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Persons on the autism spectrum are strong visual learners, they can be brilliant at expressing themselves visually through art and illustrations. They can be fixated "experts" on specific topics such as dinosaurs, ships or trains. Or, they can be highly detailed in producing line art of architecture and patterns.

For the third installment of our Social Space Cafe Hop, we paid a visit to The Art Faculty at Enabling Village where we learned from changemaker Jacelyn Lim about the social enterprise and how it empowers persons with autism to lead meaningful lives through art.

The Art Faculty started out as a little shop in Pathlight School, then known as Pathlight Mall, as a platform to showcase the talents of students who were enrolled in the school’s Artist Development Programme. In 2015, this initiative was renamed The Art Faculty, and a flagship store opened at Enabling Village, carrying over 900 quality products and empowering over 40 beneficiaries.

Other than the signature Dino Pouch, The Art Faculty also retails a wide array of mugs, reusable cups, tumblers, stationery and more. For every product you purchase, differently-abled artists receive royalties and learn the value of work and financial independence. Read more about The Art Faculty in our interview with Jacelyn Lim on Social Space Magazine.

Participants unleashed their inner Picasso by painting what 'social space' means to them. Even though it was their first time painting with acrylic for some, everyone was able to let their creative juices flow freely and created beautiful artworks. Creating art together is not only a great way to socialise, but it also helps to relieve stress and calm the mind which is why art therapy has been gaining traction as a new approach to promote mental well-being.

The session concluded with a short sharing by everyone about the artworks they created. If you are interested in joining us for the next Social Space Cafe Hop, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.