International Meeting between Autonomous Cultural Centres

Welcome to the International Meeting Between Autonomous Cultural Centers Stemming from Citizen and Artistic Initiatives


Time: 25-27 September, 2004
Venue: BizArt Art Center, Shanghai

A BizArt and Artfactories project
With the co-operation and support of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)
In association with「in-between」International Alternative Space Conference

In recent years, the world has seen a rise of international gatherings and symposiums focusing on the growing emergence of independent art and cultural centers, and the issues that surface in the operations of such centers. These symposiums have been especially instrumental in spreading awareness in Asia of the movement to adapt innovative structures of organizing artistic and cultural projects in contemporary art and society. With this growing awareness comes the need to branch out and exchange knowledge and ideas with the rest of the world, especially Europe, where some art centers already enjoy a respected reputation.

After attending a few symposiums (in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Seoul), this need was especially clear to The Artfactories Association (France) and BizArt (Shanghai, China). Artfactories, based near Paris, is an international resource platform for artistic and cultural centers with a focus on contemporary creation and new cultural, artistic and social practices. BizArt, as an independent art space, has always relied on networks within the art community in China and abroad, and in the past five years has established itself as the premier venue for promoting and exhibiting contemporary art in China.

The inevitable meeting of these two organizations has sparked the idea to organize an International Symposium, bringing together art centers from throughout Asia, Europe and other parts of the world. The purpose of this important meeting is to establish a workable network between these organizations, wherein exchanges (artistically and intellectually) and projects can be implemented in a sustainable way. This meeting, occurring in tandem with the Shanghai Biennale, will provide the ideal atmosphere for these two regions to develop solid relationships and co-operations. The network that results from this will be integral in facilitating communication and confrontation. The Asia-Europe Foundation supports this initiative as part of its new program, Asia-Europe Artists’ Laboratories, which aims at stimulating a new environment where artistic projects and exchange between Asia and Europe can be tested and developed among artists’ run spaces and artists’ networks.

The structure of the symposium at BizArt Art Center, is an installation, where each organization presents their own space to each other and the general public. Each space will display in any form or medium that they feel suits them: installation piece, video projections, etc.

Once the symposium meets its conclusion, BizArt will officially act as an antennae center for Artfactories in Asia. It will manage communication and facilitate projects between art centers around Asia. In this way, independent centers from around the world can maintain a sustainable system in which ideas, resources and projects can be exchanged. BizArt was chosen because of its ongoing involvement in supporting young artists and new ideas, as well as for its central location in China.

Fuxing Park Video Presentations:
September 27th to 29th, 2004

An extension to the conference will be a video survey of participating spaces and the artists that they work with or represent. Four screens will be placed in and around ShanghArt and Park 97. The first screen will show short videos from each organization introducing their space and activities. The next three screens will be dedicated to artists’ videos, one screen each for Europe, Asia and China. The event is in collaboration with ShanghArt Gallery and Park 97.

Background

In December 2003, BizArt, Shanghai based autonomous cultural center and Artfactories, an international resource platform based in Saint Ouen, France, approached ASEF to support their initiative for a networking meeting among autonomous cultural centres from Europe and Asia (hereinafter referred to as “centres”). This proposal fit well with ASEF strategy on Cultural Dialogue, which aimed at promoting more exchanges between the levels of artists and cultural policy makers.

The raison d’être of such a networking meeting, as proposed by BizArt and Artfactories, is that over the past twenty years in Europe, and more recently in Asia, autonomous cultural centres have been emerging from artistic projects stemming from citizen initiatives. There have been more than 300 autonomous cultural centres in Europe and the number is increasing in Asia. Their formats can be different (former renovated factories, cafes, studios etc.) and so are their sources of funding. Some contacts among Asian and European autonomous cultural centres have already taken place but many artists, art managers and curators have expressed concerns on the low number of follow-up activities and of concrete and sustainable exchanges particularly with other regions.

