The British Council is looking for proposals from senior cai luong artists and performers, as well as arts and cultural organisations engaging with the cai luong theatre form for projects that enable the teaching of cai luong to children and young adults. The objective of this grant funding is to actively promote the teaching, learning, understanding and sharing of this theatre form for the benefits of keeping it alive and engaging in the cultural life. This grant funding forms a part of the Community Cultural Heritage component of Heritage of Future Past or Di Sản Kết Nối, a Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth project in Vietnam.
Location: Ho Chi Minh City
Delivery time: Between December 2018 and June 2019
Background
Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth is a two-year pilot initiative, working in Colombia, Kenya, and Vietnam, exploring the use of cultural heritage for growth to benefit all levels of society.
Cultural heritage in this context means many things, from the constructed environment through to cultural traditions such as music and language. Inclusive growth means working with and for all levels of society in order to reconcile the divide between economic growth, and rising poverty and inequality.
We believe that when people engage with, learn from, value and promote their cultural heritage, it can contribute to both social and economic development. An inclusive way of working, that engages individuals at every level, can lead to economic growth and better social welfare. Heritage employed in this way can be a source of sustainability; a way to embed growth in the fabric of society and to celebrate the past in today’s evolving world.
For more information on the research and approach which forms the basis for this cross region, multi-national programme please visit www.britishcouncil.org/arts/culture-development/cultural-heritage.
In Vietnam, through engaging with elements of the country’s music and film heritage, especially those currently under-threat or under-represented, the project consists of two interconnected strands: Community Cultural Heritage, and FAMLAB (Film, Archive and Music Lab). Launched in April 2018, the project seeks to create opportunities for communities across the country to contribute to, and benefit from, the safeguarding and reinvigoration of their cultural heritage.
Activities include research, documentation, conservation, training and capacity building (including oral teaching techniques), experimentation and innovation, advocacy, policy and community dialogues, and support of the re-imagination and revitalisation of cultural heritage elements via contemporary practices.
Why teach cai luong theatre to children and young adults?
During the research and development stage of the Heritage of Future Past project, the research and community consultation team identified communities with coherent needs for preserving and developing their music and film heritage. The cai luong theatre was one of the key musical heritage forms that emerged from this stage, sharing the same challenges faced by communities of rich music traditions across Vietnam. Those challenges are:
- traditional performance spaces are shrinking
- the teaching and training of heritage assets are faced with many difficulties
- heritage assets do not provide livelihoods
- development projects lack community participation
- Inconsistent and slowly implemented reward and recognition policy.
The teaching and learning of the cai luong theatre plays a vital role in keeping this theatre form alive and relevant in today’s cultural life and benefiting the community of practitioners and audiences bound by it. The passing of skills and knowledge of the cai luong theatre to the younger generation will nurture the next generation of talents, as well as create opportunities where children and young adults can enjoy and learn about this theatre form as part of their own heritage and cultural identity.
About the grant
We offer a total of 200 million dong (approximately £6,500) in grant funding to support the teaching and learning of cai luong to children and young adults in Ho Chi Minh City. Project proposals should be initiated by senior cai luong artists, performers and arts and organisations engaging with the cai luong theatre form.
Grant value varies between 50 million and 100 million dong for each project proposal.
Requirements for project proposals
All project proposals should include:
- A project description using the form provided in Annex 1
- A budget plan using the form provided in Annex 2
- A portfolio or resume of the cai luong artists or performers involved in the project. Audio and visual recordings as well as photographs are welcomed.
All project proposals will be assessed following the evaluation criteria set in Annex 3.
How to apply
Please send your proposal to vnarts@britishcouncil.org.vn before 15 November 2018. Note that any files larger than 10MB should be sent via an internet link.
Successful proposal(s) will be notified by 1 December 2018.
We may contact prospective candidates for an interview between 15 November and 1 December 2018.
Inquiry
All queries should be sent to phuongthao.nguyen@britishcouncil.org.vn, marked CAILUONG3 before 25 October 2018.