Tay Tong has been with Theatreworks (Singapore) since 1989. Appointed General Manager in 1993, he went on to obtain an MA in Arts Management & Cultural Policy from Goldsmiths College, University of London in 1999. He was appointed Managing Director of Theatreworks in the same year.
In Asia, Tay Tong has worked intensively in brokering greater intra-Asia dialogues and exchanges through the Arts Network Asia or ANA, which was initiated and set up in 1999 by Theatreworks. ANA is a forum for Asia’s expression and its relationship to the rest of the world. It recognizes the cultural diversity and pluralisms in Asia and it functions in 11 Asian languages. It networks individuals and groups through residencies and projects, to develop local communities in Asia.
Since 2002, Tay Tong has managed and directed Theatreworks’ Continuum Asia Project (CAP) has been active in Luang Prabang, doing capacity building work, including reviving the Laotian Pharak Phalam, a traditional dance-drama form, with masters and young artists; as well as people-to-people exchanges especially among the Laotian youths and Asian youths.
Tay Tong was awarded the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Culture Award in 1996, in recognition for his contribution to the Singapore arts scene and is the first arts manager to be given this award.
