“Wish of Starfish” Art Enlightenment Project for Children with Special Needs (2022-2024)

Organizer | Shanghai Children's Art Theatre

Project Manager, Producer & Curator | Esther Beixuan Geng (2022-2024)

Awarded 2023 Shanghai Grassroots Humanistic Care and Psychological Services Brand Case

Featured in Shanghai Child-Friendly City Development: Practical Innovation Case Collection 2023

  • Led "Wish of Starfish," China’s first long-running sensory-friendly theatre initiative for children with disabilities and their families, reaching 1,000+ families and benefiting 100,000+ through access programs.

  • Revitalised, designed and produced 40+ performances and 4 family workshops for Storm (Chinese Version) and Down to Earth (Chinese Version) as well as professional masterclasses in collaboration with Bamboozle Theatre Company (UK) , presented at major festivals (e.g. Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, Shanghai International Children’s Theatre Festival).

  • Secured philanthropic and government funding to expand inclusive theatre programming, accessibility design, and audience development, while initiating cross-industry collaborations on China's first sensory friendly children’s theatre planning under Shanghai’s Child-Friendly City strategy.

  • Led sensory-friendly toolkit donation program, creating and delivering outreach toolkits and inclusive resources (noise-cancelling headphones, visual guides, and communication cards, etc.) across all 16 districts of Shanghai.

  • Trained and coordinated 150+ volunteers delivering 900+ service hours, including special education students from East China Normal University and registered special education teachers in Shanghai.

    © Images courtesy of Shanghai Children’s Art Theatre. Displayed for portfolio purposes only. No commercial use intended. All rights remain with the original copyright holder.

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Down to Earth (Chinese Version) & Workshop

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Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) ChinaSPAF2023 - Forum & Performing Arts Fair