8 THE MONGOL MESSENGER

ART & CULTURE

Friday, November 30 , 2012

ARTS COUNCIL OF MONGOLIA

Arts Council of Mongolia marks its 10th anniversary
Creative partnerships help preserve Mongolias cultural heritage
By Teresa Nichols The Arts Council of Mongolia (ACM) is an arts and culture NGO, established in 2002 by Mongolian arts, civic, and business leaders with the support of the Mongolian Foundation for an Open Society (Soros Foundation). Its mission is to support the sustainable development of Mongolian arts and culture and the preservation of its cultural heritage. From March to November 2012, the ACM celebrated its 10th anniversary with a series of program launches and events which aimed to commemorate 10 years of creative partnership; promoting artistic excellence; preserving Mongolian cultural heritage; developing creative youth and children; and bringing arts to the public. Over the past ten years of operation, the ACM has established a strong infrastructure and positive public presence as well significant program and fundraising successes. By December 2011, the Arts Council of Mongolia had raised $4,100,000 and has expanded the geographic reach of its creative partnerships to form international ties with similar organizations in Central Asia, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. The ACM works to fulfill its mission through four different program areas: Artist Development, Arts Education, Cultural Heritage, and Advocacy. From 2002 to 2011, the ACMs Artist Development Program has supported 119 organizations and 100 individuals in carrying out their artistic initiatives through grants totaling over USD $500,000. One of the important impacts of the program is the increased professional & arts management skills of Mongolian artists through 92 short & long term trainings, exchange programs and projects in leadership, management, modern dance, visual art, film and theater involving more than 800 artists, art students & cultural workers. Another impact is the increased international cultural exchange and global mobility of Mongolian artists through large scale international projects such as Time & Space Korean and Mongolian arts residency program, Margaret Mead and East meets West international film festivals and modern dance performances from the USA and Canada as well as the touring of traditional Mongolian music ensembles and students of Music & Dance College & Culture Institute and artists from the State Circus to Canada, China, India, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the USA. The ACMs Arts Education program aims to promote critical thinking, creativity, lifeskills development and increased access to the creative process for young Mongolians, especially disadvantaged children and youth. The Arts Education program has implemented 58 arts education projects such as Focus on Kids, Rainbow Horses, We can-we are talented, Arts for Change and I can do it involving more than 25,000 children. Highlights of the program are the Road to change nationwide survey on arts education supported by the National Commission of UNESCO and the Culture Naadam festival held annually for the last five years with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The ACMs Cultural Heritage program was established in 2005 to preserve the richness and diversity of Mongolian cultural heritage and traditions by building capacity among Mongolian museums, providing heritage education, and promoting traditional culture and arts both locally and internationally. Over the last 7 years the program initiated and implemented 33 big scale projects such as Danzanravjaa museum preservation and Amarbayasgalant Monastery preservation projects supported by the U.S. Embassy, Chojin Lama Museum gardening project supported by Xanadu Mines LLC, Australia and the Monastery Mapping project supported by Khan Bank and Arts Council of Mongolia-United States sister NGO. The Cultural heritage program with support from the National Commission of UNESCO and Williamstown Conservation Center and other partners has organized 12 trainings involving 250 participants from regional and metropolitan museums and monasteries all over Mongolia. The focus of the ACMs Advocacy program has been to advocate for policies and legal structures that favor cultural development and to build partnerships with government and international organizations which support arts and cultural development. Over the past years, the program has implemented 27 projects including policy studies and international forums on Cultural policy & financing, Cultural Tourism, Social sector privatization and the Asian Chapter meeting of International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies. In order to increase public awareness about the importance and role of arts and culture in human and social development, the ACM has partnered with Mongolian National Public Television (MNTV) since 2008 in the production of Arts Network, a monthly nationwide TV program. ACM serves in the working group of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and has contributed to the development of a new Cultural Policy and Master Plan for Arts and Culture