A new EU studio residential programme for Southeast Asian artists

NTU Singapore and the European Union Delegation to Singapore today announced the partner institutions and artists selected for the inaugural cycle of SEA AiR – Studio Residencies for Southeast Asian Artists in the EU (SEA AiR).

SEA AiR is a new programme that positions Singapore as a hub for artistic exchange between the European Union and the vibrant Southeast Asian region. This happens in a landmark year as the EU and ASEAN commemorate the 45th anniversary of their relations.

Developed by NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (NTU CCA Singapore), the project is funded by the European Union's Foreign Policy Instruments. It offers selected artists a long-term engagement comprising a three-month residency in an EU country and the opportunity to create new works, inspired by the residency experience. These works will be presented to the public in Singapore in a group exhibition curated by NTU CCA Singapore.

Dedicated to artists who have not yet had a significant professional experience in Europe, SEA AiR pivots the creative and cultural exchange between Singapore and the European Union on emerging visual art practitioners by providing a significant platform for professional and personal growth through the format of artistic residencies in Europe and a curated group exhibition in Singapore. The residencies will be hosted by established contemporary art institutions that have been engaged as project partners.

For this inaugural cycle of the programme, the three institutional partners are: WIELS, Brussels (Belgium); HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme (Finland); and Villa Arson, Nice (France). With a strong commitment to artists and a long history of running residency programmes, these institutions provide a nurturing environment wherein artistic practices can develop through curatorial mentorship, peer-to peer dialogues, and engagements with the public.

Selected from a pool of 24 candidates nominated from curators and artists from across Southeast Asia, the three participants in the first cycle of SEA AiR are: HOO Fan Chon (Malaysia); Citra SASMITA (Indonesia); and VUTH Lyno (Cambodia).