Clara Lim-Tan is Director of Arts Education, Student Development Curriculum Division, Ministry of Education, and oversees policy, planning and partnerships for Arts curriculum and co-curriculum in schools.

Clara was named as one of the youngest Singapore school principals to be appointed and has helmed two schools – Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus (CHIJ) Kellock (2008-2013) and Yu Neng Primary School (2014-2020). Prior to that, she was Vice-Principal of Beatty Secondary School (2004-2007) and had set-up and headed the Creative Arts Department at Crescent Girls’ School (2002-2003).

An avid believer in the transformative power of the arts, Clara leverages her experience and training as school leader, educator and musician to champion arts education. Her strong advocacy for arts education through community partnerships and collaborations is evident in the programmes she had led and spearheaded in schools.

Clara holds a Master of Philosophy (School Development) from the University of Cambridge. She also read Music at King’s College London under the auspices of a PSC overseas scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Honours) majoring in Performance Studies and Theory & Analysis. There, she studied the piano with Frank Wibaut at the Royal Academy of Music. She was awarded the Adam Undergraduate Prize in Music in 1992/3 for being the best performer in her year. She has performed in Singapore and in the United Kingdom both as a soloist and chamber musician.

Clara currently serves on the Board of Directors, The Esplanade Co Ltd as well as the Governing Board of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music.