BRIEF BIO
Dr. Dawn-joy Leong is a proudly Autistic transdisciplinary artist-researcher, and corporate / academic keynote speaker, whose work has been presented in the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, China and Singapore. Leong is a Fellow of the Salzburg Global Seminar, Co-Founder of K9 Assistance Singapore, where she was a Director from 2020-2025, and serves in the Editorial Board of Neurodiversity, Sage Journals. Her artistic practice and research examines parallel embodiments and empathic connectivity between human and non-human alternative sentiences and materiality, expressed through polymathic transdisciplinarity. Dawn-joy attributes her prolific oeuvre to her creative muse and love of her life, Lucy Like-a-Charm, a rescued black Greyhound dog. After ten years of amazing adventures together, Lucy departed this mortal realm in March 2023. Dawn-joy’s new mission, in honour of Lucy, is to complete their magnum opus, “Lucy Like-a-Charm,” a multimodal memoir-fantasy about an Autistic woman and a Greyhound dog on a magical journey towards Becoming, and travel the world sharing her story, continuing to inspire and encourage audiences worldwide to embrace different ways of Being, and fostering deeper appreciation for the richness of neurodiversity and transcultural perspectives.
EDUCATION
2016: Ph.D, Art, Design and Media, The University of New South Wales Art, Design and Architecture, Australia.
2010: M.Phil, Music Composition – The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
1989: Bachelor of Arts, Honours, Music & Fine Arts – The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
ALCM, Singing – London College of Music, Thames Valley University, U.K. 1998
COMPLETED THESES
2016: Scheherazade’s Sea – autism, parallel embodiment and elemental empathy. Ph.D dissertation, University of New South Wales Art, Design & Architecture, Sydney, Australia.
2010: Scheherazade’s Sea – a mixed media, multisensory installation and performance. M.Phil thesis, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
AWARDS
Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards (Achievement) 2021
UNSW Art & Design Dean’s Award for Excellence in Postgraduate Research 2016
The Arts in Society International Award for Excellence 2013, Volume 7
UNSW University International Postgraduate Award 2012-2015.
AFFILIATIONS & SERVICE to PROFESSION (selected)
Salzburg Global Seminar – Fellow, 2021-current.
Neurodiversity, SAGE Journals – Editorial Board, current.
ART:DIS Singapore – Professional Ally / Collaborator – 2021-current.
Autism Resource Centre (Singapore) – Autism Advisory Panel, 2021-current.
K9 Assistance (Limited) Singapore – Co-Founder, Director, 2019-present.
Disabled People’s Association Singapore, Board of Management, 2017-2023.
Panel Speaker, Inclusive Business Forum 2022, Singapore, 2022.
PassionArts Pasir Ris Beach Arts Festival – Artist Consultant and Advisor and workshop training on access and inclusion, appointed by NCSS, 2019.
Organising Committee & Scientific Sub-Committee – Asia Pacific Autism Conference, Singapore, 2019.
Advisory Panel – Creative Programme Committee – Asia Pacific Autism Conference 2017, Sydney, Australia – 2017.
SPEECHES, TALKS, WORKSHOPS, PROGRAMMES (selected)
Lucy Like-a-Charm, public talk, RMIT University, Australia, 2025.
Clement Space @RMIT, workshop+collaborative installation, RMIT University, Australia, 2025.
Creating Futures: Art of Narrative, Salzburg Global Fellowship Programme, Austria, 2025.
Scheherazade’s Sea: An Autistic Woman’s Journey of Being, talk, National University of Singapore, 2025.
SYNC Singapore 2025, workshop, co-facilitator with founder Sarah Pickthall, 2025
Scheherazade’s Sea: an autistic woman’s journey, Opening Keynote Speech for Swift Innotribe, SIBOS 2024, Beijing, China.
Autism, Neurodiversity & Inclusion, talk, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Networking Event, SIBOS 2024, Beijing China.
Dreams, Passion and Purpose, Convocation Speaker, National University of Social Sciences, Singapore, 2023.
Accessibility and Inclusion, part of Masterclass in Inclusive Arts workshop series, National Gallery and ART:DIS Singapore, 2022.
What if “I” is Not “Me”?, Round Table, Workshop and Performance, Singapore Writers Festival, ART:DIS, Singapore, 2022.
Sensing the Ocean through Sound, Waves of Change Festival, Singapore, 2021.
Autistic Identity, Reframing Autism, Australia, 2021.
Panel Speaker, Arts and Disability Forum, Singapore, 2020.
Autistic Thriving – Not Despite, But Because of Autism, Plenary Speaker, Asia Pacific Autism Conference 2019, Singapore.
Meeting in the Middle: Representation & Tokenism, Ethos Books, Singapore, 2019.
Autistic Thriving, TEDx Pickering Street, Singapore, 2018.
Autism & Neurodiversity – lived-experience & the way forward, School of Psychology, National University of Singapore, 2018.
Autism, Mental Wellbeing & Higher Education, Office of Student Affairs, National University of Singapore, 2018.
Art and Autism, public talk, Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2018.
