Colin Goh joins ITI as Director of Advancement

27 JANUARY 2026, SINGAPORE –– 

The Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI) is delighted to announce the appointment of Colin Goh as its Director of Advancement, a newly created role aligned with ITI’s strategic plans in strengthening its institutional capacity, public engagement, and long-term sustainability as a globally-conscious theatre conservatory.

A senior strategic executive as well as a lawyer, filmmaker and cartoonist, with longstanding ties to Singapore’s cultural, creative and social equity landscape, Colin’s appointment comes as ITI continues ITI25, its 25th anniversary celebrations.

“ITI already has a storied reputation for its rigorous and leading-edge performance education, and its commitment to interculturality is even more relevant and important in today’s fractious climate,” said Colin. “I am thrilled and honoured to be part of its strategic renewal, and I look forward to working with the team, partners and stakeholders to further develop ITI’s potential.”  

In his role, Colin will lead new initiatives across recruitment, fundraising, and partnership engagement, and oversee reporting for key institutional milestones. These milestones include upcoming third-year student productions directed by Haresh Sharma and Ulrich Meyer-Horsch, as well as ITI’s triennial Asian Intercultural Conference (AIC) in November 2026, a key leadership platform that convenes artists, educators, and cultural leaders to exchange ideas, present work, and advance innovative intercultural practice in the region.

Starting January 2026, the Director of Advancement will directly report to ITI Co-Founder T. Sasitharan and Executive Director Justin Deimen, collaborating with the Board of Directors, Head of Acting Koh Wan Ching, and ITI’s faculty and staff to progress its integrated strategy across communications, stewardship, and resource development.

Justin Deimen, Executive Director, says of the role and appointment - “The creation of the Director of Advancement role within ITI reflects ITI’s belief that narratives, relationships, and funding strategies must operate in concert within the modern landscape of impact and philanthropy. We are excited to work closely with Colin as we push forward how the arts as an interconnected ecosystem can be supported, sustained, and valued.”

Colin brings to ITI a distinguished multi-hyphenate career contributing to Singapore’s creative industries. He is the writer-director of Singapore Dreaming, a landmark work in Singapore cinema, and the co-creator of Dim Sum Warriors, which was licensed by Scholastic and adapted into a musical in China. He founded the influential satirical platform TalkingCock.com and its cult film spin-off, Talking Cock: The Movie, a satire that captured the irreverent spirit of early Singaporean popular culture. He has also illustrated two New York Times bestsellers. He recently served as the Chief Communications and Engagement Officer at SHE (SG Her Empowerment), a non-profit organisation focused on issues of gender equity.

Andrew Nai, ITI Chairman, added - “Colin’s appointment signals ITI’s commitment to thoughtful leadership and long-term institutional stewardship. His ability to bridge artistic practice, public discourse, and strategic thinking will greatly strengthen ITI as it continues to serve artists and the wider cultural community.”

As a registered charity and an approved Institution of Public Character (IPC), ITI’s work is made possible through support from its Angels Initiative programme, the National Arts Council (NAC), and a network of foundational partners and donors who believe in the transformative power of arts education. Alongside its core mandate of developing artists of depth, discipline, and cultural fluency, ITI is strengthening its capacity to bring together partners, generate knowledge, and contribute meaningfully to artistic development regionally towards greater civic needs. This wider corporate renewal reflects ITI’s commitment to sustaining artistic excellence while building the institutional, philanthropic, and collaborative frameworks needed to support artists and the regional sector over the long term.

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