In order to make the arts more accessible to young people in Singapore, the School of the Arts (SOTA) officially launched the Arts Development Award (ADA) on 30 July 2018. This award, funded by Temasek Foundation Nurtures, is offered to Primary 4 to 6 students from low-income families who show artistic potential. Covering course fees, materials, costumes and transport costs, the award allows these children to be exposed to, and enriched by an early arts education. Additionally, award recipients will each be paired up with a “buddy” — a SOTA student who will mentor and support them in their academic, artistic, and personal growth.
In an interview with TODAY, Ms. Jana Ismail, mother of ADA recipient Dwi Tiara Haqiem Mohd Fazel, said that if not for the Award, she would not have been able to sign her daughter up for an art class. She had lost her husband to cancer five years ago, and is now working part-time to support her family. The Award provides Tiara with the opportunity to attend weekly art lessons for a year.
Currently, the Award is offered to pupils who demonstrate an interest or potential in dance or visual arts. However, SOTA’s principal, Lim Geok Cheng, has said that the school is “looking at expanding it to include other art forms” in the future.