Embracing Neurodiversity: sharing empathy through multi-sensory immersive art, public lecture, University of Hong Kong, 2018.
Autism and me: a lifelong quest for Beingness and clemency of Being, guest lecture, School of Education, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, 2015.
MEDIA FEATURES (selected)
Dear Younger Me, Nominations for Goh Chok Tong Awards, Mediacorp, Singapore, 2025.
Arts industry veterans take people with disabilities under their wing, Channel News Asia, Singapore, 2023.
Let’s stop trying to normalise Autism. Let’s start normalising diversity, Nedla Media, 2022.
Lucy and Me, Singapore Tatler, 2021.
Commentary: Does the word ‘autistic’ make you uncomfortable?, CNA Insider, 11 Jul 2021.
Light to Night Festival returns to Civic District on Jan 10, Channel News Asia, Singapore 2020.
Lucy and Me, Tatler Singapore, 2020.
I was labelled rude and argumentative… AsiaOne, Singapore, 2020.
One woman’s journey on discovering her autism… Her World, Singapore, 2020.
Uniquely Me – Episode 6, Mediacorp Television, Singapore, 2019.
Discovering at 42 that you are Autistic, Channel News Asia Singapore, 2017.|
Making a space for different minds, The Conversation, feature article by Katie Sutherland. 23 October 2017.
Discovering at age 42 that you’re not ill, just autistic, Channel News Asia, Singapore, 2017.
Adults Find Out They’re Autistic, Full page feature in Sunday Times, Singapore. 30 April 2017.
Autism and the arts: making space for different minds, SBS Voices, Australia, 2017.
Being autistic in a non-autistic world, Guinness Entertainment. Australia, 2016.
Doogle, Buddy, Lucy and Friends, Guinness Entertainment, Australia, 2016.
A Different Way of Thinking, SBS Australia, 2015.
Interview with David Capra, Teena’s Bathtime, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia, 2015.
ARTISTIC PRACTICE (selected)
Lucy Like-a-Charm – a memoir-fantasy, current project, scheduled completion March 2027.
Writer’s Residency, private sponsor, Giorgio Biancorosso, Kyoto, Japan, 2026.
Writer’s Residency, McCraith House, RMIT University, Australia, 2025.
Writer’s Residency, Norma Redpath Studio, University of Melbourne, Australia, 2025.
Clement Space @RMIT, a co-creation commissioned by RMIT University, Australia, 2025.
Clement Space @Enabling Village, ART:DIS, Enabling Village, International Day of Persons with Disability, 2023.
Clement Space @Tokyo, Creative Wellbeing Festival, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 2022, Japan.
Calm Room, design and community consultant, National Gallery Singapore, 2022.
Face Together, Welcome to My World, ART:DIS Singapore, 2022.
Scheherazade’s Sea: continuing journey 2021, a multi-media, multidisciplinary digital work, Creation Grant, National Arts Council Singapore, with ART:DIS Singapore, 2021.
Sense and Sensitivity, soundscape, 2021, Curtin University, Australia.
A Touch of Clemency, Singapore Heritage Festival, Singapore, 2021.
Clement Space @ Suwon, Suwon Museum of Art, Suwon, South Korea, 2020.
An Olfactory Map of Sydney, (with Korean translation in captions), Suwon Museum of Art, Suwon, South Korea, 2020.
Scheherazade’s Sea: stories and songs from a hidden world, a fully digitalised revised version of “Scheherazade’s Sea 2010”, Digital Presentation Grant, National Arts Council Singapore, 2020
Clement Space: a new iteration, immersive installation commission, National Gallery Singapore, 2020.
Something About Home, promenade theatre, National Gallery Singapore, 2020.
Designing Clement Space: a neurodivergent-led art & research residency, National Library Board, library@orchard, Singapore, 2019.
Clement Space @Yale-NUS, Yale-NUS College, Singapore, 2019.
Video: ‘Empathy’ for App by fEEL, The BIG Anxiety Festival Sydney, Australia, 2019.
Making a Stand, theatre performance, British Council Singapore, 2018.
Clement Space @Playeum – I-Opener, 1 June 2019 – 26 April 2020, Playeum, Singapore.
Clement Space in the City, The Big Anxiety Festival, Customs House, Sydney, Australia 2017.
An Olfactory Map of Sydney. The Big Anxiety Festival, Customs House, Sydney, Australia, 2017.
Snoösphere 2017 – autism/neurodiversity consultant & associate artist. UNSW Galleries, Sept-Nov 2017.
Sonata in Z – solo exhibition, UNSW Art & Design, 2015.
Participation in David Capra’s “Teena’s Bathtime 2015“, Bella Room Commission, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia, 2015.
Little Sweets 小甜心 – solo exhibition, UNSW Art & Design, 2014.
Four Thirty Three – group exhibition, “IN MOTION” by Airspace Projects, 2014.
Doodle Dreams – group exhibition, “The Democracy of Drawing,” curated by AirSpace Projects, part of Art Month Sydney, Australia, 2014.
