<nettime> NICA in Yangon

["Fatima Lasay" <digiteer@ispbonanza.com.ph>]

Draft 20th March 2003
Profile and Programmes

NICA (Networking and Initiatives for Culture and the Arts)
-	nurturing artistic, cultural and human resource development in Myanmar


NICA is a newly established art center aimed at contributing towards
development in the fields of culture and the arts. It is located in Yangon,
Myanmar and in its founding stage is being managed by IFIMA (International
Forum for InterMedia Art), working directly with local and international
artists, writers, educators and trainers to create a platform for mutual
sharing and learning across various art disciplines. It will also offer
training schemes and educational programmes to promote a well-rounded
development of arts and cultural practices, focusing on aspects that will
range from skill training, studio practice, theoretical studies, to
curatorial writing and project management etc.

One of the primary initiatives of the art centre is to develop
collaboration, networking and resource-sharing especially between Myanmar
arts and cultural practitioners with those from the region, and also from
other parts of the world. NICA welcomes interested parties to contact us
about possible collaborations and participation in our programmes. Further
information can be requested from: nica@yangon.net.mm

Art activities such as exhibitions, performances, workshops, children’s art,
and artist’s talks conducted by Myanmar artists will be regularly featured
at NICA. NICA will act as a facilitator for these activities in terms of
providing the space, administrative support and requested assistance.

NICA will be managed by IFIMA only in its founding stage, during which we
will work towards a transition over to a local Executive Committee


Location of NICA:
Located at 47, Khaymar Road, in San Chaung Township, adjacent with Kyi Myin
Dine Township, home of local craftspersons producing marbleworks, plaque,
religious object and metal structures that are installed on top of pagoda’s
and chedi’s. Nearby is the famous Koe Thet Kyee pagoda and about 1.5 km away
is the Swedagon Pagoda. Trips on public buses to downtown Yangon (Bogoye
Market), costing US 1-2 cents, will take around 20-30 minutes, and taxi
trips, costing US 0.80 cents - $1.00, will take around 15 mins.

Tel: 95 1 510002
E-mail: nica@yangon.net.mm


Facilities:
Office, 2 multi-purpose rooms, exhibition space, studio spaces, kitchen,
accommodation for artists-in-residence.


Objectives and functions of NICA

To begin with, NICA will have these 4 main functions:
- To nurture artistic and cultural practices; through training and
educational programmes, creative workshops, symposiums, seminars, talks,
etc.
- To support the creative and intellectual impulse; through residency
programmes, adoption of projects by Myanmar art practitioners etc.
-	To act as a resource and networking centre; for local and international
artists, art critics, curators and cultural workers for the purpose of
networking, resource-sharing and resource development.
- To provide space and organizational support services for arts and cultural
activities


NICA’s Programmes

NICA’s proposed programmes are divided into 3 categories: Residency and
Training Programmes; International Networking and Resource-sharing
Programmes and General Programmes/ Services. Each of the proposed programmes
in these categories will be carried out independent of each other.


I. Residency and Training Programmes:
The following residency and training programmes are open for application by
interested artists, writers, educators, students and other persons involved
in the creative fields.

1) Young Adults Education and Training Programme
To offer a well-rounded supplementary education and training programme to
young adults in the fields of arts and cultural management. The programme
will cover both theory and practice, and will train the young adults in
research and writing skills, IT skills, professional knowledge and
organizational skills, art appreciation and criticism, history of art,
exposure to studio practice, exhibitions etc. The trainees will benefit from
local and international guest artists, curators and educators who will be
attached to the programme. Acceptance will be based on applicant’s aptitude,
motivation, interest level and track record of previous activities. The
programme will last for 9 months and will be offered free-of-charge to a
maximum of 10 young adults in the first batch. Bursaries will be given to
those in need of financial assistance. The first programme will run from
April – December 2003. Some of the scheduled lectures and workshops under
this programme may be made open to registered participants from the
interested public.

2) Artist-in-Residence Programme
To provide space, assistance and financial support to selected artists,
writers and poets for a period of between 3 - 6 months in order to realise a
body of work, research or project. This programme will include support for
accommodation if the person comes from outside Yangon. Candidates will be
selected by an advisory committee to NICA.

3) ‘Art for Children’ Education and Development Programme
To work with selected artists and educators on further researching and
developing teaching methods for children’s art by providing professional
assistance, financial support and assisting in the matching of expertise for
a period of 3 - 9 months. The selected artists and children’s art educators
will have to conduct workshops with other artists and educators to present
their work and research on children’s art education. Candidates will be
selected by an advisory committee to NICA.

4) Women’s Creativity Support Programme
To provide assistance and financial support to selected women artists,
writers and poets for a short period of time, between 3 - 6 months, to
realise a body of work, research or project, culminating with a final
presentation/ project at NICA. Candidates will be selected by an advisory
committee to NICA.

Enquiries and applications for all the above programmes can be made with Ko
Thiha (a) Than Tun Zaw at telephone number 510002 or e-mail
nica@yangon.net.mm


II. International Networking and Resource-sharing Programmes
1) To facilitate foreign artists/ art groups who wish to come into Myanmar
to develop collaborations with local artists/ art groups in a project, in
forms of cultural exchange, and will host foreign artists in residency
programmes with NICA.

2) To source for international organizations and art centres outside of
Myanmar that are willing to host Myanmar artists and art administrators in
exchange programmes, artists-in-residence programmes and arts management
in-house attachment trainee programmes. NICA will assist Myanmar artists and
persons working in cultural fields to obtain opportunities in education,
intellectual exchange, foreign residencies, project funding, workshop and
exhibition outside of Myanmar.

3) To co-organize an international event, Open Academy 2, together with a
local committee, tentatively scheduled for December 2003, to be held in
Yangon and Mandalay; with symposium and workshops to promote creative
exchange, collaborations and resource-sharing amongst Myanmar artists and
also with foreign participants. This is a continuation of the project,
COLLABORATION, NETWORKING AND RESOURCE-SHARING: MYANMAR held in Yangon in
June 2002, but on a smaller scale.


III. General Programmes/ Services:

Art and Educational Activities for Children
To invite artists and educators to conduct art and educational activities
for children at NICA.

Facilitation of Local Art Activities
To offer space, administrative support and other requested forms of
assistance to artists and groups who wish to organise art and cultural
activities at NICA, e.g. exhibitions, talks, and performances. Events with
educational intentions will be given priority when resources are
insufficient.

Archive and Research Centre
To build an archive and research centre on various aspects of Myanmar arts
and cultures for the purpose of research by local and visiting researchers,
curators and writers, etc.

Art Consultancy Service
To offer consultancy and administrative assistance to any artist/ group on
aspects of organizing projects, e.g. writing project proposals, application
for funding and other aspects of their projects.

Discourse Initiative
To organise and host talks and discussions on a range of topics and issues,
in response to the needs of the artistic communities.

Publications
To publish documentations of various programmes held at our facility and
periodically to publish books on selected subjects related to the arts and
culture of Myanmar.

Collaboration with Local Organisations Across Disciplines
To collaborate with local organisations of various disciplines, based on
project proposals that are inline with shared objectives.

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