The Business Times Budding Artists Fund
Initiated in 2004 and adopted by The Business Times in 2005, The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) originated from a conviction that no child should be denied the opportunity to pursue the arts to a lack of financial resources. BT BAF believes that the arts transforms lives and seeks to provide young people from financially-disadvantaged backgrounds with access and opportunities to experience the arts. Since 2005, BT BAF has reached out to more than 20,000 beneficiaries through a variety of programmes comprising of arts training, camps, workshops and signature events. Beneficiaries receive structured arts training at The Little Arts Academy and 10 Square @ Orchard Central.
Our Programmes (The Little Arts Academy & 10 Square Youth)
We offer opportunities for children and youth to receive training in five genres of the arts — Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Tech+Art [Digital Arts] — regardless of their personal or financial circumstances.
Arts Exposure Programme by The Little Arts Academy
Arts Exposure Programme is a signature programme in The Little Arts Academy (LAA) and designed for children aged six to 12 years old to explore, experiment and experience the arts. This is a starting journey for the little ones to discover Music, Dance, Theatre and Visual Arts.
LAA offers systematic multidisciplinary arts training for children. The academy emphasizes the creation of original works, performance opportunities and development of personal and technical skills through the arts.
Arts Incubation Programme by 10 Square Youth
The Arts Incubation Programme is a specialized arts training curriculum designed for youths aged 13 to 19 to broaden their perspectives of the arts beyond the classroom and to gain real insights of the arts industry. The programme focuses on advanced technical arts skills as well as business management skills to provide youths with the many possibilities of a career in the arts.
The Arts Incubation Programme is part of the training by 10 Square Youth, which seeks to catalyse creative energy and inspire new progressive artworks amongst young people.
The Bloom Fund
This fund will support initiatives that encourage seniors to engage in creative expression, fostering both artistic growth and enhancing their cognitive health, emotional well-being, and overall vitality. Just as the word bloom symbolizes flourishing, this fund is designed to empower seniors to thrive artistically and mentally, contributing to their geriatric wellness.
By combining the concept of bloom with healthy aging and geriatric wellness, the fund will be positioned as a holistic initiative that nurtures artistic expression while also supporting the physical, mental, and emotional health of the aging population.
Bloom: A community fund dedicated to holistically enhancing the connection between our senior and younger generations, fostering meaningful interactions that inspire a renewed purpose and shared growth.
For the past 20 years, TRCL has remained steadfast to its mission to uplift children and youth from underserved communities through the transformative powers of the arts with the support of The Business Times Budding Artists Fund. The Bloom fund is an extension and expansion of our efforts to broaden our scope, allocating part of TRCL’s resources to support seniors and strengthening our community via intergenerational programmes.
Our programmes aim to foster mental well-being, nurture resilience and promote a positive mindset in seniors. Our seniors have a treasure trove of experiences to share. Yet, many seniors have experienced dwindling interactions with our younger generations. Through engaging activities, we aim to nurture intergenerational connections built on shared experiences and bridge the generational divide.
Our goal is to uplift seniors through companionship and a sense of belonging, building their mental positivity and enriching their lives. Intergenerational activities help to keep our seniors physically and mentally active, promoting healthy ageing and geriatric wellness. Through creative expression, we aim to bring both ends of the age spectrum together, empower our seniors and help them bloom and thrive in our present.