Development. In conclusion, in the last 10 years the ACM has invested $4,100,000 into Mongolian arts & culture, implemented 210 projects, involved 2,467 artists and cultural workers, 3,161 arts and culture & educational organizations, 25,574 children and youth, 88,806 audience members and partnered with 165 local & international organizations. In honor of its 10th anniversary, the ACM has organized the following projects in 2012: From the heart a contemporary art exhibition by J.Munkhtsetseg supported by Tseren Tours LLC, March 14-28, 2012 One of Mongolias most recognized artists, Munkhtsetseg speaks from the heart with every painting, and every sculpture she creates, turning the personal into something universal. Born in 1967 in Ulaanbaatar, Munkhtsetseg is one of the first Mongolian artists to be recognized internationally. This will be her first exhibition since 2011 and her first in Mongolia since 2004. Mongolia 100 years ago through a French photographers camera photo exhibition with support of the Ministry of Education, Culture & Science and in collaboration with the French Embassy to Mongolia and French Alliance of Mongolia, April-July, 2012 This exhibition at the National Gallery displayed photographs from Albert Khan, a French millionaire with a project from 1909-1931 that took photographs in over 50 countries of local culture and lifestyle to promote world peace. About 80 images and 50 color photographs Mongolia in the years 1912-1913 were displayed to Mongolian audiences, the first time such old photos were exhibited. Bringing the arts to you fundraising event to support students of the Music & Dance College, April 2012 Bringing the Arts to You was a project by the artist development program to support disadvantaged students and the Music & Dance College. The fundraising event was supported by OriFlame and Noyon Uul LLC. Museum in a box heritage education project supported by Has Bank, Xanadu Mines and ACM-US, April-November 2012 The Museum in a Box heritage education project was designed for schoolchildren around the country so they can interact with museums and with Mongolian heritage in an interactive, mobile, and tangible form. Based on a similar program run by the Burke Museum, a past partner from the U.S., these boxes cultivate future museum audiences, build capacity of museums and educators, and preserve and transmit cultural heritage to future generations. The Betrothed Italian theatrical performance supported by Ajigana Group, May 9, 2012 This performance was in honor of the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, and the theatrical performance is based on the first Italian historic novel. Supported by the Tuguldur Foundation, the Arts and Culture Department Implementation Agency of the Capital City Government, and sponsored by E. Tuul, the project aims to introduce world contemporary theatrical trends to a Mongolian audience and expand cultural exchange between Mongolia & Italy. Arts Journalism training supported by the U.S. Embassy, May 2012 The ACM organized Arts Journalism training for Mongolian journalists with support from the U.S. Embassy and Open Society Forum. The training was conducted by Douglas McLennan, U.S. editor of Arts Journal, and it provided local journalists with an introduction to arts journalism in print and online formats so they can produce quality work that is informative, critical, and educational. Lost & Found residency project with support of APU LLC, June 2012 The Arts Council of Mongolia initiated this residency project in Dundgobi and Umnugobi provinces to support innovation, experimentation and creativity of Mongolian artists and to increase their contribution to the development of human and rural areas. Through the residency, ACM worked to establish active partnerships between cultural organizations and individual artists and to promote cultural and creative exchanges between Ulaanbaatar, Dundgobi and Umnugobi provinces and encourage an innovative and dynamic arts community. Culture Naadam festival supported by Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and co-organized by METAA LLC, Korea & Mongolian University of Arts and Culture, July 11-12, 2012 For the fifth year in a row, the Arts Council of Mongolia has helped organize Culture Naadam, a summer cultural and arts festival that occurs alongside the Naadam horse race. Sponsored by Rio Tinto and Korean Gas, Culture Naadam involved over 50 artists, 100 volunteers and workers and anticipated over 15,000 Mongolians and 2,000 tourists. The festival aims to promote Mongolian nomadic culture and traditions to a domestic and international audience as well as to enhance the scope and quality of arts and culture offerings during Naadam. Arts Leadership programs supported by ACM-US and Norwegian Embassy in Beijing, March-July 2012 As part of the Young Leaders in the Arts program, which empowers young artists by enhancing their leadership skills and providing them with access to resources on arts management and networking, the ACM sent six Mongolian artists to the Oslo Jazz Festival. The project included a mentoring program, artist marketing kit development and international promotion, and