….Promoting Asian artists mobility and Alternative strategies

A closer, cooperative network among Asian art organizations

Small Workshop Groups Introducing Asian AIRs

Artists Forum International (AFI) proudly presents “Public Moments” and New Ways of Engaging Asia - Artists’Mobility and Artist-in-Residencies as one of its main components. In collaboration with SSamzie Space and Intra-Asia Network, AFI cordially invites you to the 2nd workshop of the Intra Asia Network (IAN), New Ways of Engaging Asia- Artists’ Mobility and Artist-in-Residencies. Supporting the vision of Intra Asia Network to promote artists’ mobility through close network amongst culture organizations in Asia, AFI aims to provide a platform on which arts organizations discuss pertaining issues that artistes-in-residence programs face. This is a workshop for directors from artists-in-residence programs of Asian region who value the power of collaboration, so all the participants will be asked to be a part of discussion and to create collaborative projects proposals for the year 2007.

There have been numerous discourses on publicness and public art. While these tend to focus on places, such as public sites, “Public Moment” will pay close attention to processes — of public communication, public interface, dialogue and exchange, and formation of public opinion. As such, this workshop explores the process through examining the role of artist-in-residence program for public and projecting the possibilities of such programs as collectives.

AFI 2006 is initiated by Alternative Space Network in Korea with goal to expand the scope of participation from various organizations, institutions, as well as individuals.

At public events on 9th and 10th mornings, many Asian residence program and their activities will be introduced with using ppt. presentation to the public. This would be a great opportunity for Korean artists to see what kinds of AIR programs are available in Asia. Also the delegates will get to talk to Korean artists directly through open studios at the sites. On the last day of 11th , a symposium with the same title, New Ways of Engaging Asia will be held. This symposium explores the artists’ mobility in relation to the artists in residencies, impact of residencies on the artists’ practices and on the locale.

-Alternative strategies

-A closer, cooperative network among Asian art organizations

-Small Workshop Groups

-Introducing Asian AIRs

-Symposium

The themes of the symposium and the speakers are following;

- ‘Possibility and Mobility of AIR in Asia ‘\ current condition of Asian AIR practices by Margaret Shiu, IAN

Network Representative

- ‘The New Cosmopolitan,’ on the impact of AIR on artistic practice by Penelope Aitken with discussant, (TBA)

- ‘What do residence programs contribute to local culture?’ by Kim Kyuwon, researcher at Korea Culture and

Tourism Policy Institute with discussant, Jay Koh

At internal workshop the directors will participate in one of the small workshop groups of following three topics by their choices. At this small workshop groups, they will discuss case studies and will be asked to draft a collaborative project proposal for 2007. And then the project proposal for 2007 will be collected and taken to the second day’s general meeting of IAN. In this second day meeting, the members of IAN will discuss participants’ projects in comparison to the future direction of IAN and also the funding organizations will review the projects. Each topic groups’ leaders: Jay Koh(topic #1), Davide Quadrio(Topic#2), Margaret Shiu(topic#3) will contact each participants and will help realization of these objectives.

The topics are:

Topic # 1. Start up and management: Seek Alternative Strategy of residency program

Topic # 2. Review of policies: Funding Intra Asia connection-resource development and policy

Topic # 3. Reinforce cooperation: Try new models of international exchanges

Program Background:
Through the support of ACC Taiwan and other local and international funders, a meeting of 35 Asian artist directors from 15 countries, was held in July 2005 in Taiwan, to discuss the various difficulties of Asian artists’ mobility. Asia is in need to understand itself: the contemporary Asian cultural identity will be understood through movements of its own culture workers within Asia. There was a consensus to have a network for this specific purpose. Thus an Intra Asia Network for artist-in-residency and artists’ mobility (IAN) was formed, and many members of this group met again under the support of Asia Europe Foundation in Berlin in September 2005 during the annual conference of the Res Artis. In that second meeting of this group of 40 Asian culture NGOs, reaffirmed the need for an action group for the sharing of knowledge, experience and collaboration across Asian borders, so as to balance the disparity of resources within Asia, and promote culture diversity through professional projects, via inclusive and flexible artist exchanges. The group has 15 country representatives.

