Hitchhiker's Guide to Funding for Southeast Asian Artists
The Hitchhiker's Guide remains one of my favourite books to this day, and one of the quotes which always gets me raring to go is, "There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss." Simply to say, you will never know if you don’t try, which applies to many facets in life. Many are afraid to explore and try new things, however it is understood that many more artists lack the resources to do so. Well, dear artist, don’t fret. We’ve compiled six funding opportunities and art residencies within and beyond Southeast Asia which are open to Southeast Asian artists.
Chevening Scholarship
One such funding opportunity is the Chevening Scholarship. The Chevening Scholarship was established to allow future leaders to pursue a one-year Master’s Degree in the UK in any field. Southeast Asia which is ripe with intellectuals and multi-talented degree holders is one of the regions covered by this scholarship. Regional postgraduates who are awarded the scholarships have travel, accommodation and fees covered. The Chevening scholarship is catered largely to those who are passionate towards their craft and have the ideas and influence to build a better future for coming generations.
With this in mind, if you are an individual with grand ideas for the future and you have completed a Degree, or have an ongoing Master’s degree, the Chevening scholarship can be a perfect funding opportunity for you to bring your vision to the global stage. For example, are you someone who is passionate about battling inequality? The Chevening scholarship has funded multiple creatives to pursue their master’s degree, even Southeast Asians, such as Chevening’s Alumni, Kartini Ariffin. Kartini Ariffin has been in the broadcast industry for over 15 years, and after spearheading various uplifting shows, she is now the co-founder and director of Malaysian digital personality channel, Dbilique. She has been nominated for multiple awards for her work including the prestigious UK Alumni Award which awards individuals who pursued a higher education in the UK and have had a powerful social impact within their communities. To learn more about Kartini and for the information and criteria for the Chevening scholarship, refer below:
Funded by
- Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office UK
Eligible Regions
- Commonwealth countries
Eligibility
- Completed all components of an undergraduate degree.
- At least two years of working experience
Duration
- 1 Year
Link
Prince Claus Fund
Another funding opportunity is the Prince Claus Fund. There are two awards which can be applied for under this fund – the Prince Claus Seed Awards and the Prince Claus Mentorship Awards. The Prince Claus Fund is an effort to keep the arts alive and funds artists in the African, Asian, Latin American, Caribbean and Eastern European regions. It was established as a form of support for cultural expression especially areas within these regions which are seen to be under pressure. Both funds are aimed to support artists at different stages which are crucial in the development of their careers. The Seed award is targeted at artists who are in the first five years of their career, whereas the Mentorship award is targeted at artists who are further into their careers. One such artist who is being funded by the Prince Claus Seed awards is Filipino filmmaker Rafael Manuel Mendoza. After his first award winning short film, the Prince Claus fund in partnership with the Cannes Cinéfondation La Residence and the Locarno Filmmakers Academy are funding the making of his debut feature film based off his short film 'Filipiñana’. For more exciting details about the program, look below:
Prince Claus Seed Awards
Funded By
- Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Dutch Postcode Lottery
- Ing Yoe Tan Fund
Eligible Regions
- Africa
- Asia
- Latin America
- Caribbean
- Eastern Europe
Eligibility
- In the first five years of their Arts Career
Award Amount
- 5000 euros
Link
Prince Claus Mentorship Awards
Funded By
- Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Dutch Postcode Lottery
- Various Organisations for joint calls
Eligible Regions
- Africa
- Asia
- Latin America
- Caribbean
- Eastern Europe
Eligibility
- More than five years into their career in the arts
Award Duration & Amount
- Varies based on collaboration
Link
Asian Cultural Council Grants and Scholarships
In Asia, there are also various homegrown funding opportunities, such as the Asian Cultural Council grants and scholarships.The Asian Cultural Council is an organisation that aims to use cultural exchanges as a medium to forge international understanding, communications and respect between Asia and the United States of America. These grants and scholarships cover various fields and regions, and include both regional travel within Asia and international travel to the United States. Not only do prospective artists and organisations have the chance to apply for residencies and sponsorships to travel to the United States to take part in projects and programmes, but postgraduate students are also funded to continue their degrees internationally.
