Japan Foundation Thailand | call for project proposals - new formats for cultural exchange

The Japan Foundation, Bangkok is seeking for project proposals to raise up new ideas and approaches on how to implement and/or experiment cultural exchange projects, aiming to promote cutural exchange between Japan and Thailand (project site in Thailand or online) and/or regional exchange in Asia. The programme is called: Solidarity in Social Distancing: Cultural Exchanges in the New Normal Life.

Eligibility and Priority

	•	This call is open to any nationality of individuals, teams and non-profit organizations (e.g. universities, research institutes and academic associations, NGO/NPOs).
	•	Project site should be in Thailand or implemented via online platform.
	•	Project details are expected to promote cultural exchange between Japan-Thailand and/or regional exchange in Asia.

The Coronavirus outbreak has spread in many places all over the world. The lockdown has been implemented in order to halt the spread of virus; however, it is placing a pressure on economy and social mechanisms. Just like many sectors, this crisis has disrupted cultural and creative production and gradually shifted the world to “new normal” with the culture of “social distancing.”

Amidst this social distancing, how can we engage in cultural exchanges?

Today, more than ever, the importance of culture and creativity for society is clear. The availability of cultural content and international cultural exchanges contribute to people and social well-being, and ultimately reducing the distrust, misunderstanding, and prejudice catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The real pleasures of cultural exchange experiences are stemmed from the empathies and mutual understanding embodied in the feeling that we have experienced something stimulating together in the physically shared time and space with the people in different cultural background.

The challenges we are facing now are, thus, how we can foster compassion, empathy, and mutual trust through cultural exchanges, and enhancing a feeling of solidarity with deeper mutual understanding in the era of “social distancing,” without relying on the benefits of physical encounters by orthodox cultural exchange practices.

With this kind of circumstance and context, The Japan Foundation, Bangkok would like to invite all of you to join our open calls for new ideas and approaches on how to implement and/or experiment cultural exchange projects with us, so that it could activate the power of the arts, people-to-people exchanges to create the space to spark comprehensive dialogue, fuel inspiration, and build lasting relationships across borders.

These newly initiatives would maintain our international connectivity within and beyond our regional and global network of alumni, partners, and supporters.

The deadline for submissions: By 30 May 2020