a. Inviting applications from cultural/environmental organisations in ASEM countries, including Malaysia, for projects linking the arts and environment.

b. Looking for an independent researcher in Malaysia to work on a mapping exercise to document initiatives linking the arts/culture sector and environmental sustainability.

Context: ASEF’s Connect2Culture programme

Connect2Culture, which was launched in Beijing last October, enabled personal dialogues on climate change and yi, shi, zhu, xing (clothing, food, shelter, transport) at the individual level among artists, scientists and sociologists.
In the second year of Connect2Culture initiatives, we are looking to reinforce Asia-Europe connections and to  actively engage the culture sector in environmental issues at the levels of practice, networks and policy through
inter-disciplinary multi-stakeholder platforms for collective action. The Connect2Culture programme also gains relevance in the context of the new focal areas for ASEF’s work, which includes Environment and Sustainable Development.

a. Inviting proposals for Follow-up Projects

As part of these initiatives, we are inviting cultural organisations and
environmental NGOs in ASEM countries to submit proposals for projects linking
arts, culture and the environment. The projects must have an Asia-Europe
dimension. Selected projects will become part of ASEF’s ongoing efforts
towards creating policy inputs on art, culture, environment and sustainable
development. There is potential for visibility for the project outputs at events
organised by ASEF in 2009-10 and on ASEF’s web portal, Culture360
(www.culture360.org) that focuses specifically on cultural dialogue between Asia
and Europe. Deadline for proposals is 22 June 2009.

b. Research on Initiatives linking Art and Environmental Sustainability in Asia

We have noticed the existence of knowledge gaps on initiatives linking art and
environment within Asia, in particular. We, at ASEF, are also working towards
closing these gaps through commissioned research on best practices of
initiatives linking art and environmental sustainability issues and initiated by
cultural and/or environmental organisations in Asia. In this regard, we are
currently looking for a freelance researcher in Malaysia to get involved in this
research, which commences on 15 June. If you might know of anyone who might be interested, please do let us know and we will get in touch with them.

For more information, please contact:

Anupama SEKHAR (Ms) | Project Executive, Cultural Exchange | Asia-Europe
Foundation (ASEF)
31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 119595
DID: +(65) 6874 9712 | Fax: 00 65 6872 1207 | E-mail: anupama.sekhar@asef.org
Website: http://www.asef.org

(BH)