travel and participation at the international festival in Norway. Time and space Mongolian Korean nomadic arts residency program supported by Arts Council Korea, funding by Nomadic Expeditions LLC, September 2012 This artist in residence program was developed to promote cultural and creative exchange between Korean and Mongolian artists and to increase the use of the arts in facilitating positive social change. In 2012, for the fifth annual year, the ACM hosted the residency program for five Korean and five Mongolian artists, curators, and dancers under the theme Reflection in Khuvsgul province. The works and joint artistic concepts and media installations were then exhibited in Ulaanbaatar. Spirit Australian modern dance performance of Bangarra Dance Theater from Australia supported by Rio Tinto LLC, September 22- 23, 2012. The Arts Council of Mongolia (ACM), with support from Rio Tinto, presented the dance show Spirit by Australias premier indigenous contemporary arts company Bangarra Dance Theatre. As a part of their visit Bangarra also conducted professional workshops for students and teachers of the University of Arts and Culture, and professional dancers of local Mongolian dance ensembles. Bangarras tour aimed to promote international cooperation and intercultural dialogue and understanding between Mongolia and Australia and to provide Mongolian audience an opportunity to experience outstanding performance of a world-class troupe combining the spirituality of traditional culture with modern storytelling. Stirrup Mongolian modern dance performance supported by Energy Resources LLC, October 24-25, 2012. The Arts Council of Mongolia held a grant competition, funded by Energy Resources LLC, to produce a new Mongolian modern dance piece. The Natur Dance Company was selected and given a Tgs20 million grant to produce Stirrup, a modern dance performance based on a story from the time of the ancient Hunnu but incredibly relevant to contemporary environmental issues. In partnership with the Tumen Ekh National Dance Ensemble, the Natur Dance Company performed the Duruu modern dance at the State Opera and Ballet Theater. Tour of Arga Bileg ethno jazz band to the USA, October 2012 Arga Bileg, a Mongolian ethnojazz band, recently toured three major cities in the U.S. with support from the ACM, their sister organization the ACM-U.S., and funding from the Trust for Mutual Understanding. Their exciting blend of traditional Mongolian instrumentation and folk music with contemporary and Western jazz techniques creates a unique combination of East and West, and the tour was very wellreceived by American audiences. Amarbayasgalant Monastery preservation project supported by U.S. Embassy, November 2012. Amarbayasgalant Monastery is one of the three largest Buddhist centers in Mongolia and is located in Selenge province. The monastery was partially destroyed during the Communist era, and the ACM has been working with the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science with funding from the U.S. Embassy for several years to repair and preserve the monastery complex. The current phase of the project has worked to protect the Amarbayasgalant monastery from the dangers of fire and theft by updating the buildings wiring, fire safety system, and general maintenance. 10 years of creative partnership ACM 10th anniversary party, 30 November 2012. During the anniversary party, past and present collaborators, program participants, donors, members, artists, and other honored guests gathered together to celebrate ten years of creative partnerships and to enjoy the vibrant arts and culture community that the ACM has helped nurture here in Ulaanbaatar. The theme of the anniversary is the tale of the Anar or pomegranate tree. Though pomegranates are not native to Mongolia, they represent how the founding of the Arts Council of Mongolia took the idea of an arts and culture NGO from the West under the guidance of George Soros and nurtured it in Mongolian soil, where it flourished. The five Anar fruits produced by the ACM over ten years include: Talent which nurtures the talents of individuals, Knowledge which gives children access to the arts and a new way of understanding the world, Treasure which preserves our cultural heritage, Vision which helps others see the connection between vibrant, free expression and a thriving civic society and Transparency and partnership which emphasizes the importance of being responsible and accessible to everyone and working together to meet our goals. The Arts Council of Mongolia is very grateful to its supporters, proud of its accomplishments over its first ten years, and looking forward to many more years of successful arts and culture work. For more information please visit our web site www.artscouncil.mn or call 319015.

Arts Council of Mongolia, Delta Foundation Center, IV floor, Tourists Street-38, Chingeltei District Tel/Fax: 976-11-319015 E-mail: education@artscouncil.mn Web: www.artscouncil.mn
The Mongol Messenger is operated by the government news agency MONTSAME and is printed by the MONTSAME. Home Page: www.mongolmessenger.mn;E-mail: monmessenger@magicnet.mn (ISSN 1684-1883)