OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
CULTIVATE: Professional Development for Curators and Arts Managers [Module 1]
Application Period: 7 December 2023 - 11 February 2024
Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and online
Program Fee:  37,000 THB ($1000 USD) per participant per module
Module 1 Program Dates: 1-7 August, 2024 onsite, 8 August - 30 November 2024 online

CULTIVATE is a professional development program organized by in-tangible institute and Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) for curators / arts managers targeting current staff of art entities and freelance operators in Southeast Asia.

OVERVIEW
Led by Luckana Kunavichayanont, Zoe Butt, and Kate Fowle, CULTIVATE brings world-renowned faculty to Bangkok to develop 18 select arts professionals with skills and networks to distinguish themselves and their affiliates as leading facilitators of contemporary art in the region. In addition to the program leaders, guest faculty add topically relevant experience as educators and facilitators of contemporary culture. Each of the 5 modules includes a 1-week face-to-face intensive at BACC, followed by a practicum of periodic group and individual online meetings with faculty throughout the following 3 months. Participants will use their current projects as case studies for faculty consultation and problem-solving. To conclude each module, participants submit materials for assessment to guest faculty and program leaders. 

MODULE 1
Applications are now open for Module 1, Programming in the Arts, launching 1-7 August 2024, with future modules focusing on Collection Development, Leadership, Professional Development, and Mentorship. Module 1’s weeklong in-person intensive will be followed by a series of online dialogues including 1:1 meetings between mentees and faculty, a small group session with faculty, and a culminating cohort session.

Guest faculty include Nikita Choi, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Times Museum, Guangzhou; Nisa Mackie, Deputy Director of Learning & Engagement at MoMA, New York; and Frankie Su, Senior Curator at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum. Alongside CULTIVATE program leaders Luckana Kunavichayanont, Board Member, Secretary and previous director of BACC; Kate Fowle, Senior Curatorial Director, Hauser & Wirth, New York; and Zoe Butt, Founder/Director/Curator, in-tangible institute.

Topics of discussion include Research; Exhibitions, Commissions, Artist Liaison; Education; Audience Development, Visitor Engagement; Public Programs, Events, Performances; Artist Interventions and Residencies; Fundraising and Sponsorship; Scenography; Shipping, Art Handling & Installation; Publishing; and Community Collaborations.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
CULTIVATE develops leadership and practical skills to raise the professional standards of facilitating contemporary art—both institutional display of art and curatorial development of private and public collections. Participants learn from experts in an intimate 3:1 faculty ratio.
- Participants will learn how to expand audiences, build community, and facilitate transformative experiences between diverse publics and contemporary culture.
- Participants will gain the skills to improve local and foreign audience engagement and curate innovative programs that can compete on an international stage.
- Participants will learn to negotiate and collaborate with industry stakeholders, navigate cross-border programming, and elevate local community voices. 
- Participants will expand their institutional and personal networks to leading talents in the region and beyond, opening the door to future global collaborations.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Art entities (public, private, or commercial) in the region are invited to sponsor individuals who will most benefit from this program. Freelance individuals in the field can also apply at their own cost. 

Prospective participants are required to submit the following application materials in English by 18:00 (GMT +07:00), 11 February 2024:
1.    Statement of Intent (≤500 words): how would the program benefit your career and impact the audiences and teams you work with?
2.    Case Study (≤500 words): a project in progress to further develop during the program.
3.    Resume/CV (≤2 pages).
4.    Portfolio (≤10 pages): written descriptions and image documentation of no more than 4 previous projects.
5.    Affiliation: sponsor name, contact details, and associated institution (if relevant).
6.    Submit applications via email, subject line “CULTIVATE Application - [NAME]” with all application materials combined and attached as a single PDF (file size ≤15 MB), to Ariana Chaivaranon, [email protected].

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed and assessed by in-tangible institute. Successful applicants will be notified by 29 March, 2024. 

It is a competitive open call for applications for each Module (dates for future modules to be announced in due course). Those interested in applying for the entire course in advance can become a CULTIVATE Program Partner. To inquire about Program Partnership, please contact Vasita Jirathiyut, [email protected]. 

Please direct questions regarding the application to Ariana Chaivaranon, [email protected]. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
∙    Proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in English.
∙    Critical approach to demonstrated curatorial / arts management practice (minimum 3 years experience).
∙    Desire to be mentored.
∙    Living and working in Southeast Asia.
∙    Citizen or permanent resident of one of the following: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Mainland China, East Timor, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.

MOTIVATIONS
The first of its caliber in Southeast Asia, CULTIVATE offers professional development aimed at equipping a new generation of locally rooted and internationally-informed leaders to elevate the standards of arts in the region. This is needed to strengthen the capacity of cultural institutions in Southeast Asia to establish mutually generative international collaborations. The sector increasingly demands internationally competent expertise to realize programs that are resonant and relevant to both local and global contexts.

Supporting Southeast Asian cultural histories, heritage, and methodologies is inseparable from our participation on the world stage. Many regional economies are reliant on cultural tourism, which requires developing our own local talents into innovative stars, equipped to elevate community-rooted stories for global audiences. Southeast Asia’s cultural industry requires infrastructural and talent development to captivate both local and international attention and investments toward re-writing the art histories of our region on our own terms. 

If Southeast Asian cultural initiatives are to innovate and participate globally, we must cultivate local talent and equip them with resources and experience. Rather than removing participants from the workforce, CULTIVATE leverages their ongoing careers as practical case studies and educational opportunities. Participants’ local institutions, programs, and audiences directly benefit from CULTIVATE top-tier faculty consultation on these live case studies. By convening local and international talents to address on-the-ground issues in Southeast Asia, CULTIVATE aims to nurture more diversified ‘centers’ of the global art world.