In a bid to empower the local arts and culture communities as well as to foster a regional cohort of research-centred cultural workers from the Southeast Asia region, CENDANA together with the Visual Art Programme, Cultural Centre, University of Malaya have organised an upskilling programme focusing on creative research namely, A Country of Outliers.

In this programme, participants will gain scholarly and practice-based knowledge through a series of site visits, workshops and renowned speakers including:-

• Jo Kukathas, Malaysia’s pre-eminent writer, director and actress
• Dr Atreyee Gupta, Assistant Professor of Global Modern Art, South and Southeast Asian Art in the History of Art Department at the University of California, Berkeley
• Sugata Ray, Associate Professor of South and Southeast Asian art in the History of Art Department at the University of California, Berkeley.
• Cosmin Costinas, Executive Director and Curator of Para Site, Hong Kong
• Inti Guerrero, an art critic and curator based in Hong Kong
• Michelle Kuek, Manager of Education and Outreach in NUS Museum
• Kate Pocklington, a conservator at Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
• Dr Kiven Strohm, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at National University of Singapore

The invited speakers will provide guidance and feedback to the participants for them to enrich the creative possibilities in their project proposals, as well as challenge themselves in producing critical yet playful art projects.

Keen to be a participant? To be eligible, you must be:-

• A Malaysian and Southeast Asians citizens who hold citizenship in any of the following countries; Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Brunei.
• A resident of the above countries and have established an active cultural practice in these countries will also be considered. In addition, we will also consider proposals from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu, Hong Kong, Taiwan if they are exceptional and enriching.
• Early career to mid-level cultural workers who has established an active cultural practice in Malaysia or any of the specified SEA countries above, or critical in the development of performing arts, visual arts, and independent music for a minimum of 3 years or more.
• Demonstrated tangible track record of past projects/credentials
• Able to communicate in English
• Successful applicants must be available to attend the full programme from 29 July – 3 August 2019.

*The successful applicant is partially funded as full details are listed in the Terms of Reference here.

As part of the application process, applicants will be evaluated by a panel of advisors from CENDANA and Visual Art Programme, Cultural Centre, University of Malaya.