ASEF-supported THRIVE workshop networks networkers

Leaders of international culture networks and invited guests, representing 16 countries in Asia and Europe, gathered in Singapore on 28-31 August 2015 at the THRIVE workshop organised by the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA), European League of Institutes (ELIA) and Arts Network Asia.

Cultural network leaders met at the LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in August 2015

The workshop, attended by 20 participants, and a related public forum, were held at LASALLE College of the Arts thanks to a partnership with the Faculty for the Creative Industries. Both events were supported by ASEF Creative Networks of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and by the National Arts Council of Singapore (NAC).

The aim of the workshop, which was organised to coincide with the Singapore International Festival of Arts, was to share experiences and discuss ways to improve the operations and impact of networks. Workshop sessions covered corporate governance and network leadership; evaluating the impact of networks and improving practices; diversifying funding sources; communications, advocacy and building alliances; and regional issues.

Public Forum as part of THRIVE-Networking Culture Leaders in Singapore on 31 August 2015

The public session, held on Monday 31 August 2015, attracted 80 participants to hear 4 of the network leaders give presentations on the topic: 'Global Issues for International Culture Networks: Perspectives from Asia and Europe’.

The topics debated were wide ranging and included: the need for networks to engage more actively both within their memberships and outside the culture sector; ways to encourage the involvement of the next generation of culture leaders in networks and provide training opportunities; the interest in increasing networking within the culture sector in Asia; ways to promote the value of networks and to advocate on behalf of culture in general; the challenges of sourcing financial support for international networks from funders that are often focussed on national, regional or issues-based agendas; the challenge for networks of taking an informed critical position on sensitive issues; and understanding and celebrating networks as living entities that are born, develop and may eventually cease to exist and how to manage those transitions.

The workshop was informed by an IFACCA Discussion Paper, ‘International Culture Networks: A Preliminary Analysis’, based on a worldwide survey of culture networks. This paper will be further developed and published as a D’art Report in October.

Participants included: