ChildAid 2024 looks forward to the future with artificial intelligence

SINGAPORE – Artificial intelligence (AI) is the technology on the tip of everyone’s tongues, and it is also front and centre in 2024’s ChildAid. 

SPH Media’s tentpole charity event returns to its usual concert format after

2023’s edition, which was staged as a musical dinner theatre experience.

Marking a milestone 20th anniversary, 2024’s ChildAid is themed The Dream Emporium and set in a whimsical, fantastical world called the Consortium of Wishes, where an AI machine sorts the dreams of children around the world. When consortium workers attempt to rewrite the algorithm, the machine malfunctions and causes chaos. 

In a bid to look forward to future trends, AI and generative technology will be utilised in 2024’s show, in aspects like music creation and costume design.

The Straits Times editor Jaime Ho says: “The Dream Emporium recognises the increasing use of AI, and how it can help us unleash our creativity and our youth achieve their dreams and aspirations.”

The concert will be held at The Esplanade Theatre, with three shows staged across Nov 29 and 30. 

Interested performers aged six to 19 who can sing, act, dance or play a musical instrument can record a video of themselves performing, upload it to YouTube and go to

str.sg/ca24entry

to submit their entry by July 14, 7pm. They should also include a short explanation of why they would like to join ChildAid 2024. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for the audition, conducted in person between July 19 and 21. Selected performers will go through a three-day workshop in September and combined rehearsals will begin from Oct 28. 

Organised by The Straits Times and The Business Times, the event will raise money for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.

The pocket money fund provides allowances to children from low-income families to help them through school, while the artists fund helps to sponsor arts training for talented young students and children from low-income families.

Members of the public who would like to donate to ChildAid can do so at

giving.sg/donate/campaign/childaid2024.

In the past 20 years since 2005, ChildAid has raised more than $30 million, and 2023’s edition received donations of over $2 million.

Mr Wong Wei Kong, editor-in-chief of SPH Media’s English/Malay/Tamil Media Group, says: “Twenty years ago, the desire to help aspirations come alive was what propelled The Straits Times and The Business Times to organise the first ChildAid concert to help raise funds for children from low-income families. Today, the concert has become a marquee event in SPH Media’s charity efforts, drawing performers and audiences from far and wide.”

Past performers at ChildAid include singers Nathan Hartono, lullaboy and Amni Musfirah, as well as composer Julian Wong and guitarist Kevin Loh. Even Singapore’s

newly minted Prime Minister Lawrence Wong

has appeared twice to play the guitar on ChildAid’s stage.

Amni is co-creative director of the show in 2024 alongside Mr Joshua Quek, assistant multimedia director at media entertainment company NoonTalk Media.

She says: “ChildAid was the springboard that launched my music journey and career when I began at the young age of 14. Returning to ChildAid 15 years later feels like coming full circle and is truly an honour for me.”