In Loving Memory - CS/24/011
Chong Rui Xuan (U2130753L)
Li Jike (U2130192H)
Tan Anna (U2130538J)
Tang Yi Qing (U2130970F)
Supervisor: Professor Jack Qiu
*Note to moderators: Please view this Final Year Project report on its original hosted website here: inlovingmemory.space/report
This work was produced as a Final Year Project at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
© Chong Rui Xuan, Li Jike, Tan Anna and Tang Yi Qing, 2024
Abstract
One of our team members lost her best friend to a road accident. Grappling with a sudden loss and struggling with her grief, she pitched the idea of a project that helps people who are grieving, like her, to her team.
In Loving Memory identifies the growing need for grief literacy in Singapore, focusing on the challenges brought on by a culture of silence surrounding death and bereavement. We define the audience in two segments: the grieving community and the non-grieving.
Conversations surrounding grief literacy in Singapore remain negligent. Thus, this project aims to increase the accessibility of grief-related safe spaces in Singapore while educating the non-grieving on the multi-faceted nature of grief via a physical and online presence.
The project's findings underscore the importance of a safe space for the grieving community for remembrance of the deceased and the critical role of community-based initiatives in promoting awareness and understanding of grief, ultimately both contributing to a more supportive and compassionate society.
The problem: Grief is taboo.
Grief is a serious problem as it impacts both mental and physical well-being. The grieving process can often disrupt even basic self-care practices, leading to an overall negative effect on the griever’s well-being (Macdonald, 2024).
Contemporary societies are ‘grief-denying’. This phenomenon is when individuals feel their ability to grieve openly is hampered by social context, where the bereaved often encounter unhelpful responses to their grief (Macdonald, 2020).
In Singapore, conversations related to grief are still seen as a taboo, weighed down by “cultural baggage”, says Dr. Paul Patinadan, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore Hospice Council, 2024).
Our primary research corroborates this, with
This cultural context leaves the bereaved isolated.
59% of our 226 survey respondents agreeing that grief is a taboo in Singapore.
1. Lack of grief literacy
Grief, though a natural and universal response to death, often leaves non-grieving individuals uncertain of how to respond.
Social support is one of the strongest determinants of positive outcomes after bereavement (Breen, 2020). The lack of support can be severely detrimental.
When grief is misunderstood and stigmatised, grievers experience intense isolation. Loneliness can have destructive effects, equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Macdonald, 2024).
77% of our survey respondents believe in giving space to a grieving loved one — yet this can unintentionally lead to isolation.
Nine in ten grievers can be easily assisted by “grief-attuned resources in their social networks”, not requiring professional intervention (Aoun et al., 2018).
This highlights the urgent need for greater grief literacy, ensuring that those around the bereaved “are well aware of grief, in all its complexity, and have the resources to support all grievers” (Macdonald, 2024).
Grief literacy in grievers can also serve an important role in empowering grievers.
The understanding of the complexity of the grieving process ultimately helps the griever regain some control and learn how to better support themselves. Without this knowledge, the impact of the loss becomes significantly worse and more overwhelming.
As Psychologist Isaac P. Tourgeman states,
"Without the processing of relevant emotions, we become stuck in the trauma of loss, which leads to us being impacted more implicitly.” (Tourgeman, 2021)
2. Fear of losing memories
In supporting grievers, a main point of tension is anxiety surrounding the loss of memory of their loved ones.
In a 2024 qualitative study investigating the correlation of memory-making and bereavement in parents, they reportedly “yearned for the opportunity to engage in conversations [...] about their deceased children.”
This process not only helped in navigating the grieving process, but also reduced negative feelings.
As we continue to move towards the digital age, a unique challenge arises for youths, where they look to spaces online as a form of memory preservation (Abidin, 2018). According to a pilot study conducted in Singapore, youths demonstrated a need to cling to digital footprints and “meaningful connections with the deceased” (Abidin, 2018).
In our interview with Dr. Andy H. Y. Ho, professor at Nanyang Technological University who specialises in grief and bereavement, we found that the focus should not be on the loss, but on the relationship between the griever and their loved one.
