The British Council, in partnership with the Vietnam National Institute of Arts and Culture Studies, is pleased to announce Cultural and Creative Hubs Vietnam. To be implemented over three years from 2018 to 2021, the project receives financial support from the European Union totalling 450,000 Euros.
A cultural and creative hub (CCH) is a place, physical or virtual, which brings people together to express artistic ideas and creativity in a free and open environment, and in turn allows them to share a variety of artistic outputs with their communities. In Vietnam, most CCHs are independent arts and creative spaces, often led and managed by artists and creative practitioners. These organisations are important players in the culture sector and have great potential for engaging in and supporting artistic expressions and the access to cultural life.
Having worked closely with the network of CCHs in Vietnam since 2014, and to support the implementation of the National Strategy for the Development of Cultural Industries to 2020, vision 2030, the British Council and VICAS now jointly implement a series of activities in support of organisations and practitioners in the fields of arts, culture, and creativity. The project has been designed to encompass three inter-linked key components. The first surrounds capacity building for CCHs managers and owners, as well as their artists and creative practitioners – in particular, in terms of management, audience development, and other specialised creative and cultural skills. The second component aims to create opportunities – via policy dialogue and other platforms - for direct and open exchange towards relationship building between CCHs and government administration of the culture sector. This will facilitate both governmental support, and CCHs contribution to the national strategy for the development of cultural industries. The third component promotes the sharing, learning, and networking amongst hubs from different parts of Vietnam, as well as between Vietnamese hubs and their European counterparts.
All activities in these three components will be largely driven by CCHs themselves to ensure that they receive the right support for designing and participating in bespoke activities that address their needs for further development. In turn, the development and sustainability of this network of Vietnamese CCHs will greatly contribute to the diverse arts and culture landscape of the country, offering cultural activities to Vietnamese audiences. The project will not only focus on big cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, but also aim to reach further to connect with hubs and audiences in non-urban areas.
Through supporting the network of CCHs across the country, the project aims to further the development of the arts and the culture in Vietnam. Culture is an enabler and driver of sustainable development, a way of engaging communities in shaping our shared future and supporting open, inclusive and stable societies.
Artistic and cultural approaches empower diverse groups to participate in cross-cultural dialogue, creative and collective problem solving, and capacity building. Culture also provides tools and spaces for creative expression and gives voice for individuals to raise awareness, build solidarity and encourage changes.
The project Cultural and Creative Hubs Vietnam represents a strong commitment of the European Union, the British Council in Vietnam, and VICAS to supporting Vietnamese arts and cultural organisations in their artistic expression and creativity.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We work with over 100 countries in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society. Last year we reached over 65 million people directly and 731 million people overall including online, broadcasts and publications. We make a positive contribution to the countries we work with – changing lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust. Founded in 1934 we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We receive 15 per cent core funding grant from the UK government. www.britishcouncil.org
About VICAS
Established on 1 April 1971 as the Institute of Arts. After a number of name changes, the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS) adopted its current name pursuant to Decision No. 2997/QD- BVHTTDL on 3 September 2013 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies is a scientific professional unit under management of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, having the functions of researching, implementing scientific activities, and post-graduate training on arts, culture and cultural tourism.
http://vicas.org.vn/
About the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam
The Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam, like the other 130 delegations and representations of the External Action Service in the world, serves the EU by:
- publicising, explaining and implementing EU policy
- analysing the policies of Vietnam, the country to which it is accredited
- conducting negotiations according to the mandates given to it
- exercising powers conferred on the European Community in third countries, by promoting Europe's interests as embodied in the Community policies (such as trade, agriculture and fisheries)
- playing a key role in development assistance, a role which has expanded greatly in recent years as a consequence of the devolution policy which is a core part of the Commission's external assistance reform package. The Delegation now is not only closely involved in programming assistance, but also manages projects directly in the field.
Beyond these tasks, the Delegation represents the European Union in its relations with Vietnam, and plays an essential part in EU political, economic and commercial relations with the host country, as well as providing information on the policies and institutions of the EU. The Delegation also provides support and assistance to other institutions and actors of the EU, including the European Parliament.
https://eeas.europa.eu