Arts enthusiasts keen to experience first-hand workings behind international art festivals can now apply for the inaugural 2009 AAPAF Internship Award. Offered by the Association of Asian Performing Arts Festivals (AAPAF), the annual international internship awards are aimed at nurturing Asia-based arts students, administrators and practitioners by providing them opportunities to learn and be exposed to festivals worldwide. To develop young professionals in arts and festival management, AAPAF will offer two awards to successful candidates to be undertaken at participating AAPAF-member festivals for at least four weeks. The scope of the internship responsibilities can vary from festival programming and production management, to marketing and public relations. AAPAF is an international festival network that promotes the exchange, co-operation and collaboration between festival organisations in Asia and beyond. The Internship Award is AAPAF’s first major public initiative to bridge the Asian arts professionals and the AAPAF community in order to deepen and expand knowledge of festival management and development in Asia. The member festivals participating in the 2009 AAPAF Internship Award programme include Singapore Arts Festival, Auckland International Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Seoul Performing Arts Festival and OzAsia Festival (Adelaide). The Award will grant USD2,000 each to two interns to help defray the costs of their expenses. Through this programme, interns will have the opportunity to learn the inner workings of festival management, and immerse themselves in the arts and cultures of these AAPAF member festivals. "With this initiative, we hope to build an alumnus of AAPAF-supported young arts professionals and ambassadors in Asia who will contribute to fostering long-term goodwill and strong working relationships between festival communities in Asia and beyond. We also hope that the experience and exposure they gain will support them in key roles they might play in festival and cultural development in their own societies in the near future. At the same time, host festivals will also benefit from the external support and knowledge that these overseas interns bring," says Chairperson of AAPAF and Director of Singapore Arts Festival, Ms Goh Ching Lee. Applications open from 20 June 2008 to residents in Asia, aged 35 years and below, who are currently studying or practising in the fields of festival management and/or arts administration. They should also hold at least a university degree and/or have relevant working experience. The deadline for application is 31 August 2008 and application forms can be downloaded from www.aapaf.org/award.asp. About the Association of Asian Performing Arts Festivals Inaugurated in Singapore on 19 June 2004, the Association of Asian Performing Arts Festivals (AAPAF) aims to recognise and encourage the growth of arts festivals in the Asian region; identify and develop opportunities for exchange, co-operation and collaboration in festival programming, commissioning, marketing and communications among members; and to provide a regional platform to engage with other international arts networks. The Founding Festival Members are the China Shanghai International Arts Festival, the Singapore Arts Festival, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, and the Jakarta International Arts Festival (JakArt). Currently, AAPAF has a membership of 29 festivals and arts organizations from 17 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, America and Australasia. The Singapore Arts Festival serves as the AAPAF Secretariat.