The School of Design at Vidyashilp University recently hosted a workshop titled, Building Cultural Institution: Creative Entrepreneurship. Helmed by Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, a cultural curator from Hanoi, the program looked at guiding participants in their quest to becoming independent artists.

“Though traditional art has value we must look ahead. Contemporary art by its very definition covers a broader spectrum of creativity,” says Nguyen, currently the artistic director at Heritage Art Space, an independent art organisation in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The workshop involved a guided discussion on art and the individual, society’s relationship with art and the manner in which it is portrayed in media, art’s impact on social consciousness and its moral fabric, among other topics. According to Nguyen, there are parallels between the treatment of art in India and Vietnam.

“Much like in India, there was not just one form of art — every region had a specific style and often, it was nurtured and flourished in the village or community square,” he says, adding many instances of Vietnamese folk art depicted scenes from Buddhist and Hindu mythology as well as lettering and text in Sanskrit.

He added how the humid climate of the country was not conducive for paintings on paper, leading to more sculptures and installations being created. Nguyen believes the reluctance of citizens to visit museums is a vestige of colonial norms where these spaces were once the domain of the elite, akin to churches and cathedrals brought in by erstwhile rulers.

Discussions at the workshop which involved participants in the age group of 30-40 with a background in art, also revolved around the concept of living heritage and whether one must adapt to the changing times or remain authentic in a bid to retain traditional methods.

According to Vakhtang Tsereteli, a social creativity practitioner and educator from the University of Applied Arts Vienna, the aim of such collaborations is to foster collaborations and mutual understanding. “These leadership programs are important as they support the creation of new initiatives; new initiatives mean new workspaces and new roles in the society.”

“It’s all about multiplication. If we train one person in leadership, they create a new community and new jobs abound. Today, so many young people are confused professionally and need to find their role,” says Vakhtang, stressing on the need for courses on leadership initiatives, social design and institutional building.

Both Vakhtang and Nguyen believe in starting at a grassroots level that could later include residencies, exhibitions and workshops as well as partnerships with non-profits to aid in women empowerment and the upliftment of the underprivileged.

From July 8 to 15, the School of Design at Vidyashilp University, in collaboration with the University of Applied Arts Vienna, will be hosting an international Summer School focused on circular futures and social design.

Six experts from different fields such as waste management, social design and other contemporary world topics will conduct this “multi-directional, multi-disciplinary, intensive summer school program,” says Vakhtang.

Participation free, but registration compulsory. Details on vidyashilp.edu.in