The Studio Residencies for Southeast Asian Artists in the European Union (SEA AiR) project illustrates the transformative power of cultural exchange. Funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI), SEA AiR brought together Southeast Asian artists and European art institutions, fostering creative dialogue and mutual understanding across regions. The successful implementation of this initiative was made possible through close cooperation between the EU Delegation to Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University’s Centre for Contemporary Art (NTU CCA) in Singapore.
Artists from Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia took part in residencies across six EU countries (Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania and The Netherlands), immersing themselves in new cultural contexts and producing works inspired by their journeys. Their creations were showcased during the Singapore Art Week, Southeast Asia’s leading contemporary art event. As the EU Delegation to Singapore received its first national Arts Award (The Patron of the Arts Awards) in Singapore for SEA AiR, this project stands as a model for how diversity, dialogue, and development thrive through cultural exchange. This pioneering initiative not only facilitated artistic exchange and collaboration but also bolstered cultural diversity and strengthened ties between the EU and the vibrant arts community of Southeast Asia.
The Patron of the Arts Awards, instituted in 1983, celebrate and recognise organisations and individuals who have significantly contributed to the arts’ development. The EU received this esteemed award last year for the first time. This underscores the commitment to fostering artistic exchange and promoting cultural understanding.
SEA AiR Artists & Institutions
Cycle 1
Hoo Fan Chon (Malaysia – residency at HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme, Finland)
Citra Sasmita (Indonesia – residency at WIELS Brussels, Belgium)
Vuth Lyno (Cambodia – residency at Villa Arson Nice, France)
Cycle 2
Priyageetha Dia (Singapore – residency at Jan van Eyck Academie, The Netherlands)
Ngoc Nau (Vietnam – residency at Rupert, Lithuania)
Saroot Supasuthivech (Thailand – residency at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Germany)
