More than a performance: How Venice Mapua is opening the arts to children

For 17-year-old Venice Mapua, the arts have always meant more than performing onstage. They have offered a means of self-discovery, a source of confidence and room to grow — experiences she now hopes to share with children who have fewer opportunities to explore their creativity.

A Grade 12 Performing Arts student at International School Manila (ISM), Mapua founded ARTvocacy to offer free music and dance workshops to children in underserved communities. What began as a school project has grown into a student-led initiative that organizes workshops, raises funds and provides resources to help young learners explore the arts.

“I wanted to be able to give some kids the same opportunities that I was given,” she said.

A passion becomes a purpose

ARTvocacy began in early 2024, when Mapua was in Grade 8. For a social studies project titled “Advocating for Change,” she examined issues she hoped to help address. She became particularly interested in the disparity in access to music education between private and public schools in the Philippines.

Having experienced the value of the arts herself, Mapua wanted to bring creative learning to children beyond well-resourced schools.

She knew a student-led organization could not solve the country’s educational challenges overnight. Still, she believed small, community-based efforts could make a difference and encourage other young people to take part.

“Rather than solving the whole issue, we’re kind of addressing it in a way that’s meant to inspire other organizations or other youth my age to share that opportunity to experience the arts with other kids as well,” she explained.

To date, ARTvocacy has conducted 14 workshops, reached more than 200 beneficiaries, and raised P879,200 to support its initiatives.

Behind these figures are children finding new ways to express themselves, guided by volunteers who are students themselves.

Finding confidence through creativity

ARTvocacy’s workshops include choir singing, violin lessons, dance and other creative activities. For Mapua, their value extends beyond acquiring a skill: she sees children grow more comfortable expressing themselves and more confident in their abilities.

She believes working with student volunteers close to their age helps the children connect through shared interests.

“At the end of each session, I can really see how the kids open up to us a lot more, how they’re more enthusiastic and more confident in participating in the activities,” she said.

The team also adapts its activities to each community. At Parañaque Elementary School, volunteers helped arrange repairs to broken violins so they could be used in workshops. At Marillac Hills, they organized dance activities after learning that the girls enjoyed dancing.

“They mentioned that the girls really love dancing because that’s something they have as a pastime. So we also wanted to cater to what they specifically wanted to do,” Mapua said.

These experiences have taught Mapua that arts education begins with listening. In planning their workshops, volunteers consider what the children themselves want to learn.

One moment in particular affirmed her decision to start the organization. During ARTvocacy’s first outreach activity at Barangay Aki Elementary School, Mapua led a choir workshop and watched the children experience the joy of singing together.

“The greatest reward was seeing how much joy these kids found in the experience and knowing I had a part in making that possible. ARTvocacy has become more than just a school project for me. It became an opportunity to continuously share something meaningful with others,” she recalled.

Passing the gift forward

Mapua balances her responsibilities as ARTvocacy’s founder with academics, rehearsals and performances.

“As a performing arts student, one thing that you have to learn is to really manage your time,” she said.

Her experience has also taught her that pursuing a creative passion takes discipline, patience, and commitment — qualities she brings to her studies and community work.

With graduation approaching, Mapua is planning for ARTvocacy’s future. She hopes to pursue acting and theater in college while expanding the organization’s reach. She also wants to build a foundation that will allow its work to continue after she leaves high school.

“I want to leave it at a place where I can pass it to other high school students in my school,” she said. “I want to see it continue to grow and continue to progress.”

By entrusting ARTvocacy to younger students, she hopes to give them the chance to lead and carry its work forward.

For young people hoping to start their own initiatives, Mapua offers simple advice.

“The more passionate you are about what you’re advocating for, the more you can really do for your organization and the more that you can make it grow,” she said.

At 17, Mapua is still discovering where her artistic journey will lead. Through ARTvocacy, she is helping children begin journeys of their own, with opportunities to sing, dance, and discover what they can do.

For her, the arts’ promise lies as much in a child’s newfound confidence as in a performance onstage.