Programme Type: Professional development programme for curators and arts managers
Format: Online mentoring and in-person intensive
Location: Online and Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Programme Dates:
- 1 July – 30 September 2026 (online mentoring)
- 21–23 August 2026 (in-person intensive, Bangkok)
Application Deadline: 31 January 2026
Eligibility Region: Southeast Asia; South Asia and Taiwan (Module 3)
Programme Fee: 37,000 THB / 1,000 USD (excluding travel and accommodation)
Scholarships: Two Thai scholarships available (tuition fee only)
Language: English
CULTIVATE is a professional development programme for curators and arts managers, targeting current staff of art entities and freelance operators, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia. The programme takes place online and in person and is a not-for-profit initiative of in-tangible institute. Module 3 is also open to applications from South Asia and Taiwan for the first time.
Programme Overview
CULTIVATE invites acclaimed experts as faculty to Bangkok to develop select arts professionals with the skills and networks to distinguish themselves and their affiliates as leading facilitators of contemporary art in the region. Each module combines an in-person intensive with a three-month practicum of periodic group and individual online meetings. Participants use their current projects or institutions as case studies for faculty consultation and problem-solving, concluding with submission of materials for assessment to guest faculty.
Each module features different invited faculty, and a dedicated open call is issued for every module.
About Module 3: Leadership
Module 3 focuses on Leadership, examining how to design, direct, implement, inspire, and sustain holistic structures of support in the arts. The module reflects on the financial, intellectual, and ethical impact of leadership decisions on arts ecologies, particularly in contexts shaped by political instrumentalisation, corporatisation of art, and uneven access to resources.
Key areas of inquiry include:
- Leadership models responsive to fragile and uneven cultural ecologies
- Governance, ethics, and values in working with artists and stakeholders
- Balancing personal research with institutional leadership
- Navigating relationships between private and government sectors
- Supporting artists’ methods and research as core to art ecologies
- Building effective networks that raise awareness of contemporary art’s social value
- Developing resilient, context-sensitive institutions addressing global concerns
Module 3 adopts a participant-led format, with faculty addressing the specific questions, dilemmas, and realities of participants rather than delivering formal presentations.
Structure of Module 3
- Co-convened by Zoe Butt and Adeline Ooi
- Seven faculty members, each mentoring two participants
- Online mentoring (one-to-one and group sessions) across three months
- In-person intensive hosted by Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Applications are assessed and finalised by in-tangible institute and the programme convenors.
Learning Outcomes
Participants develop leadership and practical skills to raise professional standards in facilitating contemporary art. Outcomes include:
- Expanding audiences and building community engagement
- Curating innovative programmes with international relevance
- Negotiating and collaborating with industry stakeholders
- Navigating cross-border programming
- Strengthening institutional and personal networks across the region and beyond
Eligibility Criteria
- Proficiency in spoken and written English
- Minimum three years’ experience in curatorial or arts leadership roles
- Demonstrated desire to be mentored
- Living and working as a citizen or permanent resident of:
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, or Taiwan
Application Guidelines
Art entities from eligible countries may sponsor participants; freelance applicants may apply independently. Two Thai scholarships are available (tuition fee only).
Applications must include:
- Statement of Query (maximum 500 words)
- Context statement outlining organisation or project background (maximum 500 words)
- Resume / CV (maximum two pages)
- Portfolio (maximum ten pages, up to four projects)
- Thai scholarship applicants: scan of Thai ID
- Affiliation details (if applicable)
Applications must be submitted as a single PDF (≤ 15 MB) via email to:
programs@in-tangible.org
Subject line: CULTIVATE Module 3 Application – [NAME]
Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 1 March 2026.
Programme Fee and Scholarships
- Programme fee: 37,000 THB / 1,000 USD per participant
- Travel and accommodation not included
- Two tuition-only scholarships available for Thai nationals
- CULTIVATE is a not-for-profit initiative; fees support programme delivery costs
