Deadline: 14 July 2019
SEAΔ is a program co-created by Mekong Cultural Hub and British Council which creates space for cultural practitioners to reflect on how their work in arts and culture can contribute to sustainable development within South East Asia through their individual and collective leadership.
The program has 4 main gatherings spread over a one-year period where Fellows get together. Each gathering takes place in a different country and has a unique purpose: exchange, create, share then reflect.
The focus area for sustainable development in 2019-2020, is Biotrade.
Who is SEAΔ for?
SEAΔ is designed for all kinds of creative and cultural practitioners (from artists to administrators, managers and policymakers) who are interested in:
- Connecting their artistic and cultural work to the challenges the SDGs (sustainable development goals) present
- Creating partnerships and collaborations with peers around and with the region
- Enlarging the space for the arts and culture in South East Asia
- Building civil society through arts and culture
- Creating new opportunities for others to grow and develop
Each year they will select 10 Fellows from 10 countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.
What kinds of people would applicants meet through SEAΔ?
SEAΔ is designed to give Fellows the chance not only to expand their networks with other creative practitioners from around South East Asia, but also to meet people who don’t work in the arts.
One way they do this is that throughout the program the Fellows will work closely with 3 people who work as Project Managers for SEAΔ partner, Helvetas:, an independent Swiss development organization that is building capacity in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
Through this collaboration there will be a chance for culture and arts practitioners and sustainable development professionals to have two-way exchange and learning from one another. It will offer SEAΔ Fellows a unique chance to develop new perspectives about the similarities and differences between arts and culture and the development sector. And it will offer SEAΔ Fellows a practical experience of working with non-arts partners and communities to solve social and development challenges.
How does SEAΔ work?
The approach of SEAΔ is experiential learning. The program is designed to allow for co-creation, collective working and collaboration, and to give Fellows opportunities to develop confidence, resourcefulness, entrepreneurialism and other skills. The program will actively grow the Fellows’ networks in and understanding of South East Asia, increase mutual learning and seed collaborations between arts and other sectors.
All 10 Fellows will come to SEAΔ with the aim of reflecting on how their work in arts and culture can contribute to sustainable development within South East Asia through their individual and collective action.
During the program, the Fellows will collaborate with each other over 4 stages:
- to exchange ideas and experience,
- create on-the-ground research and collaboration related to elements of the Helvetas bio-trade project
- share the results and learnings of that research and collaboration to the public
- reflect on the experience.
At each SEAΔ gathering Fellows will also build their skills and networks, through dialogue, guest speakers, activities and visits integrated into the program. All four sessions are guided by their two Creative Facilitators, Sudebi Thakurata and Nicola Turner. By the end of the year, Fellows will have visited multiple SEA countries, expanded their knowledge of the role arts can play in society, and developed their skills and talents.
Benefits
The program is an opportunity for applicants to develop themselves, to develop and work with others, and to make an impact on society:
- Skills and personal development: presentation skills, advocacy & influencing skills, entrepreneurial thinking, individual personal development plan and dialogue and development from mentors & inspiring speakers from different sectors
- Partnership development: new professional and personal networks through collaborative working, regional travel and peer mentoring
- Knowledge and values: Exposure to the diverse histories, social, economic and cultural context of SEA through travel to four Asian countries during the one-year program and a deeper understanding of the unique role that arts & culture can play in the South East Asia’s sustainable development
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply to SEAΔ applicants must be a citizen of one of the eligible countries, resident in that same country for the majority of the year, and fit the profile below:
- Committed to a career in arts and culture (with at least 5-10 years existing experience in the sector)
- Are already engaging with social and development issues through their work in the arts and culture
- Are active and engaged in the arts sector in their home country
- Have led other people to realise projects or programs in their home country (this can be informal)
- Have some experience of working with regional peers/partners (whether at home or in another country)
- Be able to communicate comfortably in English (speaking and listening essential, and basic reading and writing for email communication needed) which will be the shared language of the program
Applicants from Taiwan must also:
- Have an existing connection to South East Asia culture sector, and a clear desire and intention to grow their collaborations with South East Asia
- Be culturally sensitive and able to blend into the cultural context of the program and the region
Applicants from the UK must meet all the criteria above, and also:
- Must be a UK citizen and have a strong, current connection to South East Asia which will enable to sustain networks after the program finished and have a clear intention to grow their collaborations within South East Asia.
- Culturally sensitive to the cultural context of the program and the region
They especially want to hear from applicants who have not had significant regional or international experience already and for whom this program would be a real opportunity to move to a new level in their work. They encourage applications from women, and people living with disabilities.
For UK candidates, they strongly encourage applications from people of South East Asian backgrounds due to under-representation in programs of this type.
What commitment is expected from SEAΔ Fellows?
The program is fully funded, i.e. economy class travel, accommodation, meals and the cost of all activities included are covered by the program. However, participants must be able to commit to the whole program. Provisional dates and approximate time commitment are:
- SEAΔ Exchange: 5 facilitated days, in Phnom Penh, November 21st – 25th 2019
- SEAΔ Create: Estimated 3-5 days, but exact duration and location determined by the Fellows and their Helvetas counterpart. January – March 2020
- SEAΔ Share: 3-4 facilitated days, in June 2020. Exact dates and location to be confirmed.
- SEAΔ Reflect: 3 facilitated days, in Vientiane, during September 2020 (exact dates to be confirmed)
The exact dates for SEAΔ Share and Reflect will be published online by July 31st 2019.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can apply via given website.
For more information, visit https://mekongculturalhub.org/portfolio/sead-program/