Budding arts managers, take note: An internship with an international festival network is up for grabs.

The Association Of Asian Performing Arts Festivals (AAPAF), a festival network, is offering two internships to residents in Asia aged 35 years or younger, who are studying or practising festival management and arts administration.

Successful applicants, who must have a university degree, will be awarded US$2,000 (S$2,725) and be attached to one of the participating AAPAF member festivals for at least four weeks next year.

These include the Singapore Arts Festival, Auckland International Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Seoul Performing Arts Festival and OzAsia Festival (Adelaide).

The Singapore Arts Festival is the AAPAF secretariat.

The inaugural internship award, which will be an annual affair, aims to nurture Asia-based arts students by providing them opportunities to be exposed to festivals worldwide.

Interns can try their hand at responsibilities such as festival programming, production management and public relations.

Ms Goh Ching Lee, festival director of the Singapore Arts Festival, said: 'With this initiative, we hope to build an alumni 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.'

Applications for the internships close on Aug 31. Download application forms from www.aapaf.org/award.asp

This article was first published in The Straits Times on 10 July 2008.