Immersive learning in the arts at UWCSEA 

Behind-the-Scenes of Our Town performed by UWCSEA East Grade 11 students

When you bring together a group of young artists in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme and an internationally recognised photographer to collaborate on a classic play about life’s fleeting beauty, you create an immersive learning opportunity that results in a unique, impactful and memorable experience.

At UWCSEA East, visual and performing arts were intertwined in preparation for the Grade 11 drama production Our Town by Thornton Wilder. Theatre and Visual Arts students took part in a unique Artist-in-Residence programme with Canadian photographer Damián Siqueiros. Known for his multidisciplinary approach to artistic direction, set design, make-up, and fashion, Damián guided students over four days to explore how the play’s themes of time, connection, and the rituals of daily life could be expressed through both image and movement.

“Working with Damián shaped how I approached lighting design for Our Town. His guidance on creating strong portraits and visuals inspired me to think deeply about how to craft the world of the play.”
– Tanay, Grade 11, IB Theatre student

Our Town performed by UWCSEA East Grade 11 students. Photograph by UWCSEA East students in collaboration with Damian Siqueiros, Artist in Residence.

Our Town invites its audience to pause and take notice of the ordinary: a shared breakfast, a walk home from school, a wedding, a goodbye. Inspired by this, students worked in pairs and small groups to build visual narratives that echoed the play’s mood and message. Theatre students reimagined their characters for a still image, adapting performance techniques such as posture, gesture, and facial expression to suit the camera. Visual Arts students took on the role of directors, guiding their peers from composing to crafting each frame.

A key part of Damián’s practice is what he calls Art for Impact, an approach that sees art not just as self-expression, but as a way to question, reflect on, and respond to the world. He guided students in exploring how photography and performance can be used to engage with themes like justice, identity, and environmental responsibility, rather than focusing solely on technique. They were encouraged to think deeply about what images communicate and what they might challenge.

Throughout the process, students stepped beyond the familiar to discover how a photograph can capture the same emotional depth as a moment on stage. They developed fresh ways of approaching creative challenges that asked: How do you photograph the passing of time? What does connection look like in a single frame?

“Having Damián’s perspective on how to bring our own vision to life was incredibly valuable. It was amazing to see how he helped us create striking artworks using just a simple studio setting.”
– Magdalena, Grade 11, IB Visual Arts student

The students worked in collaboration with Artist-in-residence Damian Siqueiros at UWCSEA East

As Theatre students took to the stage to perform with a new understanding of how to frame scenes and convey meaning, the Visual Arts students showcased their photographs just outside the theatre, offering a thoughtful and visually layered introduction to the world of Our Town, demonstrating how two art forms can shape and strengthen one another.

UWCSEA’s Artist-in-Residence programme develops students’ understanding of a range of different performance skills, traditions, conventions, and styles, through a practical and participatory experience led by internationally renowned professional artists from around the world. The multimodal programme encourages students to refine their definition of what theatre can be, its importance in different cultures, and how far they can push themselves physically and vocally to meet the objectives of different traditions and styles. Students are also encouraged to understand the importance of discipline and respect as a performer in all cultures.

The programme is one example of immersive learning at UWCSEA, which ensures that students’ learning is rich in experiences, relationships, and connections to people, places, organisations and ideas. The strategy is woven through the five elements of the holistic, values-driven learning programme comprising Academics, Activities, Outdoor Education, Personal and Social Education and Service. Immersive learning starts as early as K1 (age 4) and continues through Grade 12 (age 18) as part of the IBDP programme.

International Baccalaureate & Open Days 

UWCSEA has one of the largest IB cohorts in the world. This year, 605 students sat the May 2025 exams as compared to a global average cohort size of approximately 50-55 students. UWCSEA results were impressive with more than 31.1% of students achieving 40 points or more. This represents 188 students across the College. The first 50 and 100 students received an average score of 44 points and 43.3 points respectively, while 36.3 points is the average for the entire UWCSEA cohort. The world average reported by the IB Organisation is 30.5 points.

UWCSEA is holding Open Days from September 2 to October 3 at both East and Dover campuses. Parents and students can immerse in the school’s community, explore their concept-based curriculum, tour the campus facilities, and meet school leaders, teachers and the admissions team. Register for your slot at uwcsea.edu.sg/admissions/opendays2025.

Contact Information

UWC South East Asia
Dover Campus: 1207 Dover Rd, 139654 | 6774 2653
East Campus: 1 Tampines Street 73, 528704 | 6305 5353

 uwcsea.edu.sg/admissions/apply
[email protected]

 +65 6774 2653, +65 6305 5353