Before this networking meeting, ASEF invited selected centres to the working group on Cultural Institutions during the Conference on Connecting Civil Societies from Asia and Europe, organized by ASEF’s Intellectual Exchange Department, Casa Asia, JCIA and IIAS, in Barcelona during 16-18 June, 2004. The active interaction in this Working Group yielded a set of recommendations to cultural policy makers, including freedom of expression; platform and pro-active networking on artists and art promoters’ level; recognition of the roles of art in challenging stereotypes, creating paradigm shifts, and fostering creativity within the society; and necessary dialogue with cultural policy levels.

The International Meeting between Autonomous Cultural Centres gathered for the first time 30 autonomous cultural centres from 15 ASEM countries. Close to 60 people from different fields attended different workshops, including those from autonomous cultural centres, networks and residencies programme (such as Artists Link, Res Artis, Trans Artists, Trans Europe Halles), and city council, as well as professors and students based in Shanghai or other cities, artists, and groups from non-ASEM countries (such as Canada and Brazil, specially invited by Artfactories and BizArt).

Development of the Meeting:

The meeting–very well organized locally by BizArt team–was articulated around booth presentations by most participating centres, four workshop sessions, and video presentation of works by different centres at Fuxing Park. The booth presentation resulted in networking opportunity among the different centres, as well as the interaction between the centres’ representatives and visitors to BizArt premises during the event. The participants also attended the opening of the Shanghai Biennale at Shanghai Art Museum on 28 September, 2004.

The five workshops focused on the following topics:
Workshop 1: Art in contemporary society and the evolution of contemporary practices

Historical, political and social environments of the centres are different but this workshop could highlight some common features. This workshop also served as an introductory forum where most centres could briefly speak about their situation and the influences of their environment, both local and international, on their work and vision. Key discussion points were as follows:

1) Budget/financial constraints have implications on art practices. Energy/commitment of centres’ staff are therefore the forces behind the vision of the centres, driven first by artistic aims.

2) There is a need for advocacy for more public funding, to make policy makers understand that what autonomous cultural centres are doing is for public good. There is also a need to show that artistic practices can propel cultural development in today societies.

3) Life cycle of the centres reflects different phases of development: from birth to maturity and development in long-term perspective. The common challenge is how to keep the centres connected to the outside world while keeping its artistic vision.

4) The responsibility for the society is important: the centres’ strategy is influenced by their respective environment and has the potential to promote social development. In that sense, the centres need to find a creative way to follow their artistic mission while integrating local communities in the process, without being used politically.

5) International exposure: the workshop focused on examples of Asian centres. Usually the centres have been set up in Asia because very few (of any at all) spaces exist for contemporary arts hitherto. Apart from their artistic mission and functions in the local context, the centres also help to make contemporary artists from their country known internationally. However, the resulting international recognition might result in dilemma for the artists and the centres on how to fit back to national context and how to keep artistic vision intact.

Workshop 2: Methods and practices of reaching communities though the arts

Six case studies from Europe (Italy/Serbia/France) and Asia (Indonesia/Japan/Singapore) were presented to illustrate potential community participation in artistic process. For instance, Paolo Naldini, manager of Citadellarte, Italy, presented a three-week artistic project with a Canadian artist Raphaelle de Groot in a factory with mostly women workers. This photo project articulated around topics likes “what is happiness? What is love ?” etc.

Projects with social concern do not aim to transform artists or the centres into social workers nor to find immediate solutions to social developments. On the contrary, they aim to focus on creativity, and on art as a way to empower life and to ensure creativity in the society. Social responsibility, the need to understand the immediate environment, and the issues suitable for such artistic projects were mentioned. The question of process and time needed for such initiatives was highlighted, since art is deemed as a dialogue and a two way exchange process. While social and educational aspects of such artistic projects are more attractive to funders (be them public or private), the artistic strength should be maintained as the highlight of the projects.

Workshop 3: Rules and Developments of independently founded art spaces

Despite the very different funding situations in Europe and Asia, the main idea emerging from this workshop was the need for diversification of sources of funding, coming from public, private and own sources. This would allow the centres to be independent and thus autonomous in terms of programme/choices/vision etc. There is a sustainability risk to depend on one major funder, since the fund availability may be disrupted, and the centres are under persistent pressure to satisfy this sole funder. It is thus recommended to try to diversify financial sources, depending on the types of projects, for the centres’ sustainability.