The grants however prioritise process-driven activities that enable communications and build connections for cultural exchange in the arts within the partner nations. Examples of process driven activities include research, training, study and exploration. If you’re looking to expand your knowledge and in turn share this knowledge with your community through your work, then this is the grant for you. The information on the grant are as follows:
Name
- Asian Cultural Council Grants and Scholarships
Funding By
- Varies depending on program
Eligible Regions
- Varies according to cycle
Eligibility
- Practising artists, humanities scholars, or arts professionals
Duration
- Anywhere between a month and a year depending on the program chosen
Link
Artist Residency Thailand
Now, taking a step in a slightly different direction, there are also various art residencies around the world, and even a few in Southeast Asia itself. One such art residency is the Artist Residency Thailand, which offers artists the opportunity to teach workshops for anywhere between two weeks to a month. The residence is a beautiful space in Chiang Mai that has an open and scenic surrounding complete with spacious studios, resources and talented mentors. The residency focuses on artists developing their craft through mentoring for workshops and creating new work within the space.
The residency is open globally to artists aged above 21 and have completed a university degree or have demonstrable experience in their chosen field. For those interested, the information on the residency is as follows:
Name
- Artist Residency Thailand
Funding By
- Private Funding
Eligible Regions
- Available globally
Eligibility
- Aged 21 and above with a relevant University degree, or demonstrable experience in your chosen creative field
- A completed application form, CRB check and ability to travel to and from Chiang Mai (transport within Chiang Mai, accommodation food etc will be provided for the duration of your residency)
- A submitted digital portfolio of images, excerpts of text, video footage, or otherwise, that gives a comprehensive overview of your work
- A desire to develop creative skills and produce new work, while working with young people and community groups in an international setting
- Fluency in spoken English to at least an upper-intermediate level
- An ability to commit to between a 2 week or 1 month residence
Duration
- Two to four weeks
Link
Rimbun Dahan Residency
Another Southeast Asian Residency to keep an eye out for is the Rimbun Dahan Artist Residency in Malaysia. Although applications are currently closed, artists vying for a secluded, quiet place to carry out their work should look out for Rimbun Dahan’s application calls for their annual residencies, which usually come later in the year. Artists who successfully apply and receive the invitation for the residency have the privilege of working on their craft in peace and every three months, artists are allowed to host a show or workshop of sorts to display what they have been working on.
Visual artists on the other hand, may not have a dedicated exhibition, but they are expected to leave behind at least one piece that they were working on during their residency to be added to Rimbun Dahan’s collection. The picturesque setting of Rimbun Dahan is sure to attract artists searching for solitude and themselves within their crafts, and if this interests you, information on Rimbun Dahan is as follows:
Name
- Rimbun Dahan Residency
Funding By
- Private Funding
Eligible Regions
- Priority is given to artists from Southeast Asia but all are welcome to apply
Eligibility
- Committed at least a few years to their professional arts career, NOT within 3 years of graduation from their initial arts degree or training
- Have had professional training in their discipline and are undertaking a professional level of practice.
- Self-motivated and able to live and work independently
- Completely Vaccinated against Covid-19
Duration
- 1 to 3 months
Link
- http://rimbundahan.org/arts/residencies/residencies-for-malaysians/
To conclude, there are so many funding opportunities out there. The ones listed here are only the tip of the iceberg. This list is a starting point for you, as an artist. Use this as your stepping stone to reach your true potential in your craft. Artists are the driving force for the future, as they challenge those around them to push past their limits and to generate ideas beyond the known boundaries of mankind. These funding opportunities make it possible for artists to become the driving force of the future. So don’t wait around for an opportunity to come knocking, go kick down the door and find it yourself today!
For more funding opportunities, head over to Mereka Connects Resources page!
