Artist profile
Nathaniel Mah
Nathaniel is a Singaporean songwriter, sound designer, and audio engineer based in Manchester, UK. A versatile composer and lyricist, he has written music and lyrics for two original musicals – “Overtime” (2017) and “Privacy Settings” (2025) – and is currently developing four new works, spanning genres from pantomime to folk opera. He is also part of the 2025/26 cohort of the Book, Music & Lyrics programme, the UK’s only specialist musical theatre writing course, as a lyricist.
His sound design and audio engineering work spans animation, film, and podcasts, and includes two award-winning audio dramas: “Temujin” (2020) and “Sayang” (2024). He is also the co-host of the award-winning podcast Comic Sans.
Nathaniel is passionate about creating work that provokes thought, sparks conversation, and reflects his Singaporean heritage and culture. In his work for children and families, he hopes to tell the stories that his younger self did not get the chance to hear.
”I am thrilled and honoured to be a part of Vital Spark. As an artist who is currently creating work for children and families but has never had any formal training or mentorship in that regard, the Relationship Programme is the perfect opportunity for me to learn, be challenged, and grow in my craft. I am excited to develop my artistic voice and practice through this programme as I endeavour to make work that inspires empathy, curiosity, and imagination in audiences of all ages.
Nathaniel MahRelationship Programme Artist
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The Vital Spark behind everything we do
We believe that all children should be able to experience arts and culture, and that they should be able to see themselves represented in these experiences. This is not yet the case for every child and we’re committed to changing that.
Our response is Vital Spark, and it's at the heart of everything we do. Vital Spark is about challenging and changing the lack of diversity in children’s arts and culture; it’s about diverse-led artistic decision making; it’s about not being afraid to stand up for what’s right.
We do this by supporting artists who are currently underrepresented in children’s arts and culture. We also work with partner organisations to create world-class opportunities for these artists and share best practice.