We see the necessity to meet again this fall to promote concrete projects of artists’ mobility and workshops on professional development on management of artist’s space and exchanges. These objectives were the common concerns of many Asian directors.

After much networking, we are happy that SSamzie Space director, Dr. Kim Hong-Hee is the artistic director of the Gwangju Biennale, and she together with Mr. Park Chankyung, the project director of Artists Forum International (AFI) have offered to be the host of second IAN workshop. With the assistance of Korean Nonprofit Alternative Space Network (NASN), they can place an IAN workshop and conference within their AFI program.

We, Bamboo Culture International, as representative of IAN are now in charge of the international section of for the IAN conference / workshop; especially in soliciting international funding, coordinating concepts and programs submitted from regional delegates.

2. Project outline:

Intra Asia Network wish to have 40 members from Asia meet again in Gwangju and Seoul from Sept. 8th-12th this fall. The following is a rough outline of our program.

The theme will be “New Ways of Engaging Asia”; these are some of our objectives:

 Start up and management : Seek new ideas of doing business

 Review of policies: Challenging the existing system

 Reinforce cooperation: Try new models of exchanges and residencies

1. There will be an open conference for speakers addressing critical issues of culture exchange within Asia, such as case study of grass root artists initiative organization, artists’ mobility, their practices and social issues implied. Disseminate information on the geographic distribution of Asian artist organizations to the general public.

2. There will be workshops of case studies and new ideas, plus best practices of using art and culture for civic, community and social needs; also present new ways of operations in regions with restrictive or poor resources.

3. There will be matching of organizations to try new system of support of mobility via: research travel, flexible artist exchange, and mentoring or professional on the job training. This will be tested during early 2007 amongst Asian organizations.

4. There will be a handbook introducing all attending delegates and their organzations, plus related information and readings on artist mobility and artist in residencies in Asia .

5. There should be by September, a basic website of our network with our members and their related links to other culture NGOs that have artist exchange projects.

6. A web document of all related writings, and the progress of this gathering in Korea will be published as a useful tool of advocacy and reference to artists for all regions.

Tentative schedule IAN 2006 can be divided into five parts in five days:

 Gwangju Biennale opening reception

 open conference to the public

 site visit of projects and organizations in Seoul

 Asian members presentations

 Small Asian groups workshops

3. Project Timeline:

2006 Jan. Confirmation with Korean Nonprofit Alternative Space Network (NASN) and SSamzie Space in Korea for outline and structure of Artist Forum International (AFI) that will be organized in parallel with Gwangju Biennale.

2006 Feb. Contact with Intra Asia Network (IAN) representatives in each country and core members to finalize the workshop and joint project structure.

International funding application.

2006 March Disseminate the final proposal to all IAN members and for local funding support.

Invite workshop leaders.

2006 April Disseminate the final proposal to all IAN members and for local funding support.

Invite workshop leaders.

2006 May Website content research

2006 June Work meeting in Gwangju

Public announcement of IAN meeting 2006 on website and links to NGOs.

2006 July Funding confirmation, confirm sponsored delegates, artists, speakers, and curators

Collection of related essays and documents

2006 Aug. Finalize details of programs, handbook publication, confirm attendance and travel details

2006 Sept. Start of conference and workshop

1st day Gwangju Biennale opening reception

2nd day Workshop , open studio, IAN member presentations

3rd day Workshop , open studio, IAN member presentations

4th day Site visits of projects and organizations in Seoul,

Conference, reception

5th day Departure

2006 Oct. Documentation collection and website update

2006 Nov. Document translation

2006 Dec. Web Publication of proceedings of conference/workshop

2007 Selection and execution of pilot AIR projects