Simply sharing mementos like photographs or cherished objects helped maintain a sense of connection.
Takeaways
Moreover, our interviews with 42 grieving individuals echoed this sentiment, where they expressed isolation and lack of support from their communities, hoping for a safe space for open conversations, and for grief to exist.
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This age group often faces significant life transitions, such as entering the workforce, building relationships, and experiencing loss for the first time.
Educating young adults about grief early on can equip them with the skills to navigate future losses and help them become supportive friends and family members.
Furthermore, young people under 35 who grew up in the age of the internet process grief differently by preserving loved ones' memories digitally. This complicates memory preservation and highlights deep-seated concerns about digital remembrance (Abidin, 2018).
Our interviews with 42 grieving individuals echo our above findings, highlighting gaps in support and reinforcing the need for safe, open spaces for grief:
The secondary audience of NGP plays a crucial role in shaping the grief experience of their peers. Many are not intentionally avoiding these conversations; of those who indicated they were uncomfortable discussing grief, 64% of our survey respondents said they fear saying the wrong thing. This hesitation stems from a lack of confidence in how to navigate this sensitive topic, with 71.4% only knowing what to say to support a grieving loved one some or none of the time.
Target audience
Primary:
Grieving People (GP) aged 21-35 in Singapore
Secondary:
Non-Grieving People (NGP) aged 21-35 in Singapore
64.2%
felt unsupported
by their
community
45.2%
had received an insensitive or unhelpful comment about their grief.
64.2%
expressed a wish
to talk about their
loved ones.
64.2%
felt that remembering their loved ones was important.
To tackle this two-part problem, we target two groups:
Past Initiatives
Past initiatives have focused on understanding rather than addressing the lack of support. For instance, Abidin’s 2018 pilot study demonstrates a need for digital memory preservation in youths, but no initiatives have addressed the problem.
Furthermore, few initiatives cater specifically to young grievers. Tapestries of Grief, Singapore's first grief festival by Montfort Care, featured art therapy and talks, but was primarily catered to grieving parents and has been discontinued. Similarly, The Life Review’s death over dinner event allows participants to talk about end-of-life matters over a meal, but it is not targeted at a specific age group.
The barrier to entry may prove difficult for youths who have never participated in social grief events before. Moreover, these events typically do not engage NGP, despite their role in supporting GP.
Campaign goals
1. To increase the grief literacy*
of our Primary (GP) and
Secondary (NGP) target audience.
2. Create a platform for memory preservation for GP to share and connect, where grief can be openly expressed and discussed.
For our campaign, we define grief literacy as:
1a. GP and NGP: Understanding the diverse emotional and social responses of the grieving.
1b. GP: Knowledge of how to support oneself in grief.
1c. NGP: The ability to communicate openly and compassionately about grief, to support those who are
grieving.
Campaign strategy
Turn memories into art
Spotlight real stories of grief as an emotional entry point for connection and learning, making grief literacy more accessible.
Done through multimedia art to engage audiences in an immersive way.
Our strategy is to identify and amplify ten profile stories, through art.
In Singapore, art is increasingly being used to “cut across different barriers, transcend boundaries, and bring the public [...] together”. Immersive art, especially, has been trending among Singaporean youths, with events like Singapore Art Week gaining immense traction (MCCY, 2025).
Art is powerful in bringing stories to life, as seen in examples like the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, where mementos and descriptions convey deeply personal stories.
Museum of Broken Relationships, Zagreb
Campaign Pillars
1.
Multimedia
Exhibition
2.
Website
3.
4.
Public
Activations
Social
Media
A safe space for reflection and dialogue, spotlighting 10 stories of grief. It incorporates interactive elements that encourage visitors to engage in conversations about grief.
An extension of the exhibit that serves as a digital archive where GP can share their personal stories.
Educational content, personal stories, and promotional content to drive awareness and engagement.
Extending the stories shared to the public, bringing grief conversations into everyday spaces.
Our Campaign
In Loving Memory is a campaign aimed to increase grief literacy and create a platform for memory preservation and open conversations on grief.
Logo: Simple serif font with a handwritten heart, symbolising sincerity and warmth.
