From left to right: Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Prof Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, UAS; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Mr Jose Isidro “Lito” Camacho, Chairman, UAS; Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UAS and President, NAFA; Dr Venka Purushothaman, Deputy President & Provost, LASALLE
As Singapore marks its 60th year of independence (SG60), Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd (Mapletree) and the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS)—an alliance of LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)—have launched two new arts initiatives dedicated to supporting students in music composition and film.
Formalised on 14 July 2025 at a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony held at the National Design Centre, the partnership introduces the Mapletree Young Composers Initiative and the Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative — offering over S$30,000 in funding, professional mentorship, and public platforms for student-led showcases.
Centred on the theme “Essence of Singapore”, these initiatives offer LASALLE and NAFA students meaningful opportunities to explore national identity, heritage, and community through original artistic projects. These efforts aim to cultivate a new generation of creative talents poised to contribute to the development of Singapore’s arts and cultural identity.
“Mapletree is proud to drive new initiatives for young creatives, underscoring our commitment to our Corporate Social Responsibility pillars of education and art. We are grateful for the collaboration with UAS, LASALLE and NAFA to empower young Singapore-based artists in pursuing their passion,” said Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree. “These works of art will be in celebration of Singapore’s 60th birthday and are made even more meaningful as we experience the essence of Singapore through the eyes of tomorrow’s trailblazers. We look forward to exploring further collaboration opportunities with UAS.”
Two SG60 Arts Initiatives
1. Mapletree Young Composers Initiative 2025
Composition and showcase phases: August 2025 to May 2026
The first SG60 music initiative for students and alumni (aged 29 and below as of 31 December 2025) from both LASALLE’s School of Contemporary Music and NAFA’s School of Music invites participants to compose original compositions of five to seven minutes, incorporating at least one ethnic instrument to represent Singapore’s rich and diverse sonic identity.
Six selected proposals will be awarded S$2,500 each, with professional mentorship by industry experts. The works will be performed live at a public concert in late May 2026.
2. Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative 2025
Content creation and showcase phases: May 2025 to March 2026
Open to Year 2 and 3 students from the BA(Hons) Film programme at LASALLE’s Puttnam School of Film & Animation, this initiative supports the production of narrative or documentary short films — up to 10 minutes in length — inspired by the theme “Essence of Singapore”.
Three selected proposals will each receive S$5,000 production grants, mentorship from industry professionals, and additional guidance by faculty members. The films will be presented at a private screening in December 2025. There will also be a six-month premiership period (from September 2025 to February 2026) for the students to submit their films to festivals, prior to the public release of the films on the Mapletree Arts in the City YouTube Channel from March 2026.
A total of eight short film pitches were received. Following two rounds of pitching, three short films have been selected. For more information and an image of the students, please refer to Annex A and the digital media kit.
LASALLE and NAFA, as founding members of UAS, will lead and complete the projects under both initiatives. Faculty members from both institutions will participate in judging sessions, guide and mentor students as they work towards the realisation of their original work and oversee the projects to completion at their public presentations.
Bringing New Creatives to the Fore
“Our university community is grateful to Mapletree for this partnership that will nurture young creatives to tell stories rooted in our shared heritage,” said Mr Jose Isidro “Lito” Camacho, Chairman, University of the Arts Singapore. “The arts play a vital role in shaping how we understand identity and belonging, and this partnership enables our students to reflect, create and contribute meaningfully to Singapore’s evolving cultural landscape.”
This SG60 partnership marks a significant step in shaping Singapore’s creative future through student-led, professionally mentored, and publicly celebrated projects.
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ANNEX A
Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative 2025 – Selected short films (in no particular order)
By BA (Hons) Film students from LASALLE College of the Arts
| Hotpot Mayhem by Director, Muhammad Fadzli Bin Mohd Jambari (Year 2) and team | Synopsis: Alicia comes back from her shift as a nurse and sets up her dining room for a hotpot reunion dinner with her secondary school friends after months of fixing a date. Her four friends are late. All in different phases of their lives, drama ensues. Can this friend group hold it together or will it all fall apart? |
| Kecantikan by Director, Emma Rose Chow (Year 2) and team | Synopsis: Kecantikan is a documentary that follows Kartika, Gini and Sunani – three domestic helpers on their journey to be beauty pageant queens as they reflect on their time on stage, reminisce on the meanings and moments of beauty, and about making a home in Singapore. |
Portrait by Director, Daniel Tan Wen Long (Year 2) and team | Synopsis: When Emil’s grandfather, Ah Gong, nears the end of his life, he leaves Emil one final request: inherit his sacred duty, photographing the dead and capturing their final words before they move on. Threading the fragile balance of fulfilling this sacred duty and making time for his loved ones, Emil struggles to live in the present as he knows the dead cannot wait, but how much more can the living? |
From left to right: Dr Venka Purushothaman, Deputy President & Provost, LASALLE; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Prof Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, UAS; Mr Jose Isidro ”Lito” Camacho, Chairman, UAS; Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UAS and President, NAFA
Front row, from left to right: Dr Timothy O’Dwyer, Head, School of Contemporary Music, LASALLE; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Mr William Teo, Director, Partnerships & Engagement (Communications & Industry), UAS; Dr Nellie Seng, Associate Dean (School of Music), NAFA
Back row, from left to right: Dr Venka Purushothaman, Deputy President & Provost, LASALLE; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Mr Jose Isidro ”Lito” Camacho, Chairman, UAS; Prof Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, UAS; Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UAS and President, NAFA
Front row, from left to right: Mr Chris Shaw, Head, Puttnam School of Film & Animation, LASALLE; Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Mr Steve Golden, Director, Partnerships & Engagement (Career Services & Industry), UAS
Back row, from left to right: Dr Venka Purushothaman, Deputy President & Provost, LASALLE; Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree; Mr Jose Isidro ”Lito” Camacho, Chairman, UAS; Prof Kwok Kian Woon, Vice-Chancellor, UAS; Mrs Tan-Soh Wai Lan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, UAS and President, NAFA
LASALLE BA (Hons) Film students selected for the Mapletree Young Filmmakers Initiative
