To grow a strong base of talent in the arts, NAC works with various industry partners to offer diverse pathways for professional development and provides access to meaningful training opportunities:
- Work Based Training – NAC collaborates with local industry partners to offer on-the-job training, enabling you to gain skills and experiences in real-world settings while building valuable industry connections.
- Residencies – NAC curates key local and overseas residencies opportunities that give you dedicated time and space to deepen their practice, create new works, and connect with markets, networks and audiences.
- Short Courses – NAC works with training providers to co-develop short courses focused on in-demand skills.
Work Based Training
△ Technical Theatre Traineeship Programme (TTTP)
Delivered by The Esplanade Co Ltd, the Theatre Training & Technical Production Programme (TTTP) offers comprehensive training in technical theatre and production management. Through practical workshops and mentorship, participants develop essential skills in light, sound and stage operations while gaining hands-on experiences in various venues and productions.Applications opening soon
△ Backstage Affair Apprenticeship Programme (BAAP)
An apprenticeship programme by The Backstage Affair that offers Entry Track and Intermediate Track, which provides aspiring production and stage managers a safe and structured space for apprentices to learn the ropes of backstage management.Application for BAAP (Intermediate): Deadline 30 June 2025
Applications for BAAP (Entry): Closed
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En-Route to Inclusive Arts Education
Applications Open
Residencies
△ Asia Creative Writing Programme
The Asia Creative Writing Programme is a collaboration between the National Arts Council of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University that advances the creative practice of literary practitioners through specialised development programmes.
Applications Open
The National Arts Council is pleased to present the NAC-NLB Writers’ Lab for up to four writers working in any of Singapore’s four official languages (English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil). A joint initiative by NAC and NLB, the Writers’ Lab will take place in NLB’s libraries of the writers’ choice, from January to April 2025.
Applications Closed
△ NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL – SANGAM HOUSE RESIDENCY
The National Arts Council partners with Sangam House in Bangalore, India, to offer fully-funded, one-month residencies for up to two Singapore Tamil writers. This programme provides dedicated writing time and space while fostering connections with local arts communities and international literary networks. Writers can choose between November 2025 or January 2026 residency periods, with comprehensive support including airfare, accommodation, meals, and per diem allowances.
Applications Closed
△ NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL – INTERNATIONAL WRITING PROGRAM FALL RESIDENCY
The National Arts Council partners with the University of Iowa's renowned International Writing Program to offer a fully-funded, 11-week residency for one Singapore writer. Open to writers in English, Chinese, Malay, or Tamil (with English conversancy required), this programme provides dedicated writing time within an international literary community. The residency includes readings, lectures, collaborations, and travel opportunities across the United States from August to October 2025.
Applications Closed
△ National Centre for Writing – Singapore Residency Programme
The National Arts Council partners with the National Centre for Writing in Norwich, UK, to offer residency opportunities for Singapore writers and translators. Participants can choose between a one-month in-person residency in Norwich (July or October 2025, with priority given to translators for July) or a six-month virtual part-time residency (June-December 2025). Both programmes provide stipends and comprehensive support within Norwich's UNESCO City of Literature literary community.
Applications Closed
The International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA), a global network of more than 500 leaders in the performing arts, with representation from more than 50 regions around the world. Through a partnership between NAC and ISPA, 10 artists have been selected to participate in the Singapore Regional Fellowship since 2017, to strengthen their knowledge in the areas of arts leadership and international development.
Applications Open
△ Künstlerhaus Bethanien Residency
Künstlerhaus Bethanien (KB) is an international cultural centre located in Berlin, Germany. The centre provides residency studios and exhibition spaces for artists-in-residence that includes dedicated individual support as well as opportunities to establish connections between these artists with the wider artistic community and regional context in Berlin and across Europe.
Applications Open
The Traditional Arts Residency aims to support the incubation of new and innovative content with a traditional performing arts focus. The artist-in-residence is expected to collaborate with an artist/arts group in Singapore and the performing arts project should be intercultural and/or cross-disciplinary in nature.
Applications Open
Short Courses
Applications Open
△ NIE Essentials of Teaching and Learning
NIE Essentials of Teaching and Learning is designed for Teaching-Artists working in Singapore schools. Combining both asynchronous and synchronous online teaching approaches, this course equips Teaching-Artists with the skills and knowledge to conduct arts programmes in schools.Applications Open
△ An Introduction of Safe Dance Practice in MOE Schools
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)'s Introduction to Safe Dance Practice in MOE Schools is a mandatory baseline training course for all dance CCA instructors. This introductory course aims to equip instructors with basic working knowledge and skills, to ensure students’ well-being and optimal learning.Applications Open
This course aims to equip artists with key knowledge, skills and dispositions to work with children in the early years, primarily ages 4 to 6 years. This course offers a platform for artists to delve deeper into the foundation of their teaching beliefs and how that shape their practices that are aligned with the principles of teaching and learning in early childhood (arts) education.
Applications Open
△ SDEA Drama Pedagogy Course – Essential Teaching and Learning Approaches
Applications Open
The Esplanade Academy provides entry-level training in technical theatre in technical aspects of theatrical production such as construction and rigging, hanging and focusing of lighting, recording and mixing of sound, and organising or coordinating for a production.
Applications Open
△ Fundraising for Impact: What’s the Plan (LASALLE)
Past Programmes
△ Specialist Certificate in Teaching and Learning of Preschool Arts Education
To broaden access to and deepen engagement in the arts in pre-schools and to provide more learning opportunities for arts instructors who are keen to work in this field, the National Arts Council (NAC) partnered SEED Institute to offer the course for Specialist Certificate in Teaching and Learning of Preschool Arts Education.
Applications Closed
The En Route to Inclusivity programme, jointly delivered by Social Service Institute and Rainbow Centre Training and Consultancy, is curated for artists working with students with special education needs in mainstream and SPED schools. This three-course online programme develops skills for engaging children with disabilities through the arts.
Applications Closed
The National Arts Council (NAC) - National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA) Training Support is a collaboration between NAC and NICA to support continuous professional development of self-employed NICA arts educators. This is achieved through the provision of course fee subsidies and/or training allowance to lower the barriers of attending selected courses that are assessed to be aligned with the Skills Framework for Arts (Arts Education).
Applications Closed
△ NAC-The M International Artist Residency
Founded in 1976, the Metropolitan Museum of Manila (The M) aims to amplify their audiences’ sense of cultural and artistic heritage, becoming the leading hub for contemporary art by Filipino and international artists engaging in the ever-renewing contemporary discourses and experiences that shape our understanding of society.
Applications Closed
For more training opportunities and resources, you may also refer to MySkillsFuture, a one-stop portal for Singaporeans to upskill in their lifelong learning journey.