating defensively in the current world (dis)order in which we find ourselves. At Nine Years Theatre, we create original Singapore stories and reinterpretations or transcreations of classics, believing it is as important to tell our stories as it is to listen to others. This openness has allowed us to thrive in multicultural Singapore and connect globally. Our motto, “Chinese culture as the foundation of our work, but never the centre of our practice,” reflects this ethos.
I feel that the international arts community shares this spirit, and it is evident in the growing interest in cross-cultural collaborations and the mission of organisations such as ISPA.
As an international organisation, ISPA is focused on maintaining a balance between regional and global perspectives. From your point of view, what is the value of discussing regional issues within a global context?
Discussing regional issues within a global framework ensures our perspectives are not insular. It reminds us that local realities are deeply connected to wider histories and power structures. Ignoring this risks viewing the current world structure as fixed or natural, when in fact it has been shaped by centuries of imbalance. Without this awareness, our views can become parochial, even dangerous. Recognising the interplay between regional and global contexts allows us to understand the complexity of our world more fully – and to act with greater responsibility and clarity.
The ISPA Congress gathers more than 400 delegates from across the globe each year, with the next edition, in January 2026, in New York and in Singapore in May 2026. From your perspective, what is the unique value of coming together in person at such gatherings, and how do these interactions help shape the future of the performing arts across regions and worldwide?
We live in a time of flux, where paradigms are shifting and disorder dominates. In such times, trust and dialogue are easily eroded. That is why gatherings like ISPA are so vital. They are not just opportunities to network, but to build relationships, question assumptions and challenge even our own like-mindedness. Coming together reinforces the values of collaboration and good faith – opposite forces to division and fear. In other words, to counter actions that divide and conquer, we must gather and multiply. These interactions do not merely shape the future of performing arts; they safeguard its existence. Like the performing arts itself, they remind us that humans gather for a greater good.
Nelson Chia is a past ISPA Fellow and serves on the ISPA Program Committee.
In conversation with Sasha Gibb, Head of Programming at Tāwhiri Festivals and Experiences Ltd (Aotearoa New Zealand)
You are currently Head of Programming at Tāwhiri Festivals, and you have spent years championing stories that reflect Indigenous worldviews. Can you tell us about what drives you to do this work and its value to the international performing
arts community?
What drives me is the belief that Māori and Pacific stories are not only important to Aotearoa but also hold global value. As an independent producer I work primarily with Māori and Pacific artists because these are the voices and communities I’m most connected to, and they are where I see the greatest potential for impact.
On a personal level, it’s about identity and responsibility. These are the stories I carry and the communities I come from. It’s also where I find the most creative excitement. Māori and Pacific artists often work in ways that are multidisciplinary, risk-taking and rooted in deep ancestral wisdom. The work feels alive and urgent.
Tell us about something exciting that you see happening in the performing arts in Aotearoa New Zealand that you wish more of your global colleagues were aware of.
Despite our small population and the minimal investment in the arts, what continues to amaze me is how our artists innovate and expand their practice within those constraints. I’m especially excited by what I’m seeing from Pacific artists. There’s a strengthening of a distinctly Pacific form of theatre utilising our traditions of oratory and dance. It is performance rooted in language, rhythm and the spoken word, expanded through contemporary theatre-making. Recent works such as Savage Coloniser and Upu have toured globally, and upcoming works like Music Portrait of a Humble Disabled Samoan (yes, a shameless plug for a project I’m producing) highlight the power of what’s emerging from our region.
Through the ISPA Fellowship Program, you have joined a cohort of 50 other emerging leaders from 24 countries. What are you most looking forward to about connecting with such an internationally diverse group of colleagues?
I’m most excited about the relationships themselves. So much of what we do is about trust and connection, and being part of this cohort means building friendships and networks that could spark collaborations for years to come. I’ve been included in a group chat which pings off with chatter weekly, and from the chats it’s clear how strong the relationships are, built through the Fellowship Program. I feel very fortunate to be a part of that, and how I then have the opportunity to become a bridge of connection for those I work with at home.
Sasha Gibb is a first-year Aotearoa New Zealand Pacific Fellow supported in partnership with Creative Aotearoa New Zealand Pacific Arts Strategy.