The problem of corporations/private sources of funding was raised. The centres need to keep ethical integrity and to use the sponsors’ products to transmit desired message. The centres should also realize the potential for diversification of their services (courses, consultancy, cafes) and of partners (like NGOs).

From an Asia-European dimension, two opposite trends in terms of funding were discussed. On one hand, in the UK, during the past 3 years more funders have invested in the process more than on the end artistic product. For instance, there have been more support for artist’ collaboration, and projects involving diverse local communities. This is related to a number of factors, including the credibility acquired by some centres like Gasworks after years of experiences and advocacy, and the cosmopolitan aspect of cities like London where there is more a political awareness to utilize art process to develop connections between peoples from different cultures. On the other hand, most of the centres in Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia, are not supported by governmental and city councils but by international foundations and foreign cultural institutes, despite that the centres aspire to work for local community and domestic public. This situation poses the problem of self-justification of these centres.

While attracting funders, the centres need to keep focus on their artistic vision and empowerment of people, while building trust and finding common language with the funders. Time and networking opportunities are needed to foster this relationship.

Workshop 4: Artist in residence programme

This session allowed sharing of experiences on artists in residence programmes. Some programmes have been initiated by official institutions with a multilateral dimension. For instance, the Arts Council of England has developed a three-year programme titled Artists Link, which the British Council has run with local partners in Shanghai and Guangzhou. This programme aims at “developing conversations” between artists from China and United Kingdom. International networks of cultural practitioners initiated other schemes. Three notable examples are the Amsterdam-based Trans Artists platform, which is now the office of Res Artis–the worldwide association of international residential art centres; the Bangkok-based Alliance Francaise International Art Centre; and the new initiative Hong Kong International Artists’ Workshop, which in 2005 will involve local communities in Wanchai, NGOs, and international and Hong Kong artists.

Issues raised were the importance of a network particularly involving newly set up Asian centres in these residency exchange programmes; the need to identify the right sources of information and to document such exchange process to support advocacy among cultural policy makers.

The issue of responsibility of the centres and artists was also discussed. It is important to evaluate the quality of work and the experiences the centres and artists can get from such residency programmes.

Workshop 5: The exchange and development of transnational projects in Asia and Europe

This last session focused on sustaining and strengthening the network and exchange started among autonomous cultural centres in a long-term perspective. The related issues included the existing sources of information; the extent that ASEF could support certain initiatives; and the advantages derived from networking ability of all centres gathered during this Shanghai meeting.

The Artfactories website was presented as a unique information tool on autonomous cultural centres worldwide, practical information on developing such centres, studies and project resources, as well as news relevant to the centres. This platform of information can be seen as a way to develop contacts, networks and share information.

ASEF’s presentation focused on what ASEF could offer in terms of partnership for cultural centres, while cautioning that the initiatives stemming from this network meeting need not be confined to ASEF framework. ASEF presented the areas works of interest to the centres, such as the series of art camps that the centres could be partners; as well as the conditions for such partnership. ASEF also presented its strategy on Cultural Dialogue between the levels of artists and cultural policy makers.

As an effort to nurture the network, ASEF proposed its pilot project on staff exchange (document attached). This project aims to answer the needs for training of cultural managers highlighted several times in this meeting.

Other ideas discussed during this session were annual week-long training programme, as developed by Artfactories and Felix Meritis; and to a series of professional courses held in different countries and contexts using the pool of cultural professionals from various centres from Europe and Asia. It is expected that ASEF’s pilot staff exchange project will help to develop a longer and stronger core programme on training.

III. Follow-up
General comments

Only three centres from mainland China attended this event, despite that BizArt had invited, and later reminded by phone calls and e-mails, 15-20 centres to attend. This might reflect a lack of interest in international networking, or a lack of interest to attend an event held inside the country, despite its international/Asia-Europe dimension and its network opportunities.