Design: Minimalist, handwritten feel, evoking a personal touch while maintaining clarity.
Colour Palette: Soft tones with the central colour red for a gentle yet eye-catching visual.
Tone of voice: Friendly, personal
Designed to be
approachable and heartfelt
Campaign Execution
July - September 2024
- Secondary Research
- Pitching of ideas
November 2024
- Interviews with our selected 10 profiles
October 2024
- Primary Research
- Prescreening Interviews with potential profiles
Throughout
- Social Media Campaign
December 2024
- Website Launch
January 2025
- Physical Exhibition
February - March 2025
- Public Activations
- Online Exhibition launch
Our Profiles
To select our profiles, we sent out an online survey.
We promoted the survey via social media and Telegram groups, which led to 173 sign-ups. We conducted our pre-screening interviews on Zoom over three weeks and spoke to 42 individuals before selecting our ten profiles. These interviews were also part of our research and helped us gather insights into the needs of grieving people in Singapore.
We also reached out to influencers who openly shared their experiences online. One of these was Heather Ng (@heather.ngg), 21, who has been raw and open about sharing her experience of losing her boyfriend. Because her audience was familiar with her story, her involvement in ILM helped introduce the initiative to more people.
Our criteria included the depth of stories they were willing to share and their comfort level in sharing. In our final selection, we ensured a diverse representation of types of loss, relationships, and age.
Once selected, the ten profiles completed a DASS self-report to ensure that they did not exhibit severe signs of symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and stress. Afterwards, interviews were conducted online or in person as determined by participants.
During these sessions, we aimed to create a safe space for participants to share their stories. Interviewees could dictate the pace of the conversation, take breaks, or skip any questions they were uncomfortable answering. Our questions explored their loved ones' personalities, their journeys with grief, and how they continue to honour their loved ones.
Based on their comfort levels, stories were shared through different mediums — videos for those open to visual storytelling, written articles for those preferring anonymity, and microsites for stories with more diverse content, like sound clips.
Scroll to view our ten profiles, or view the snippets posted on our website here:
The Stories...
...are the heart of our campaign because they make grief personal, relatable, and accessible.
Relating back to our two goals, the stories aimed to:
Physical Exhibition
The exhibition was finalised to be held at Goodman Arts Centre, Block O, Multi-Purpose Room A & B from January 17-19, 2025. After scouting the location, we found it to be a quiet and inviting space, perfect for fostering meaningful conversations about grief.
We decorated the room with beanbags and cushions, allowing visitors to sit and reflect on the stories shared. The layout was designed to encourage engagement, with visitors moving through different sections of the exhibition.
Explore the space
Click and drag to explore the 360 space. Click on the hotspots to view each story.
Alternatively, visit the 360 experience on our website here.
Main Features
10 Profile Stories
Interactive Activities
Wellbeing Circle
Grief
Literacy Guide
The map of our exhibition, part of our pamphlet that was distributed to all visitors.
Profile Stories
Videos
Heather, Acacia, Seline and E’s stories were chosen to be told through videos. The four videos followed the same format and were synchonised to a shared audio track, allowing their experiences to become a collective reflection of grief.
Video format:
a) Favourite memories
c) When you first found out ----
e) Reflections on grief ----
---- b) An item that reminds you of them
---- d) Coping mechanisms
f) Keeping their memory alive
Heather - Loss of Boyfriend
Click the video to watch it or watch it here.
Seline - Loss of Mother
Click the video to watch it or watch it here.
Acacia - Loss of Father
Click the video to watch it or watch it here.
E - Loss of Grandmother
Click the video to watch it or watch it here.
Photos of Room A, the video room
The videos were arranged in a rotational setup, where viewers moved from one screen to the next. A 30-second countdown plays before the start of each video, providing a brief moment for viewers to process what they have seen before immersing themselves in the next story.
This intentional structure fosters a sense of continuity and introspection, encouraging audiences to engage deeply with each experience while recognizing the interconnected nature of grief.
Articles
We presented E, D, Elizabeth and Yan Ying’s stories as feature articles. To enhance readability and engagement, we formatted them in a magazine-style layout with thoughtful typography and visual elements. This approach provided a polished and immersive reading experience, ensuring that their stories were both impactful and visually compelling.