Confrontation of the Senses – group exhibition, “Desiring Machines,” curated by Critical Animals, at This is Not Art 2013, The Lock Up Cultural Centre, Newcastle, Australia, 2013.
Scheherazade’s Sea – songs from silence 2013 – performance at the World Stage Design 2013, Cardiff, U.K. 2013.
Haptic HugShrug (revised 2013) – group exhibit, VIVID SYDNEY 2013 – Haptic InterFace, Hong Kong House, Druitt Street, Sydney, Australia, 2013.
Roaring Whispers 2013 – a multisensory installation and conceptual space, University of New South Wales Art, Design and Architecture, Sydney, Australia, 2013.
Haptic Autistry – immersive installation – a multimodal, interactive study of haptic sensory idiosyncrasy. Haptic InterFace, Hong Kong Baptist University, Koo Ming Kown Gallery, Hong Kong, 2012.
Haptic HugShrug – Prototype, a study of deep pressure stimulation. Haptic InterFace 2012. Hong Kong Baptist University, Koo Ming Kown Gallery, Hong Kong, 2012.
Scheherazade’s Sea – Mixed media, multi-sensory installation and performance. University of Hong Kong, Department of Music, Hung Hing Ying Building, Hong Kong, 9 April 2010.
He(A)r(e) Not – for violin, voice and video. University Artists Scheme: New Violin Dimensions – A Multimedia Concert with Yao Jue, University of Hong Kong, Loke Yew Hall, Hong Kong, 15 April, 2009.
LOVE – our story in song – charity gala concert. Esplanade Recital Studio, Singapore, 2005
MENTORSHIP
Consultation and mentorship, Artist in Residence, Jevon Chandra, National Gallery Singapore, 2024.
Designing Clement Space: a neurodivergent-led art & research residency, National Library Board, library@orchard, Singapore, 2019.
PAPERS & PUBLICATIONS (selected)
Examining an Integrated Path Model of Psychological and Sociocultural Predictors of Camouflaging in Autistic Adults, co-author, Autism, 2024.
Lucy Like-a-Charm – Elemental Empathic Resonance, NAMH Network (Non-Human Medical Humanities Network), 2023.
Creating Clement Space: Collaborative Design for Accessible Inclusion, Behind the Scenes, 2023, National Gallery Singapore.
Exploring Autistic Adults’ Psychosocial Experiences Affecting Beginnings, Continuity, and Change in Camouflaging Over Time: A Qualitative Study, co-author, Autism, 2023.
A Gift of Wellbeing from the Autistic Paradigm, Polyphony – Conversations Across the Medical Humanities, 2023, United Kingdom.
Lucy Like-a-Charm – Elemental Empathic Resonance, Non-Human Animal Medical Humanities Network, 2023, London, United Kingdom.
Ten Lessons in Love from Lucy, Reframing Autism, 2022.
“Scheherazade’s Sea: Five Women and One,” chapter, Making Kin: Ecofeminist Essays from Singapore, Ethos Books SIngapore, 2021.
Clarifying Self-Report measures of Social Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder to Improve Reporting for Autistic Adults, Autism in Adulthood, 2021. (Co-author)
The use of everyday and assistive technology in the lives of older autistic adults, Autism, 2021. (Co-author)
Exploring Autistic Adults’ Psychosocial Experiences Affecting Beginnings, Continuity, and Change in Camouflaging Over Time – A Qualitative Study, OSFPreprints, 2021. (Co-author)
The Arts & Disability in Singapore: a journey of dynamic partnership between the United Kingdom and Singapore through the British Council, British Council Singapore, 2020.
Seeing Singapore Clearly through the Eyes of Disability, the Birthday Book 20/20, Singapore, 2020.
Yayoi Kusama: Life is the Heart of the Rainbow. Review. Artlink Magazine, Australia. 19 September 2017.
Reflections on the neurodiverse city. Feature. Artlink Magazine, Australia. 01 September 2017.
Scheherazade’s Sea – autistic parallel embodiment and elemental empathy. Conference paper presented at the UNSW Art & Design Postgraduate Research Conference, 17-18 June 2015.
Thinking Through the Body, paper, International Conference for Research Creativity: Praxis, Baptist University of Hong Kong, 2012.
Reciprocating Self and Other – lessons from autism. Conference paper presented at the Inter-Disciplinary.Net, “Strangers, Aliens and Foreigners,” 5-7 September 2013, Mansfield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, U.K. | First Published in Experiencing Otherness: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Ed. Bashir, Hassan & Roye, Susmita. Inter-Disciplinary Press, Oxford, U.K. 2015
Art in a Hidden World – creative process and invisible anomaly. The Arts in Society Conference 2012, Arts and Design Academy, Liverpool, UK; The International Journal of Arts in Society: Annual Review, Volume 7, and The International Journal of Art History and Theory (in publication), Common Ground Publishing. 2012 International Award for Excellence.
TUNE IN – Books 4, 5, 6. Music text books for primary schools in Singapore, Longman and. The Ministry of Education, Singapore, 2000-2003.
Dawn-joy Leong 
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