This meeting has generally raised a lot of interest from potential partners, funders and press. Specifically, it attracted a satisfactory number of autonomous centres in Asia and Europe, cultural policy makers such as Mr Yusaku Imamura from Tokyo Metropolitan Government, a number of presses including That’s Shanghai magazine, NRC Handelsblad, Netherlands, a Korean TV Channel, local Chinese Press. Universes in Universe editors will also have a special report on the event, as part of the Shanghai Biennale coverage.

Artfactories, Biz-Art and ASEF have tried to ensure that this meeting would not be a one-shot event but an opportunity to strengthen the networks among autonomous cultural centres, through process orientated artistic projects or networking meetings on issues of their common interest, such as the approach to reach local communities. The arrangement of this meeting reflected such intention. Notably, the workshop content and booth concepts were designed to facilitate the processes of participation and creativity, and not a monologue. The booths could show the working philosophy of each autonomous cultural centres and their artistic practices. The video screening in the last evening complemented this by showing physical images of these centres and their selected artistic projects, which were not usually exhibited in international art events. This setting was successful in encouraging networking and contacts among autonomous cultural centres, and thus could become a reference model for other similar events.

Immediate and medium term follow-ups:

1) The Asian contact for Artfactories would be Shanghai-based BizArt. Given the diversity of artistic projects in Asia, two additional contact points could be added which could be in Northeast Asia (Japan- AIT) and Southeast Asia (Malaysia-RAP), for the sake of better collection and dissemination of information.

2) Artfactories will strengthen its roles as platform of information on autonomous centres, centre management, events, and networking etc, while enriching and diversifying its contacts in Asia thanks to the contacts made during this meeting.

3) The Amsterdam-based Smart Project Space offered its server as a forum for other centres to share their projects and documents.

4) A publication on this meeting should be ready by early 2005. It will be designed and organized not as a report but more as a “work in process”, while highlighting follow-up activities after Shanghai meeting.

5) There should be information on international projects planned by the centres, as the centres located nearby might be interested in joining the projects and thus sharing the cost and resources.

6) From ASEF’s side, the experiences of working with Biz-Art and Artfactories were encouraging in terms of contents and additional sponsors. BizArt and Artfactories could find sponsors from Année de la France en Chine, Alliance Francaise, the French Embassy in China, Instituto de Arte Contemporanea, Portugal, Artists Link, Mondriaan Foundation (Netherlands), Consulate General of the Netherlands in Shanghai, Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai, and KLM, etc. (Please refer to complete list of sponsors and partners in attached programme).

7) This is the first time that ASEF (Cultural Exchange) keeps a part of the project budget for a follow-up pilot project (in this case, 6,000 Euro). While the success of this pilot project is yet to be seen, as call for proposal will be ready by 10 November 2004, this proposal obviously raised interest among the centres, since training was specifically mentioned as a way to strengthen the centres.

8) While supporting artists’ initiatives and network among cultural centres, ASEF can add value to its overall programme on Cultural Dialogue, as the multilateral network among autonomous cultural centres in Asia and Europe did not exist before this Shanghai meeting. Besides, autonomous cultural centres have proved to be efficient partners due to their experiences in international networking and their capability in raising additional funds.

9) One strong core idea was the need for common advocacy to defend common visions and ideas of autonomous cultural centres.

10) To follow up on this idea of common advocacy, ASEF will work towards bringing this issue to the attention of the Second ASEM Conference on Cultures and Civilizations, scheduled in Paris in June 2005. Despite the different situations in Asia and Europe in terms of public funding and political recognition, a paradigm shift on and stronger political support for autonomous arts centres are needed in both regions. Public subsidies for the centres could help balance market forces and could support more experimental, process-orientated types of artistic projects, which could preserve diversity and pluralism within the society.

11) ASEF aims to serve as an interface between the cultural policy maker level and the artist level. By this, it hopes to promote more support from policy makers for the autonomous cultural centres, and to try to serve as an interface between the two. This issue will be interesting to follow up with ASEM enlargement, as many similarities can be felt between Southeast Asian and Eastern European centres.