*Scroll through the PDF to view all four articles or download the PDF here.
In the physical exhibition, articles were displayed on the wall in Room B.
Microsites
L and J’s stories were shared through personalised microsites, each designed on Wix to reflect the essence of their memories. Thoughtfully crafted with individuality in mind, these microsites visually and thematically represent their loved ones. For example, L’s best friend, Phoe, had a deep love for music, so her site was designed as a Spotify playlist, weaving songs into the storytelling. This approach ensured that each story was told with care, honouring the unique connections and memories they carried.
Interact with L's and J's story through the embedded website below, or visit the original microsites linked.
L - Loss of Best Friend
Click and interact with the 'song titles' in the above embedded website or visit the original microsite here.
J - Loss of Grandfather
Click and interact with the items in the above embedded website or visit the original microsite here.
Phoe was on exchange in New Zealand. She gave L the souvenir when she was visiting L in Melbourne. She passed away in New Zealand a few weeks later.
This is a POP MART figurine from the KUBO series. Michael liked buying POP MART figurines and said the KUBO series looked like him. Heather started collecting this series of figurines after he left.
This is the eulogy J wrote for her grandfather. He passed away while she was on exchange in the United States. Writing his eulogy helped her make sense of and process her grief.
Phoe was on exchange in New Zealand. She gave L the souvenir when she was visiting L in Melbourne. She passed away in New Zealand a few weeks later.
Mementoes related to our profiles' loved ones were presented at the exhibition along with the 10 stories.
All content was reviewed and approved by our profiles to safeguard their privacy.
Interactive Activities
1. Leave a Message
Visitors were given a stack of post-its at entry and were encouraged to leave messages about the stories they read, such as thoughts, feelings, or messages to our profiles.
This aimed to create an interactive and reflective space where visitors could engage emotionally with the stories shared.
Through these four carefully designed elements, we aimed to create not just an exhibition but a safe and supportive space where people could reflect, connect, and find comfort in knowing they are not alone in their grief.
Wellbeing Circle
We wanted to create a dedicated space for open dialogue and reflection. Mimicking the concept of a ‘death cafe’ (Tucker, 2014), we aimed to create a similar environment where participants can come together in an informal space to speak openly about their thoughts on death and their grief.
To facilitate a safe and supportive environment for shared grief experiences, the circles were conducted in two groups with a cap of 15 people per group. There were a total of five participants on Friday and 12 on Sunday. These sessions took place for one hour, before exhibition opening time.
Gracie Mak, co-founder and director of Whispering Hope acted as mediator for these sessions. The wellbeing circle’s objective was to act as a space for grievers to process their grief by speaking openly about it.
Mak’s expertise aimed to direct grievers to engage in open dialogue about their grief and provide grievers with the tools and knowledge required to further support themselves through the grieving journey.
Grief Literacy Guide
Our main educational resource is the Grief Literacy Guide, which covers three key topics:
-
Understanding Grief
-
Supporting Others
-
Coping with Grief
This guide references resources from our partners, HCA Hospice and the Singapore Hospice Council, and has been vetted by HCA Hospice to ensure accuracy and relevance.
While many grief resources from Singaporean agencies are thorough, they tend to be long and detailed, which can make them less accessible to a broader audience. To address this, we aimed to streamline the content, making it easier to digest, and added clearly defined sections, each highlighted with different colours for better navigation and understanding.
We also adapted key topics from our Grief Literacy Guide into social media posts, using comics and graphics. Each post includes a link to the full guide, offering readers the option to explore the topics in depth if they wish to learn more.
*Scroll through the guide above, or download the PDF here.
Website
www.inlovingmemory.space was designed to help our target audience of youths navigate their challenge of memory preservation in a digital era. Our website extends the physical exhibition into a digital space. After our event, the full exhibition was moved online through a 360-degree virtual tour (above). This interactive feature enabled users to navigate through the exhibition, read the stories, and visit the microsites, just as they would in person.
The article and video stories were put on the message wall platform, Padlet, where viewers could leave their messages, mirroring the real-life interactive experience. This feature not only allowed visitors to reflect on the stories but also contributed to an ongoing conversation about grief.
