is a multidisciplinary storyteller, creative strategist and lecturer, working across social impact, ecology and the arts. He presents himself and his works at the fissures in concrete urban walls, inhabiting them as verdant spaces, projecting hopes and dreams for tomorrow’s liberations. He collaborates with Ghost Chan as Ghost and John, and is the lead strategist of Hidden Keileon CIC, a cultural enterprise working with migrant and queer people to imagine futures with freedom and justice for all by dreaming and leading multidisciplinary and life-affirming projects.
John’s work focuses on experimental embodied methods for migrant and queer stories, taking the forms of writing, theatre, dance, film and installation.
- ‘Two Plant Gaysians’ theatre headliner for Migration Matters Festival (2025), shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Fund (2024),
- ‘Bitter Moves Sweet Truths’(2023) shortlisted for the Untapped Award,
- 'Paradoxical Gasps’ (2022) funded by Arts Council England,
- ‘Radio Neighbourhood’ (2021) awarded the Ideas and Pioneers Fund by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation,
- and more.
As a creative strategist, John has been involved in multiple social imagination projects and building infrastructures for resilient futures through exploring embodied ecology, stewardship and abolitionist organising. Currently working as a Lecturer (Unit Leader) at The Place London, John was:
- on Civic Square and Centric Lab's Ecological Health In Neighbourhoods Learning Journey (2023),
- Greater London Authority’s Civic Futures fellow (2022),
- Moving Margins researcher with Internationales Theaterinstitut Berlin (2022) and more.
He led the Arts, Communities and Social Impact Peer-to-peer Exchange Programme (2024) with his colleagues at Hidden Keileon CIC, working with over 60 social change makers to build kinships and a wisdom-sharing network.
John is a versatile maker across theatres, films, galleries and odd spaces. Productions he contributed his skills as director, choreographer, writer, performer, mentor and designer have been seen internationally, including Hellerau Dresden, TD Berlin, CCA Goldsmiths, Rich Mix, Pleasance London, Omnibus Theatre, Goethe-Institut Hongkong and more. He is an actor represented by Hancock Agency.
John was first trained as a biologist (BSc Biological Science, HKUST) and has received an MA (Distinction) in Contemporary Dance, The Place. He was an ImPulsTanz ATLAS Young Choreographer (2019) and was trained under Siu Wan from SHOW DANCE in Hong Kong.
Instagram: @windmovesmountain
LinkedIn: John Chan
Spotlight: https://app.spotlight.com/9810-1278-4293
CV available on request. Please contact him through john@ghostandjohn.art.