Full Schedule:
25-27 September, 2004
BizArt, Shanghai

DAY 0: September 24th, 2004
Morning/Afternoon Arrival and registration at BizArt

3:00-7:00 Review premises, begin work at installations
7:00-9:00 Welcome dinner organized by BizArt

DAY 1: September 25th, 2004
OPENING

10:00–12:00 Final registration, work at installations
12:00-1:00 Lunch at BizArt
1:00-1:15 Brief introduction by Davide Quadrio (BizArt) and Sandrine Crisostomo (Artfactories)
1:30–3:30 (optional) Lecture (in French) at the Alliance Française by Fazette Bordage (Mains d’Oeuvres/Artfactories)
1:15-5:30 Final preparations at BizArt for installations
5:30-6:30 Free time for participants/moderators meeting
6:30-8:30 Official Opening Ceremony at BizArt
8:45 Late Dinner at Dong Bei Ren restaurant

DAY 2: September 26th, 2004
Workshops I, II and III

NOTA BENE–All the workshops will be conducted in an informal manner. The topics listed below should be regarded as indicative, framing rather than restricting open discussion.
9:00-11:00 WORKSHOP I: Art in contemporary society and the evolution of artistic practices
Moderators: Davide Quadrio (BizArt), Mella Jaarsma (Cemeti Art House)

The participants at this workshop will be invited to discuss the differences between the political and social situations of Europe and Asia, how they affect each region’s art practices, and what can be done to reconcile these differences so as to encourage transnational communication and exchange.

11:00-1:00 Visiting installations and lunch at BizArt
1:00-3:00 WORKSHOP II: Methods and practices of reaching communities through the arts
Moderators: Fazette Bordage (Mains d’Oeuvres/Artfactories), Titus Spree (Maejima Art Centre)

First, through the presentation of two case studies, one from Asia and one from Europe, the workshop will explore art projects that have created links with, and/or have elicited the participation of the community. Starting from the two given examples, the participants will investigate possible forms of artistic intervention such as workshops, intervention in public spaces, imaginative scenarios mixing fiction and reality in daily contexts, residencies, etc. Second, since in many art spaces, the artistic process has become as important–if not more so–as its end product, the workshop will explore how the value of notions of ‘long term’, ‘daily involvement with artists and audiences’, ‘intimate approach’, ‘education’, ‘development’, can be communicated to authorities and potential sponsors.

3:00-4:30 Scheduled visits (schools, institutions, etc); Coffee/Tea
4:30-6:30 WORKSHOP III: Rules and developments of independently founded art spaces
Moderators: Alessio Antoniolli (Gasworks) and Tim Li (Para/Site)

This workshop will look at the financial situation of independent art spaces. Through an analysis of hostile art environments, the participants will discuss possible ways to overcome existing obstacles and enhance their fundraising abilities. The following are some of the possible topics to be discussed:

1) Current political and cultural agendas in EU and Asia.
2) Public funding and government agendas towards private art initiatives.
3) Issues surrounding the funding of micro-projects; role of institutions and foundations.
4) Possibilities of a Europe-Asia financial system that supports transnational micro-projects, especially for cultural organizations with limited access to private and public funding.

6:30-7:30 General wrap-up session
7:30 Late Dinner

DAY 3: September 27th, 2004
Workshops IV and V

9:00-11:00 WORKSHOP IV: Artists in residence programs
Moderators: Simon Kirby (Artists Links) and Maria Tuerlings (Trans Artists)

Presentation of the pilot project between China and the U.K. (Artists Links) and of Trans Artists/Res Artis network.Discussion of various approaches to ‘artists in residence’ practices in Asia and Europe.

11:00-11:30 General wrap up session
11:30-12:00 Short lunch at BizArt
12:30-2:30 (compulsory) WORKSHOP V: The exchange and development of transnational projects in Asia and Europe
Moderators: Marie le Sourd and Chulamanee Chartsuwan (ASEF)

Towards an Asia-Europe Network of autonomous cultural centers: what’s next?