Additionally, the website houses our digital memorial wall, a growing archive of personal grief stories made from submissions from the public. Anyone can contribute their own grief stories and memories. By sharing personal experiences, users become part of a larger community that understands and acknowledges the diverse nature of grief.
To amplify our impact, website visitors can also choose to share their submissions with HCA Hospice, who collects grief stories to share with bereaved families who feel alone in their grief.
The website features access to our grief literacy guide. This digital platform ensures that the conversation about grief continues beyond the exhibition, offering ongoing support and connection to a wider audience.
Social Media
Platforms
As our target audience of youths makes up 68.91% of Instagram’s and 61.97% of TikTok’s user base in Singapore, we chose these as our social platforms (Statista, 2023).
Content Pillars
1
Education
2
Profile Stories
3
Activation Promotion
1. Education
1. Education
Advisory topics were selected based on grief resources provided by Singapore Hospice Council, as well as the knowledge gap surfaced by our pre-campaign survey. The three Education sub-pillars are directly related to our campaign goal to increase grief literacy.
To make the topic of grief approachable, we used animal illustrations to translate complex insights into digestible, relatable visuals. This helped the campaign’s engagement and shareability, which was crucial in encouraging discussions around grief especially in spaces where such conversations are often avoided.
*View the embedded social posts below or click on the respective links in the captions to visit the Instagram page.
Sub-pillar 1: Understanding grief
Educating viewers on grief and its social and emotional responses, and debunking common myths as identified in our pre-campaign survey.
Sub-pillar 2: Coping with grief
Providing guidance on supporting oneself and ways to remember lost loved ones, addressing concerns commonly faced by GP.
Sub-pillar 3: Supporting others
Emphasising the importance of compassionate communication, we shared tips on how to have meaningful conversations with those navigating grief.
"Can't find the words?" series, which explains why some common responses might be unhelpful
Our content series, “Can’t Find the Words?” used real quotes from our profile interviews, highlighting phrases they dislike hearing. This gave the topic a human touch, making tip-sharing more personal.
This series was vetted by HCA Hospice to ensure that information was accurate and aligned with expert advice.
2. Profile Stories
Our ten profile stories were featured on social media to garner interest in our exhibition. Profile stories gained more traction as they highlighted real experiences, allowing viewers to feel a sense of connection with the profiles. They were featured in three formats:
-
Illustration: Hand-drawn illustrations brought vivid emotions and experiences to life, making stories easy to connect with.
-
Quote Feature: Powerful quotes from individual grief journeys resonated deeply, sparking emotional engagement.
-
Exhibition Notes: Featuring notes from exhibition visitors added authenticity, showcasing real experiences while fostering a sense of community.
Featuring Heather's story (click through the slides to view the comic)
Featuring D's story (click through the slides)
(click through the slides)
3. Activation Promotion
To promote our exhibition, we made sneak peek videos of the space. These tended to do well, with one TikTok gaining 27.5k views organically. Viewers resonated with the thought-provoking nature of our exhibition, which we continued to promote in following videos. We also leveraged trending audios to reach a community that is receptive to stories and messages of hope.
(27.5k views)
(4617 views)
Engagement Strategies
To boost engagement, we used call-to-action captions in our posts such as “Share your thoughts in the comments”, driving more interactions and sparking meaningful conversations.
User-generated content (UGC) played a crucial role in amplifying the reach and credibility of the campaign. Exhibition visitors were encouraged to share their personal experiences online, which led to a surge of organic content. This content, coming from those who experienced the exhibition firsthand, helped foster a sense of community and trust.
We used paid ads to boost exhibition promotion videos on both Instagram and TikTok, further increasing reach.
UGC from @sirmoontea
UGC from @lexuan.xx
UGC from @kymchijjigae
Public Activations
We hosted a two-day roadshow at NTU, featuring a half-exhibition for students who missed the main event. This scaled-down setup allowed visitors to start conversations with us about the stories as they read them. “Take a Note” was also reintroduced and garnered interest from students curious to exchange messages.
