“Mommy, I have finally found something I’m good at.”
Those were the words a mother shared with me after her daughter stepped off the stage following a recital. The child was glowing with pride and confidence. For her parents, the moment was deeply emotional. This was a child who had long been labelled as “not academically inclined.” Teachers were concerned, her parents were worried, and over time, the child herself began to believe she simply wasn’t good enough.
But through the creative arts, through dance, discipline, movement, and expression, she discovered something life-changing. She was not less. She was capable. She was skilled. She was good at something.
That realisation changed everything.
Learning choreography, memorising sequences, holding steady steps, and performing before an audience built her confidence in ways no traditional assessment ever had. Her self-esteem grew, and that confidence soon began to reflect in her academic life. She understood that if she could master dance, she could apply the same focus and determination to her studies. Her teachers noticed the shift. Her parents did too.
Thirteen years later, that child is flourishing.
That experience became a turning point for me. It revealed that performance is far more than acting, singing, or dancing. The performing arts are powerful spaces where children and young people discover their voices, affirm their worth, and begin to understand who they are. They offer opportunities for growth, belonging, and self-belief, often reaching children in ways conventional systems do not.
Years later, attending “Bright Generations” in France affirmed this belief on a global scale. Standing among over 700 delegates from around the world, all committed to empowering children and young people through the arts, I realised I was not alone on this journey. I met practitioners who carried similar stories and shared the same conviction: the arts are essential to the holistic development of young people.
The experience came at a particularly meaningful time. As Vivies Dance and Theatre Academy, a member of ASSITEJ Ghana, marks ten years of working with children and young people, the affirmation we received at “Bright Generations” gave us renewed courage. It strengthened our commitment to continue and to deepen this work.
As we reflect on this milestone, we are also looking ahead. In collaboration with members of ASSITEJ Ghana, we are stepping into the VDTA 10K Legacy Project, a shared commitment to reach 10,000 children and young people over the next 10 years through access to professional arts training. Central to this vision is the training and development of more teachers, enabling us to expand both reach and quality across communities and build sustainable pathways for impact.
As ASSITEJ Ghana celebrates its first anniversary, this reflection extends beyond a national milestone. It speaks to a shared responsibility within the ASSITEJ community to continue advocating for children and young people everywhere to experience the arts, engage with culture, explore identity, and unlock their full potential. The work may take different forms in different contexts, but the commitment remains the same. To all those championing this cause, thank you. The work we are doing matters.
And sometimes, it all begins with a simple but powerful declaration:
“Mommy, I have finally found something I’m good at.”
Vivian Boateng
ASSITEJ Ghana
