Funding to attend Juilliard

The opportunity of a lifetime - Juilliard Summer School

WHO AM I?

Kia Ora, I’m Ella Taylor, I’m 16 (almost 17!) and I am in year 12 (my second to last year of school). I’ve loved acting, singing, and dancing since I was six years old—it’s always been my passion. Over the years, I’ve poured my heart into the performing arts, earning distinction in Trinity acting examinations for Grades 4, 5, and 6. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to attend the Otago University Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival nationals twice—once in 2024 and again this year in 2025. My stage experience spans a wide variety of productions, from classic plays to full-scale musicals, all of which have shaped me as a performer. I’ve been lucky to receive invaluable training from my acting coach, Mr. Ashton Brown, whose guidance has pushed me to grow and refine my craft. The National Youth Theatre (NYT) gave me my first opportunity to be on stage in CATS the musical when I was 7 and my first lead role when I was 13. Being apart of this group, I grew my abilities not only from the older cast members but also from the talented NYT team. Recently I was able to give back to that community, when I got picked for one of the cast captains – where I can help out with all the age groups in one of our musicals, learning choreography, helping block scenes, and just being a friendly face around!

Most recently, I sent in a video application to the prestigious Juilliard School of Performing Arts Summer Programme, which takes place this July in Orlando, Florida. Being influenced by my friend, Chloe Miller, who got accepted to go last year, I sent in my application just giving it a try and seeing what would happen. And amazingly, I got my acceptance letter back from them soon afterwards! I am ecstatic to be embarking on another adventure in exploring my passion for the arts and growing my skills however I am in need of some assistance in getting there.

WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING?

The boarding programme costs USD$6,850 (NZD$12,279) plus flights to get there of NZD$3475, for a total of NZD$15,754.

So far, from my part-time job of the last year, I have just over NZD$5,000. I am hoping to raise the balance of approx. NZD$10,000 but I have set a lower goal of NZD$3,000 as Boosted is an ‘all or nothing’ platform so I hope we can achieve that.

WHAT IS IT?

The Juilliard School of Performing Arts Summer Programme is a programme that let’s you study with other international students and Juilliard teachers as you develop your skills, exploring various areas in drama. The programme is a two-week intensive course, that was made for younger artists (12-18) where I get to experience numerous workshops alongside my peers, as well as being given the chance to have one-on-one sessions with a Juilliard tutor, attend masterclasses, and perform some of the many skills I will discover all the while being surrounded by an engaging, supportive and welcoming environment.

WHY SHOULD YOU SUPPORT?

Supporting my journey to the Juilliard School of Performing Arts Summer Programme means helping a young artist take a major step toward a lifelong dream. This programme is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn from world-class mentors and grow as a performer. Your support would mean the world—it brings me closer to this incredible opportunity and fuels my passion to give back through the arts.