PRESS RELEASE

Singapore, 6 July 2009 – A student of the newly set up Little Arts Academy, set up by multidisciplinary performing arts venue - The Arts House with the primary aim of providing arts education for children from economically disadvantaged background, has won an award at the prestigious UOB Painting of the Year Award competition last Saturday, July 4 2009.

Nine-year-old Siobhan Yeow Ying Hong who has been a visual arts student at The Little Arts Academy (LAA) since its opening in November 2008 received the Highly Commended Award (Junior Section) for her mixed media work Doughnut Dragon (64 x 153 cm).

Says Siobhan of her award-wining work: “I chose the subject of the dragon because I was born in the year of the dragon and like doughnuts! I prefer the Chinese dragon because it’s nice and long and my favourite doughnut is the normal doughnut with chocolate and peanuts. I didn’t expect the award at all and I am very happy.”

For the past seven months, Siobhan has been receiving visual arts training at LAA that grew out of a need from the BT BAF to provide more a systematic arts training programme and also dedicated learning space for its beneficiaries and also the public. To date, The Little Arts Academy has close to 200 students of which most are BT BAF beneficiaries.

Says Melinda Teo, Siobhan’s teacher at LAA who is a visual arts trainer from Studio Haroobee for LAA: “When she first started, Siobhan was very shy and lacked confidence. I believe however that winning this award will give her a good morale boost. The Little Arts Academy is indeed a good platform for young talents, especially those who are economically distanced, to explore opportunities in the arts.“

For The Little Arts Academy, Siobhan’s achievement is one that the academy is proud of and also one which the management of the academy hopes will create greater awareness of the need of arts education and how such an education transforms lives, especially those from economically distanced background. This is also the first time that a student from LAA has achieved such recognition for their work at the LAA.

Says Centre Manager Ms Adelina Ong: “We are very proud of Siobhan’s achievement and we hope that this will help encourage the public to realise the importance of supporting children in their pursuit of the arts and helping them realise their dreams despite their lack of financial resources. Producing a canvas of this size requires a lot of commitment from a child and it has been heartening to see Siobhan come for class each weekend and see her grow.
We hope that Siobhan’s prize will inspire other students to put their heart and effort into producing good art. The fact that Siobhan was the youngest in the group makes this achievement even more significant, as youth is no barrier to what hard work and commitment can achieve with a little talent and creativity.”

Siobhan was among the three recipients for the Highly Commended award (Junior Section) at the competition. Says Siobhan’s mother, Mdm Priscilla Chen Choy Khim: “The Head of Department of her primary school was very happy and they want to tell the rest of the students about Siobhan’s achievement!”

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The Little Arts Academy

Opened in November 2008, The Little Arts Academy grew out from a need to provide more systematic arts training and a dedicated creative learning space for The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) beneficiaries. With its varied facilities that include a dance studio, practice rooms, a recording studio as well as a kitchen for culinary class, The Little Arts Academy, which is an initiative of and managed by The Old Parliament House Limited, a not-for-profit full-service arts management company limited by guarantee, offers a broad-based curriculum that aims to give children a holistic education which has its foundation in the arts. Offering professional training in dance, drama, new media, visual arts, music and singing, The Little Arts Academy provides
opportunities for all children who have strong interest and artistic potential to receive interdisciplinary training in the arts.

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The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF)

Initiated by The Arts House and adopted by The Business Times, BT BAF aims to enable underprivileged children between the ages of five to 12 years to pursue an arts education in the development of their interests and knowledge in music, dance, drama, and visual arts. The Fund originated from a strong conviction that no child who possesses artistic potential should be deprived of the opportunity to develop his or her talents in the arts due to socio-economic circumstances. BT BAF is managed by The Old Parliament House Ltd, a not-for-profit full-service arts management company limited by guarantee. For further information, please visit www.baf.sg

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The Old Parliament House Limited

The Old Parliament House Limited (toph ltd) is a not-for-profit organisation incorporated by the National Arts Council in December 2002 as a full-service arts organisation to serve a key aim within the arts and creative industries in Singapore: the conservation and management of heritage buildings as arts spaces for both public and private institutions. From July 2003 to March 2004, toph ltd managed and completed the restoration of Singapore's oldest government building The Old Parliament House into a multi-disciplinary arts venue and opened the building as The Arts House at the Old Parliament. For more information on toph ltd, please visit www.toph.com.sg

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