In a world where technology is transforming the way we express, connect and create, CoCreateSG asks a powerful question: What if AI could unlock creativity — not just for some, but for everyone? More than just an innovation initiative, it’s about inclusion: reimagining a future where creatives of all abilities have a seat at the table.
Born from this vision, CoCreateSG set out to harness the power of Generative AI (GenAI) not just as a tool, but as a bridge; one that levels the playing field for persons with disabilities and opens new doors to creative expression and disability inclusion.
The three-day workshop saw participants learn how to use GenAI tools for image and video creation with the help of mentors and facilitators.
A first-of-its-kind creative playground
CoCreateSG welcomed participants with and without disabilities to explore AI-driven storytelling through writing, image design, and video production. Guided by mentors and facilitators, each group collaborated over a series of hands-on workshops to produce original works inspired by the national SG60 theme: Building Our Singapore Together.
The result was a diverse and heartfelt showcase of seven short films using over 350 AI-generated visuals, each offering a unique and inclusive perspective on Singapore’s identity.
Participants had the opportunity to work independently on different sections of their group project.
Every participant brought a unique perspective and motivation. Marcus Tan, who runs the inclusive gaming community Adaptive EquiKnights, joined to learn digital content creation. And what stood out about him in the workshop wasn’t his wheelchair, but his drive to build something meaningful with others.
Jeremy Koh, who has a physical disability and an interest in storytelling, signed up for the chance to collaborate and connect. “AI helps me speed up the technical bits,” he shared. “That means I get to focus on what really matters — the creative storytelling.”
As for Leong Tung Seng, who has autism and enjoys exploring creative tools, he saw the workshop as an opportunity for expression. Leong said:
“We hope to use AI to show our creative side, and open up jobs and opportunities for people like us.”
Breaking barriers, building bridges
Of course, no meaningful change comes without its challenges. As CoCreateSG’s project lead and CreativesAtWork’s Chief Businesswoman Jayce Tham shared, some GenAI tools are not fully optimised for accessibility. “Fostering equal participation within teams required intentional effort. But what stood out was how quickly participants adapted—and the energy, enthusiasm, and openness they brought to the process.”
Jeremy, Marcus and Tung Seng were among the PwD participants whose works were showcased at a screening.
Changing mindsets, driving action
Beyond equipping participants with knowledge of AI-driven creative tools, the CoCreateSG workshops enabled creatives and facilitators alike to focus on abilities rather than limitations. In doing so, it helped shift everyone’s mindsets; inspiring commitment towards disability inclusivity within the creative industry.
Filmmaker Daniel Yam, was grateful for the opportunity to guide them. Post-workshop, he reflected on his involvement as a workshop mentor, citing that the learning experience was two-way. He learnt that the creatives with disabilities have the potential and talent to create work and contribute to the community, putting it succinctly, “Everyone has good ideas and they need to be heard.”
Sharing Daniel’s sentiment was one of the workshop facilitators, Kiefer Koh, who found the get-together session with the participants and mentors particularly memorable. Not only did he get to help the participants gain new insights and pick up new skills, he found himself learning alongside them too. He also felt that the showcase screening was a step in the right direction, and perhaps more could be held in future. Koh shared:
“Such projects could be showcased to other creatives and employers (to demonstrate) that disability does not necessarily limit creativity. Sometimes, the ones with disabilities have the most creative mindsets.”
A River Remembers, Many Sounds One Singapore, City in Nature and Ah Kong are four of the seven Gen AI-created projects. (clockwise)
Beyond charity, myriad opportunities
After the completion of the workshops, CreativesAtWork hosted a screening of the films and has since showcased the works on a digital platform. They also invited several persons with disabilities to join their freelance pool — a network that has completed over 800 projects for clients across diverse industries.
Meanwhile, Dear AI, Singapore’s first Generative AI content studio, has started discussions with two workshop participants, Lizzie and Jovi. The team is reviewing potential job scopes, walking them through the workflow, and planning for a suitable onboarding timeline.
CreativesAtWork has also begun mentoring Marcus, who is in the midst of growing his gaming community, Adaptive EquiKnights. “I was a rookie content creator before I joined this workshop, and am now more confident in generating content to promote my community in the field of inclusive esports.”
As Jayce from CreativesAtWork aptly puts it:
“Inclusion isn’t about charity; it’s about opportunity. Given the right tools, environment and mindset, creativity has no boundaries.”
CoCreateSG shows what’s possible when inclusion is built into the creative process from the start. The invitation is simple: be part of shaping a world where inclusion is no longer an initiative — but the norm.
The completed projects were showcased at a private screening
The completed projects were showcased at a private screening
Animated films
A River Remembers: A journey through time along the Singapore River – documenting the role it played in our history, as well as the way it continues to shape our future today.
Blowing Burst Bubbles: A successful young woman starts seeing magical bubbles that reveal the intimate lives of her neighbours, which makes her realise she actually yearns for deeper human connections.
Ah Kong: Follow the rise and fall of an organised crime and drug syndicate, originally from Singapore, and now based in Amsterdam and Bangkok, through internal power struggles and external threats.
City in Nature: A bored teenage girl with an invisible disability encounters an eccentric chicken, who leads her toward a whimsical ‘Garden City’, which transforms her life as she reconnects with nature.
GO Beyond Limits: The journey of a wheelchair user who, spurred on by a basketball coach who mentored him in his youth, proved that no obstacle or challenge could get in his way of reaching his goal.
Bus 65: A single bus ride; a journey through time following the changing lives of its passengers and Singapore’s transformation over 60 years.
Many Sounds, One Singapore: A collection of Singapore’s symphony of sounds – capturing familiar scenes from dawn till dusk, and ranging from hawker calls to train rumblings and more.
