SINGAPORE: For the first time, the Information, Communications and the Arts Ministry has awarded scholarships to seven designers from various disciplines including fashion, graphics and industrial design.
And for the third year running, the Media Development Authority also gave out $1 million in scholarships under its Media Education Scheme.
Among the 22 MDA scholars are an actress and a film critic-turned film maker.
The name Teo Kiat Sing may not ring a bell, but you'll recognise her from a StarHub advertisement, and her roles on MediaCorp's "Growing Up", "Living with Lydia" and "First Touch" programmes.
And she has big dreams - which are now closer to being realised with MDA's scholarship.
She said: "As an actress, I don't think I should be confined to just one market, the Singapore market. There's a world market and that's what we should cater to. But I'm very interested in nurturing the Singapore acting scene, Singapore actors, because this is where I belong and I believe in Singapore's acting potential."
Overseas scholars like Kiat Sing must work in a media company in Singapore for at least two years upon graduation.
To date, $2.6 million has been awarded to 60 Singaporeans since the Media Education Scheme started two years ago, and this year about half of the award recipients have opted to study at local institutions, namely Nanyang Technological University and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
30-year-old former film critic and journalist Helmi Yusof is one of them.
"Because I want to be based here, I want to make films in Singapore about Singaporeans and NP actually has very good facilities."
And it's not just new creative industries like animation and film that are getting a leg up.
MDA Chairman, Dr Tan Chin Nam, said: "This year, interestingly we've got two scholars going into the publishing industry. As you may know, it's an old and existing industry. But as we revitalise Singapore, as we create new possibilities for many Singaporeans under the general umbrella of the creative industries, we're seeing publishing industry being given a new lease of life."
Over at Library@Orchard, seven design scholars were also celebrating their scholarship awards.
Among them is Wu Peirong whose designs have caught the eye of 77th Street entrepreneur Elim Chew.
The former intern at the TODAY newspaper will be studying fashion design at Central St Martins in London. - CNA/ir