BT BAF beneficiaries share stories of triumph over hardship
Their theatre production I AM ___ hopes to inspire others facing similar struggles
Helmi Yusof
LAUNCHED in 2005, The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) has had a profound impact on the lives of more than 22,000 talented children from low-income families. By giving them the opportunity to pursue the arts for free, many have been able to thrive not just in their chosen art forms, but also in their lives.
Eight former recipients of the fund, who are now grown up, have come together to tell their stories of hardship and ultimate triumph. Their play, titled I AM ____, is a piece of verbatim theatre in which the script is composed entirely of words and statements recounted by real-life characters. Through these authentic portrayals, the show’s creators hope to inspire others facing similar challenges.
BT BAF is managed by TRCL, a not-for-profit arts and culture organisation. One of the play’s actors and producers is Guru Simmar Gunasekaran, who was a former recipient of BT BAF and now works as a programme executive at TRCL.
He said: “It is heartening to collaborate with my friends, with whom I was once classmates in the BT BAF programme many years ago. Despite all of us holding full-time jobs, we decided to reunite and address a topic close to our hearts: the experience of growing up. It is not often that we find a space to discuss the challenges we faced in our upbringing. Now, as we are much older, we can reflect on our journeys.”
I AM ___ invites the audience to reflect on wider social dynamics and common ideas of success in Singapore. It also examines the potential conflict between societal expectations and a person’s intrinsic sense of worth.
Lynne Kok, TRCL’s director of operations, said: “From the day (these performers) stepped into TRCL and its schools, The Little Arts Academy and 10 Square Youth, we have seen them navigate adolescence amid their difficult personal circumstances and develop into adulthood… While not all of the beneficiaries go on to pursue art as a career, we have seen their lives change due to their exposure to art.”
I AM ____ is presented by Souljourn and performed by The r10t Crew. It runs at the Goodman Arts Centre’s Black Box Theatre, 90 Goodman Road, from Sep 29 to Oct 1. Tickets available at eventbrite.
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