As a final activation, we conducted a social experiment on Orchard Road, where we stood holding a sign that read, "Grief speaks, will you listen? Take a note" along with a jar filled with notes.
The notes contained stories from our 10 profiles and from the "Take a Note, Leave a Note" initiative at the physical exhibition, with a link to our social media and online exhibition. This initiative was aimed to normalise conversations about grief in everyday spaces. By giving out notes in a bustling public area, we hoped to encourage people to engage with the topic openly.
*The notes were cut, folded and given out to the public in a jar.
Campaign Partners
Advisory and Education
01.
Singapore Hospice Council
Singapore Hospice Council (SHC) allocated us grief resources:
-
100 copies of Caring for yourself and others after a death
-
200 copies of Supporting grief in the community
These resources were given to the public at our physical exhibition. They were also adapted in educational social media posts, and the Grief Literacy Guide.
02.
HCA Hospice
HCA provided support through vetting of social media content related to grief.
Like SHC, HCA’s resources were adapted into social media posts and the Grief Literacy Guide, which they helped review.
HCA also helped to promote the exhibition through their social media channels.
At our NTU roadshow and our website, a collaborative event titled "Together, we heal" allowed GP and NGP to share messages to support HCA beneficiaries. These messages may be shared at HCA events or through bereavement outreach initiatives. Visitors can continue submissions online.
03.
Whispering Hope
Gracie Mak, director of grief consultancy, Whispering Hope, supported the education segment of our campaign. Mak facilitated the two-day wellbeing circle, providing a safe space for grief conversations.
Mak shared additional pamphlets on grief for the exhibition.
The consultancy also promoted the exhibition and website on their communication channels.
Funding Support
National Youth Council (NYC): Young Changemakers Grant (YCM)
NYC provided ILM with $3000 through the YCM Grant.
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
NTU provided ILM with $1000 through the FYP/Course Project Grant Fund.
Campaign Evaluation
1. Reach
a. Outreach Efforts
Promotional efforts were extended to influencers in the grief and mental wellness space to broaden our reach within receptive communities.
A press release was sent to media outlets in Singapore to invite journalists to the event as one of Singapore’s first student-led exhibitions on grief.
Exhibition visitors were encouraged to share their experiences online, amplifying our message organically. This sparked heartfelt UGC that further spread awareness of the campaign.
Educational and promotional social media posts were cross-posted on our partner’s accounts to extend our reach.
b. Outcomes
Publications
Straits Times ---
1 Article and 1 Instagram Reel (more than 2k views)
95 impressions from this article to our website
Youthtopia ---
1 Instagram Post (96 likes)
District65 ---
1 Article and 1 Instagram Story
Radio
CNA 93.8 Our Town ---
Social Media UGC
TikTok ---
3 Tiktoks
https://www.tiktok.com/@lexuan.xx/photo/7461083648230493447
(17.2 k views)
https://www.tiktok.com/@kymchijjigae/video/7460917661434711303 (702 views)
https://www.tiktok.com/@sirmoontea/video/7461302960677457168 (564 views)
Instagram Reels ---
Partner Whispering Hope: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFmO3RcMwFg/ (166 views)
Influencers ---
Instagram Reels:
-
@nobodytoldmesakshi, Trainee psychotherapist https://www.instagram.com/reels/DFCz2ALJbmG/ (134k views)
Instagram Stories:
-
27 Instagram story posts in total
-
Notable:
-
@ryanangzh (13k followers)
-
@the.lifereview, Non-profit organisation related to death and bereavement
-
@paradiseafterlifeplanner, Afterlife planner
-
@calmcollective, Mental health organisation
-
Events
Palliative
Communication ---
Symposium
Coverage by major news platforms such as The Straits Times and CNA 93.8’s Our Town boosted our credibility and extended our reach beyond our core demographic of youths. Additionally, UGC on TikTok and Instagram created an organic ripple effect, as individuals shared their reflections and experiences. ILM was also spotlighted at the Palliative Communication Symposium, reaching key grief-related organisations.
2. Effectiveness
To evaluate the effectiveness of our campaign, we measured its impact through the metrics below.
