Participants achieved
international and local recognition
The seventh edition of the Mentor Access
Project (MAP) is now open for applications until 15 May 2009, and
will begin in July 2009. MAP is an 18-month mentorship programme to
ensure the sustained development of emerging writers by providing
them with mentorship opportunities and ongoing critical feedback.
Organised by the National Arts Council (NAC)
since 2000, MAP provides emerging literary talents with a supporting
framework with which to produce their works through mentorship
opportunities with established writers as well as chances to network
within the literary community. Participants will also be equipped
with industry knowledge, from the business aspects to presentation
skills.
Promising original works generated by
MAP participants during the course of the programme will be
considered for book publication, under the New Book Initiative, in
conjunction with NAC’s Publishing and Translation Grant. This is on
top of enjoying publishing opportunities in an online literary
journal to be produced by MAP at the end of the mentorship period.
Says Khor Kok Wah, NAC Deputy Chief
Executive Officer and Director for Literary Arts, ”MAP remains an
important development scheme for emerging literary talents. It
provides an avenue for our established writers to interact with
promising writers seeking mentorship.”
The 2007 MAP intake will be graduating
this May. Yak Aik Wee, who was mentored by playwright Tan Tarn How,
had a 10-minute play, Lester's List, re-staged in Short And Sweet, a
short-play competition held in Sydney in February 2009. Another
participant, Jackie Chye, who was mentored by playwright Ovidia Yu,
won in a playwriting competition Theatre Idols with his play,
Catching Adam Cheng. This was later staged by Action Theatre in
November 2008.
“Interacting with writers from other
genres was really insightful and helped me understand the processes
of other literary forms,“ said Aik Wee.
“MAP really helped to further the
development of my script,” said Jackie. “It pushed me to think
outside the box, and also helped me develop a vital network of
contacts.”
The 2008’s intake has so far enjoyed
masterclasses with authors such as British novelists, Linda Grant
and Jill Dawson, Chinese-American poet, Marilyn Chin and
Chinese-Canadian poet, Ray Hsu. Some MAP participants also showcased
their works at a public event, MAP Tete-a-Tete, held at the
University Cultural Centre as part of the NUS Arts Festival 2008.
The mentors for the 2008 intake included well-known Singapore
writers, poets and playwrights Meira Chand, Felix Cheong, Dave Chua,
Chua Chim Kang, Isa Kamari, Stella Kon, Madeleine Lee, Aaron Maniam,
Alvin Pang, Chris Mooney-Singh, Cyril Wong, Eleanor Wong, Robert Yeo
and Yeow Kai Chai.
MAP is managed by mediaexodus limited
liability partnership (llp), whose team members include Yong Shu
Hoong, a published poet and Singapore Literature Prize 2006 winner
and Enoch Ng, General Manager of mediaexodus llp (and its imprint,
firstfruits publications), and a Golden Point Award first-prize
winner.
With the additional help and support
from organisations like The Arts House, British Council Singapore,
National Library Board, National University of Singapore’s Centre
for the Arts, MAP participants can look forward to talks and events
conducted by established and renowned writers, both from Singapore
and overseas.
Applications are open to Singaporean
citizens or permanent residents, aged 18 years and above, writing in
the field of poetry, prose or drama in any of the four official
languages. The deadline for application is 15 May 2009 and
application forms can be downloaded from
http://www.nac.gov.sg/lit/lit03.asp#men.
For public enquiries, email mentoraccess@yahoo.com.
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FrontPage Edition: Sun 5 Apr 2009
