New Collaboration: ASEF & Japan Foundation partner for Virtual Workings | E-residency for arts curators

The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) through its arts website culture360.ASEF.org is pleased to announce a new virtual residency developed in partnership with The Japan Foundation, Bangkok. Virtual Workings, an e-residency for arts curators from the ASEAN region and Japan, will be held online for a period of 6 weeks offering 6 selected curators to collaborate in pairs with the support of a dedicated mentor.

The mentors for this residency include the following experts: Ms Luckana KUNAVICHAYANONT (Thailand), Ms TAKAHASHI Mizuki (Japan/Hong Kong SAR) and Prof Amareswar GALLA (Australia, India). Have a look at the profiles of the mentors given below. Each selected pair will work on a specific theme with their respective mentors. An open call will be launched at the beginning of October to select the 6 curators.

Stay tuned for the open call announcement on culture360 Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Image copyright: oneframestory by Sangeeta BANERJEE, Archana KUMAR (Publication: culture360 commissioned case study:"Arts Management: challenges and learning from 7 cultural organisations in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan").

About the mentors

Ms Luckana KUNAVICHAYANONT (Thailand)

Luckana is an art consultant and independent curator based in Thailand. She was former director of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) from 2011 to 2017. In 2018, she co-curated the 1st Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, involving over 70 Thai and international artists with works spanning across 20 locations in Bangkok. From early 2019, Luckana has served as advisor to several newly-initiated art and cultural projects that include; ‘Jaras Light’, a BACC’s art and sustainable energy programme as well as MACo; a private contemporary art museum to be launched in Chiangmai, Thailand in 2023.

Ms TAKAHASHI Mizuki (Japan/Hong Kong-SAR)

Mizuki is the current Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile in Hong Kong. After serving as a founding curatorial member at Mori Art Museum in Tokyo from 1999-2003, Takahashi worked as senior curator at Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito and realised numerous transdisciplinary exhibitions addressing various artistic forms including manga, film, fashion, architecture, performance and contemporary art.

Prof Amareswar GALLA (Australia, India)

Professor Dr. Amareswar GALLA - an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Australian National University, Canberra and the Salzburg Global Fellowship, is currently Professor of Inclusive Cultural Leadership & Director, International Centre for Inclusive Cultural Leadership (ICICL), and Dean of Faculty Development and Leadership, Anant National University, Ahmedabad, India; Heads the ICICL Membership of the UNESCO UNITWIN Network for Culture, Tourism and Development Chaired by Sorbonne 1 Parthenon; Founding Executive Director of the International Institute for the Inclusive Museum, Australia/India/USA) (a.galla@yahoo.com.au) (http://inclusivemuseums.org); Formerly Full Professor of Museum Studies, University of Queensland, Brisbane and prior to that Full Professor and Director of Sustainable Heritage Development, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies,  Australian National University, Canberra; until recently Chief Curator, Amaravathi Heritage Town (birthplace of Mahayana Buddhism) India; former Vice President, International Executive Council of ICOM, Paris (2004-2007); former President of ICOM Asia Pacific Executive Board (1998-2004); and Co-founder of Asia Europe Museums Network (2001).

About the partners

The Japan Foundation (Bangkok) is an institution dedicated to carrying out comprehensive international cultural exchange programs throughout the world. To cultivate friendship and ties between Japan and the world, the Japan Foundation creates global opportunities to foster friendship, trust, and mutual understanding through culture, language, and dialogue. 

ASEF is an intergovernmental not-for-profit organisation which brings together the peoples of Asia and Europe to address common global challenges by advancing mutual understanding and collaboration between the people of Asia and Europe through opportunities that enable an exchange of ideas.

culture360.ASEF.org is an online platform managed by ASEF since 2008. It counts over 280,000 unique visitors yearly and offers up-to-date information on arts, culture, and heritage from 51 countries in Asia and Europe. Publically funded by the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)1, culture360.ASEF.org is for artists, cultural professionals, policy makers, and anyone interested in international cultural cooperation. Virtual360 Konnect is part of the Arts Journalism Matters series initiated in 2019 to encourage thriving arts media ecosystems in Asia and Europe.