Janet Pillai

Janet Pillai is a senior lecturer at the School of Arts, Universiti Science Malaysia, Penang. Besides formal teaching at the University, Janet heads Arts-ED, a non-profit organization which specialized in program development and training in non-formal arts education, heritage education and cultural sustainability. She is also a veteran director of theatre who encourages collaboration between performing artists and young people from all walks of life to produce multi-media productions in community settings. Janet has produced at least 25 major creative works at the commercial, educational and community level. She possesses a strong belief that arts and performance are a great medium in which to spread knowledge and awareness.

Janet is a researcher, practitioner and activist in the field of arts and culture education, creative pedagogy, cultural research and community-outreach. She contributes as an expert resource person with the education training units of UNESCO Bangkok and APCIEU Korea and has authored numerous articles.

Janet is the author of 'Community-based Arts and Culture Education' a resource kit which is intended for artists, educators and organisations interested in using creative approaches to work in, with or for local communities. It is the cumulative outcome of Arts-ED’s 12 years of work in arts and culture education. It outlines methodology and case studies of how community-based programmes with young people can provide an alternative creative learning platform and help safeguard environmental, social or economic assets of the community.