PlayLab Bus

Empowering Artists in Residence at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

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Case Study - Malaysia

Introduction

The PlayLab Bus is a product of the STEMBucket © programme, which converted a dilapidated school bus into a Playful-STEM lab for youngsters to investigate STEM-related subjects. The PlayLab Bus, on the other hand, has a dual purpose: it provides a platform for the university’s rising artistic talents to express themselves.

The students involved in the initiative pushed their creative and problem-solving skills to new heights as they applied their classroom knowledge and tactics in a novel situation. By experimenting with a range of ways and approaches, the students realised that they were capable of coming up with fresh ideas in a number of situations, giving them the necessary exposure and confidence in their talents. Following their involvement with the PlayLab Bus, the undergraduate artists were able to find work and explore other opportunities for honing their skills.

Target Audience

9 interns from the Faculty of Creative Arts under the supervision of Ms Noorhaslina Senin were selected as the Mural Artists for this project. The students come from different programmes at the faculty, such as Fine Arts, Design Technology, and Cinematography, providing an array of creative talents for the PlayLab Bus.

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Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

Kota Samarahan, Sarawak.

Aims & Objectives

The PlayLab Bus project was chosen by their Supervisor as part of their Industrial Training because the chance to create conceptual artwork on a bus was difficult to come by, and the project would allow the students to experience a real working environment whereby they would have to communicate with clients and lecturers from different faculties as they present their ideas to them, critically solve design and technical challenges as well as develop linkages amongst students and lecturers leading to possible future collaboration.

The PlayLab Bus project also provided them with a platform to explore their creativity under challenging circumstances and test their skills in meeting with the expectations of their clients.