Danish fund announces 2018 recipients

Then Cafe is the only art space from Hue city to receive a CDEF grant in 2018. (Facebook Then Cafe)

The eight CDEF recipients are Hanoi Doclab, Heritage Space, Manzi Art Space, Matca, Nha San Studio, Rec Room, The Centre for Assistance and Development of Movie Talents (TPD) and Then Cafe.

Within the grant’s framework, these local art groups will be able to produce projects that engage the community with various types of modern arts such as painting and installation exhibitions, film-making and photography workshops, publications and performances in the years of 2018-19.

Hanoi Doclab will receive VND150 million ($6,600) for its A Multi-Faceted Platform for Moving Image and Media Arts project which will focus on sound and visual works. It will equip local art practitioners with technical and critical knowledge to sustain their practices through a series of workshops, projects, exhibition programmes, publication initiatives and collaborations with Danish partners.

Heritage Space will receive VND180 million ($8,100). This is the second time it will receive a CDEF grant for its Months of Arts Practice.

Manzi Art Space will use its grant of VND120 million ($5,400) to carry out Contemporary Art in Việt Nam: Audience Development & Roles of Art in Social Development Project. The project contains a variety of contemporary art activities with film screenings, cultural debates, a literature events, visual art exhibitions and music performances with the participation of both local and international artists.

Matca is the youngest organisation to receive the grant this year. It will get VND150 million ($6,600) for its Matca - A Gathering Space for Vietnamese Photography project. It is to create a community art space for Vietnamese young photographers. It expects to hold four exhibitions under the project.

Established in 1998, Nha San Studio is the oldest contemporary art centre in Hanoi. Its grant is VND180 million ($8,100) to consist of a series of arts and cultural events throughout 2018, promoting the work of young artists and curators and stimulating artistic and generational dialogues in Vietnam.

Key events will be the Emerging Artists Programme, Future in Reserve Programme and Nha San 20+ Exhibition.

Hue-based Then Cafe will aim to create a residency programme for 10 young Vietnamese artists and five others from Asian countries in Art Village, in Hue city. With the support of VND120 million ($5,400), the invitees will create art-works inspired from their profound experiences and mutual collaborations.

TPD and Rec Room focus on film and music. TPD will receive VND101 million ($4,600) for bringing cinema to audiences whilst Rec Room will get VND80 million ($3,600) for its Vietnam Tour project. An art-bus tour with a special focus on music performances is used to promote Vietnamese young artists and their underground arts across the country. The tour will kick off on May 25 and will last tentatively around 24 days.

"We are very pleased that Denmark ’s contributions have been instrumental in encouraging new and experimental art projects and collaborations in Vietn am over the past 13 years," said Ane Kirsten Andersen, the embassy’s Cultural Counselor at the press conference held on Monday. "Arts spread beyond words and they are bridges, which can enhance our understanding of each other’s differences, but especially of our similarities".

CDEF is a key component of Danish culture programme in Vietnam which was started in 2006 with total amount of VND22 billion ($1 billion). Since its launch, the programme has supported hundreds of successful project and artists, assisting Vietnam in creating a vibrant contemporary art scene.