Key Metrics | Indicator | Goal | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|
Physical Exhibit | Visitor Attendance | 250 | 402 |
Engagement with Interactive Elements | 100 visitor messages | 686 visitor messages,
Leave a Message: 408,
Final Message Board: 122,
Reflection Corner: 106*,
Take a Note: 50*
| |
Digital | Website Impressions | 5,000 | 1,976 site sessions |
User generated posts on website | 100 | 25 | |
Instagram Followers | 350 | 488 | |
Instagram Average Views
| 3000 | 2957 | |
Instagram Average Engagement Rate | 5% | 4.7% | |
TikTok Followers | 200 | 183 | |
TikTok Average Views | 3,000 | 3500 | |
TikTok Average Engagement Rate | 5% | 5.2% | |
NTU Roadshow | Visitor Attendance | 50 | 53 |
Grief Speaks, Will You Listen? | Notes taken per day | 30 | 64 |
a. Physical Exhibit
The physical exhibition saw a turnout of 402 visitors, exceeding our initial goal.
Visitors left substantial messages for profiles through Leave a Message demonstrating a sense of connection. Messages ranged from reflection sharing on their own grief or words of support for the profiles.
Post-its to Profiles
106 hearts were left in Reflection Corner, and 50 messages were left in Take a Note. Others took their messages home.
Visitors left personal responses, detailing their journey with loss. These were passed between strangers in an intimate exchange, fostering a communal experience and helping to both normalise conversations around loss and allowing memories to be preserved.
Messages from NGP in Take a Note were supportive, reflecting a growing understanding and willingness to engage in tough conversations.
Messages from Reflection Corner
Messages from NGP in Take a Note
Messages from GP in Take a Note
Visitors’ takeaways on Message Board commonly emphasised the importance of a space for grief to be expressed. The high engagement indicates success in providing a safe space for the exploration of loss.
Some visitors shed tears for the grief stories. Afterward, many approached us to express their emotional connection with the grief stories.
Representatives from bereavement support non-profit organisation, The Life Review and an afterlife planning service, Salix Paradise, visited the exhibit and shared the experience on their platforms.
A visitor from National Cancer Center Singapore also requested to share our Grief Literacy Guide with their youth beneficiaries, emphasising the need for youth-tailored resources.
Surveys
Exhibition:
The results of our pre- and post-exhibition surveys suggest that the exhibition had a significant positive impact on grief literacy among visitors.
Final Message Board
I found the grief stories...
Our featured stories helped make grief - a complex topic - more approachable.
How would you rate your overall understanding of grief and its impacts
The increase in respondents who rated their understanding of grief as “Good” and “Excellent” suggests an increased understanding of grief amongst visitors.
It is better to avoid talking about the deceased to help a grieving person move on
The significant increase in respondents who strongly disagreed with the above statement (17% to 39%) reflects a growing recognition that remembrance and conversations about grief can be healing rather than harmful.
Website:
The website expanded the reach of the physical exhibition. There have been a total of 1853 site sessions and 23 user generated posts. This fell short of our goal of 5,000 impressions and 100 posts, indicating limitations in fostering interactive participation and creating an immersive space through the Internet.
I found the digital memorial wall...
Social Media:
Our social media had high reach and engagement. Instagram saw 3,000 average views and 4.7% engagement rate, and TikTok saw 3500 average views with 5.2% engagement rate, exceeding our goals.
Our top performing TikTok post, a behind-the-scenes of our exhibition, gained over 27,000 views. Our most-viewed Instagram post, an announcement of our online exhibition’s launch, garnered more than 23,000 views. Exhibition-related content received overwhelming support, highlighting the public’s desire for open and creative expressions of grief in authentic formats.
Beyond numbers, our campaign impacts were reflected in the personal responses we received.
Direct Messages from followers expressing gratitude for the project
Instagram Stories reflecting on their experience viewing the website
Comments that applaud this effort for youths or share openly about their own experience
Concluding activations:
The NTU roadshow and “Will You Listen?” activation in everyday environments made the topics more approachable. Furthermore, the distribution of grief reflection notes in public spaces demonstrated a demand for continued engagement, as all 64 notes were taken in just two hours, much faster than our goal of 30 notes per day.