This meeting–the first of its kind–will hopefully serve as a launch pad for various projects of transnational cooperation, including the Artfactories’ Shanghai Antenna. Sandrine Crisostomo will describe the usage and potential for development of the platform www.artfactories.net. Chulamanee Chartsuwan and Marie Le Sourd will explain why the Asia-Europe Foundation supported this meeting as part of its program on “Cultural Dialogue” and how selected initiatives such as staff exchange, networking meetings and artistic ‘process’ projects could be eventually supported and advocated for on the long term in the context of ASEM.

2:30-5:00 Free time
5:30-7:00 Party at ShanghArt warehouse
7:30 Late Transfer to Fuxing Park

Fuxing Park Video Presentation Opening
(ShanghArt and Park 97)

This event was organized with the generous support of the following:
The Asia-Europe Foundation
L’Année de la France en Chine (October 2004 – July 2005) organized in China by le ‘Comité d’organisation des Années croisées France-Chine’ and the Ministry of Culture, and the Comité d’Honneur of ‘L’Année de la France en Chine’
Alliance Française
The French Embassy in Beijing
The Instituto de arte contemporanea (Portugal)
Artists Links (Joint project between Arts Council, England and British Council, China)
The Mondriaan Foundation (The Netherlands)
The Dutch Consulate General in Shanghai
The Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai
Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec
The Governement of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the PRC
KLM
Illy Caffé
The Lan Kwai Fong Group
ShanghArt

Participants List:
ASIA
1aspace, Hong Kong
Howard Chan, Wallace Chang Ping
Arts Initiative – Tokyo, Japan
Roger McDonald, Keisuke Ozawa, Yoko Miyahara, Yuko Ozawa
Artsonje Center – Seoul, Korea
Heejin Kim
Cemeti Art House – Yogyaharta, Indonesia
Mella Jaarsma
Factory 19 – Guangzhou, China
Lao Jiang
Lijiang Studio – Lijiang, Yunnan, China
Jay Brown, Mu Yuming
Loop Alternative Space – Seoul, Korea
Jinsuk Suh
Maejima Art Center – Okinawa, Japan
Titus Spree, Jun Miyagi, Chikako Yamashiro
Para/Site Art Space – Hong Kong
Leung Chi Wo, Sara Wong Chi Hang, Tim Li Man Wai, Cindy Wong Wai Yan, Gina Wong
Philippe Laleu, artist – Bangkok, Thailand
Project Space Zip – Seoul, Korea
Choi Du Su
Remo – Osaka, Japan
Nov Amenomori, Hisako Hara
Rice+ – Tokyo, Japan
Emiko Kato
Rumah Air Panas – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Saubin Yap, Chuah Chong Yong
Tadu Gallery – Bangkok, Thailand
Luckana Kunavichayanont
The Necessary Stage – Singapore
Alvin tang
The Substation – Singapore
Audrey Wong
Vis a Vis– Xiamen, China
Luming Zhu

EUROPE
Cittadellarte/Fondazione Pistoletto – Biella, Italy
Paolo Naldini, Juan Esteban Sandoval
Confort Moderne/Fédurok – Poitiers, France
Thierry Mouillé
Emmetrop – Bourges, France
Jérôme Poret
Friche la Belle de Mai/Groupe Dunes – Marseilles, France
Madeleine Chiche, Bernard Misrachi
Gasworks – London, England
Alessio Antonio
Hangar – Barcelona, Spain
Manoel Olveira
Mains d’Oeuvres – Saint-Ouen, France
Fazette Bordage (Artfactories), Magali Terrier
o.k. girls gallery – Berlin, Germany
Saskia Draxler
Rex B92 Cultural Center/TransEuropeHalles network– Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro
Katarina Zivanovic
Smart project – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Thomas Peutz
Trans Artists/Res Artis – Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Maria Tuerlings
Ufafabrik– Berlin, Germany
Sigrid Niemer
Vooruit – Gent, Belgium
Philippe Vandenweghe
ZDB – Lisbon, Portugal
Natxo Checa