Singapore’s largest inclusive arts festival opened a vibrant new chapter today as Shaping Hearts – ARTfully Able @ Punggol Digital District kicked off at Nexus, Punggol Coast Mall. Organised by the North East Community Development Council (NE CDC), this year’s edition shines a spotlight on creativity, inclusion, and family learning with artists with disabilities taking centre stage.
The launch was graced by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, hosted by Mayor Baey Yam Keng, and attended by Special Guests Ms Sun Xueling, Dr Janil Puthucheary, and Mr Ahmad Firdaus Daud. Their presence underscored the festival’s mission: to celebrate diverse talents and build a more compassionate, creative community.
A Week-Long Creative Playground for Families
Running from 16 to 23 November 2025, the festival transforms Nexus at Punggol Coast Mall into an immersive art playhouse featuring five themed zones: Create, Spark, Imagine, Share, and Discover. Each zone is designed to ignite curiosity, sensory learning, and creative expression among young families.
Across the grounds, visitors can dive into hands-on activities led by inclusive artists, explore interactive digital installations, enjoy storytelling and shadow-play sessions, and experience live percussion and dance performances by inclusive groups such as the Down Syndrome Association and Raw Moves.
More than 50 artists with disabilities are also showcasing their work in the Shaping Hearts exhibition, while an interactive gamified Trail links key spaces throughout Punggol Digital District, encouraging exploration and community interaction.
A Record-Breaking Mural: “Our Punggol Story”
The festival’s headline moment was the unveiling of “Our Punggol Story”, a 132-metre handpainted masterpiece now officially recognised by the Singapore Book of Records as the Longest Handpainted Mural in Singapore.
A year in the making, the mural was co-created by Shaping Hearts artists Simeon Tan and Ezra Chan Yi, and executed by Tell Your Children Studios. The artwork represents a sweeping community effort, with contributions from 107 individuals, including SIT students and staff, Northshore Primary School pupils, Punggol residents, volunteers, and JTC partners.
Jointly initiated by JTC, NE CDC, and the Singapore Institute of Technology, the mural traces Punggol’s evolution from a riverside kampung to today’s innovation-driven district, symbolising Singapore’s SG60 journey of resilience, progress, and unity.
To enhance the collaborative process, SIT’s Design Factory (DF@SIT) facilitated workshops guiding artists in generative art techniques, while its digital platform People of PDD enabled the public to design avatars that integrate seamlessly with the physical artwork, merging community creativity with technological innovation.
Building an Inclusive Future Through Art
With more young families now calling Punggol home, this year’s Shaping Hearts festival places a strong emphasis on nurturing creativity, learning, and empathy among children and parents.