3. Key Learnings & Overall Impact
The exhibition provided an immersive experience that allowed visitors to engage deeply with grief stories. The website extended the reach of the exhibition. The social media campaign facilitated ongoing conversations surrounding grief.
The website traffic, however, fell short of our initial goal. People may prefer engaging with grief-related content in physical spaces, as digital platforms cannot replicate the sense of shared space and tangible interaction.
Ultimately, ILM successfully initiated important conversations about grief and loss. The strong turnout at the physical exhibition and heartfelt engagement on our social media platforms, demonstrated that there is a genuine public interest in talking about grief, underscoring the importance of ILM.
Conclusion
This project explored the challenging context grief exists in, particularly in Singapore where it is perceived as a taboo.
Based on primary research and secondary research, the problem was identified in 2 major parts:
-
Lack of grief literacy (in both GP and NGP)
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Anxiety surrounding memory loss in GP’s deceased loved ones
Thus, our major activations in physical and digital mediums aimed to
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Increase grief literacy in NGP and GP
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Create a safe space for grievers to share and connect
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Teach GP and NGP how to better support themselves and others through understanding the complexities of loss
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Create a digital space for GP to share their stories in remembrance for the deceased
Physical:
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3-day Exhibition at Goodman Arts Centre
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2-day NTU Roadshow
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Social experiment on Orchard Road
Digital:
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Memorial Website Wall
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Social Media Posts
Through both physical and digital spaces, we put conversations about grief at the forefront, empowering both the GP and NGP to come together as a community and embrace the complexities of loss. Our surveys pre- and post-exhibition saw a 11% reduction in respondents who agreed that “grief is a private matter and should not be discussed in public settings.” This change indicates increased acceptance of open conversations surrounding grief.
This campaign proved the importance of shared experiences and community support in fostering a more compassionate and a more informed approach to grief.
In Loving Memory uncovered a grieving community in Singapore. Further highlighting that conversations are important and the grieving community requires a space where their grief can safely exist.
References
Abidin, C. (2018). Young People and Digital Grief Etiquette. In A Networked Self and Birth, Life, Death (1st Edition ed.). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315202129-10/young-people-digital-grief-etiquette-crystal-abidin?context=ubx
Breen, L. J. (2020, May 15). Grief, loss and the COVID-19 pandemic. Web Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20201105234130id_/https://www1.racgp.org.au/getattachment/16f2321e-90f7-4779-82bb-86309070fe30/Grief-loss-and-the-COVID-19-pandemic.aspx
Macdonald, M. E. (2020). The denial of grief: Reflections from a decade of anthropological research on parental bereavement and child death. In M. H. Jacobsen & A. Petersen (Eds.), Exploring grief: Towards a sociology of sorrow (pp. 125–149). Routledge.
Macdonald, M. E. (2024, May 10). Grief is a public health issue. Springer Nature Link. https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269/s41997-024-00898-2
MCCY. (2025, January 21). Art Unites: Connecting Communities and Fostering Social Good. MCCY. https://www.mccy.gov.sg/about-us/news-and-resources/speeches/2025/Jan/Art-Unites-Connecting-Communities-and-Fostering-Social-Good
Singapore Hospice Council. (2024, June 24). Towards A More Grief Literate Society. Singapore Hospice Council. https://www.singaporehospice.org.sg/towards-a-more-grief-literate-society/
Statista. (2024, January 5). Demographics of TikTok users in Singapore as of June 2023, by age group. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1378891/singapore-demographics-of-tiktok-users-by-age-group-2022/
Tourgeman, I. P. (2021, September 1). The Process of Coping with Grief and Loss. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/everyday-life-simplified/202109/the-process-of-coping-with-grief-and-loss
Tucker, E. (2014, March 22). What on earth is a death cafe? The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/22/death-cafe-talk-about-dying
Xu, D., Zhang, G., Ding, X., Ma, J., Suo, Y., Peng, Y., Zeng, J., Liu, M., Hou, R., Li, J., & Hu, F. (2024, January 25). Bereaved parents’ perceptions of memory making: a qualitative meta-synthesis. BMC Palliative Care. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-024-01339-0