British Council – Awakened Spaces

Hanoi : Fri 27 Mar, 6pm
Fine Arts University of Hanoi

Awakened Spaces Competition Awards Ceremony

Panel Discussion on ‘The Role of Arts in Urban Public Spaces’

In December 2008, the British Council, in co-operation with the The thao Van hoa newspaper launched a competition called ‘Awakened Spaces’. The competition sought engagement from the public to identify buildings, streets and other public spaces that they would like to see improved or transformed. The public space identified in the competition will be the subject of a collaborative ‘intervention’ by UK and Vietnamese artists in 2009.

“Awakened Spaces” is part of an artistic regional project entitled ‘Transforming Public Spaces’ which looks at how artistic interventions can help transform and improve cities. The project has been taking place simultaneously in China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Vietnam and Thailand since 2008.

As next step of this project, the British Council and The thao Van hoa newspaper are organising a panel discussion on ‘The Role of Arts in Urban Public Spaces’ which will take place at the

Fine Arts University of Hanoi,
42 Yet Kieu

The evening will start with two inspiring artistic interventions in the front yard of the University which include an image projection by British artist Barnaby Steel (who previously exhibited at British Council Hanoi) and Vietnamese artist Tri Minh (who is organising Hanoi Sound Stuff), and a dance improvisation by +84 contemporary dance group of Hanoi. There will also be a small exhibition featuring a selection of photos and ideas from the competition ‘Awakened Spaces’ in the main hall of the university.

Following the prize announcement of the competition, the panel including British artist Natalie Woolf, architect Phạm Thuý Loan, visual artist Trần Lương, Dr Michael DiGregorio from the Ford Foundation and architect Đào Ngọc Nghiêm, former director of the Hanoi Department of Urban Planning and Architecture will discuss about the importance of the arts in public spaces in cities with reference to Vietnam and the UK.

They will also talk about the role of artists and community involvement in bringing arts to public spaces, with examples of successful artistic intervention projects in the UK and Vietnam.

The British Council believes this discussion will partly help raise public awareness of the role of the arts in shaping cities in Vietnam today, and raise awareness amongst city leaders of the importance that culture can play in regenerating cities, and the benefits of involving its citizens in the process.

Invitation to the event can be collected from the British Council, 20 Thuy Khue, from 20 March 2009

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A discussion on the same subject will also be held in Ho Chi Minh City on 29 March 2009 with the participation of British artist Natalie Woolf, visual artist Nguyen Quan, architect Ho Duc Vinh and Mr Nguyen Trong Hoa- Director of Strategy Development Institute.

Invitation to the event can be collected from the British Council, 25 Le Duan, District 1 from 23 March 2009

British Council 20 Thụy Khuê Tây Hồ, Hà Nội Tel: 84 (0)4 8436780 Fax: 84 (0)4 8434962 Email: [email protected] www.britishcouncil.org/vietnam