Center for Contemporary Arts Support and Development (VICAS ART STUDIO), established in 2017 under the approval of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, becomes one of the first state-run contemporary art and creative spaces in the country, with the function of researching and supporting the development of contemporary art creations and experiments and connecting arts community at home and abroad.
Center for Contemporary Arts Support and Development has the following tasks:
- Research and publish research results on trends in contemporary art creation;
- Discover, select and support the exhibitions of potential artists in contemporary art in Viet Nam, prioritizing young contemporary artists, artists residing in remote areas, artist from ethnic minorities and women;
- Organize arts events including presentations, seminars, film screenings, performances and arts criticism, curatorial and management training courses;
- Organize arts workshops and residencies nationally and internationally;
- Establish a network of Vietnamese contemporary artists and connect this network with the international art community.
Facilities and resources that support artistic freedom, especially in contemporary art in Viet Nam, include:
- Maintain close relationships with governance units on culture and arts at the central and local levels with constant professional, technical and legal support from experts;
- 200 m2 exhibition and performing arts space, conference room, workshop room and studio for artists to compose;
- Library and databank on Viet Nam's culture and arts (cultural and art heritages);
- The professional, technical and legal support from leading cultural and artistic consultants;
- Human resources with good background in specialized research on arts and international cooperation;
- The network that expands to the public, private and civil society sectors, providing good support for foreign artists who come to work in Viet Nam on culture, arts and creativity.
From November 2017 to December 2019, the following were achieved:
- 25 visual art exhibitions (artworks, sculpture and installation exhibitions) showcasing the work of nearly 240 local artists;
- 2 exhibitions and presentations of project results of 12 Korean artists and 1 Italian artist in Viet Nam;
- 3 contemporary art performances (music, dance, light);
- 10 seminars on culture and arts from 10 international experts;
- 2 seminars on arts and creativity;
- 3 international exchange and cooperation programs with 9 artists and cultural practitioners moving abroad to study and exchange on contemporary art, participate in training courses to improve cultural and arts capacity with South Korea, Taiwan (China), China, Germany, England and the Philippines;
- 4 specialized training sessions and training on contemporary art, cultural and creative skills for all subjects;
- Founders of Viet Nam Creative Initiative (ViCHI).
| Name of partner | Type of entity |
|---|---|
Viet Nam Creative Initiative (ViCHI)
| Public Sector
|
British Council Viet Nam
| Public Sector
|
UNESCO Office in Ha Noi
| Public Sector
|
International cultural and arts organizations in Viet Nam
| Public Sector
|
Foreign embassies in Viet Nam
| Public Sector
|
Department of Fine Arts, Photography and Exhibition
| Public Sector
|
Department of Performing Arts
| Public Sector
|
Copyright Office
| Public Sector
|
Cinema Department
| Public Sector
|
International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
| Public Sector
|
VICAS Art Studio, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is one of the first contemporary art spaces in Viet Nam, managed and operated by a governmental unit, marking an important milestone in the context of contemporary art in Viet Nam as it shows the Government's commitment to support the creative activities and arts practices of artists.
Achievements:
- On the program: support the artists facing difficulties through providing venues, supporting the process of organizing exhibitions, contemporary art performances and installation; effectively connect between artists and artists, artists and audience/public (ranging from 100-150 audience members on opening days; 200-300 audience members visiting the exhibition), artists and collectors/markets and become a new trusted and loved art space by Vietnamese artists; promote connection and introduction of Vietnamese artists to national, regional and international cultural and arts spaces and organizations (Southeast Asia, South Korea);
- On communication effectiveness: attract the attention of many broadcasters and major newspapers in reporting, writing reviews about the Center's events and activities; gradually attract the public including foreigners to visit and participate in its activities;
- Improve the professional capacity of the Management Board Members by implementing the Center's programs, projects and events, its members' capabilities are strengthened in terms of event organization, communication and marketing, arts administration and curation;
- Shaping national and international status: according to a British Council's Report (2018, done by independent reviewers), VICAS Center for Contemporary Arts Support and Development is currently one of the seven creative hub highlights out of more than 140 notable creative hubs nationwide; known among the community of creative hubs in Southeast Asia, East Asia and the UK (through cooperation and exchange programs with other regional and international creative hubs).
Limitations:
- No regular budget for operation from Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the activities of the Center rely entirely on fundraising and support of international cultural and arts organizations in Viet Nam;
- The main and regular activities of the Center are mostly visual art exhibitions; activities for other fields of contemporary art such as installation, contemporary performance, contemporary music, video art, etc. have not yet been organized diversely given the potential the Center has on resources and support of stakeholders (VICAS, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, international organizations);
- Restricted arts management capability and in-depth expertise in contemporary art forms of Center's Management Board Members.
Recommendations:
- Allocate annual budget for the Center to organize more diverse, and effective contemporary art support activities in Viet Nam;
- Support training to improve the capacity of the Center's management staff on art management and contemporary art.