Free mentorship scheme launched to support British East and South East Asian artists

A new free mentoring scheme for British East and South East Asian (BESEA) artists, titled Tidal Rising, has been unveiled.

Supported by Arts Council England, New Earth Theatre, the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, East 15 Acting School, the London School of Musical Theatre, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, the Musical Theatre Academy, the Oxford School of Drama, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, the scheme will see 15 mentoring partnerships set up for a six-month spell from March to September, with aspiring creatives (be it performers, technicians or anything in between) able to apply now.

Benedict Wong, actor and patron of Tidal Rising, said: "Throughout my early career, opportunities for guidance were limited. It's an honour to be a patron of the Tidal Rising Mentoring Scheme where ESEA artists can share their collective experience, and together as a community we can grow, nurture and elevate."

Entirely free of charge for applicants, the initiative comes against a backdrop of a 300 per cent increase in hate crimes towards people of East Asian and Southeast heritage in the UK since the pandemic began.

Applicants must be over 18, and they have until 15 February 2021 to apply.

Further information can be found on the Tidal Rising website – www.tidalrising.com.