ARTHINKSOUTHASIA

ARThinkSouthAsia is a management, policy and research programme in the arts and cultural sector. Initiated in 2010 by the Goethe-Institut in India, supported by the British Council since 2013 and the Piramal Art Foundation since 2014, the programme is dedicated to founding and supporting a cadre of arts managers committed to the cause of capacity building in the South Asian region. The development of a robust cultural infrastructure in the region is crucially dependent on the emergence of such a cadre of cultural professionals. Given that a large part of cultural production occurs within the not-for-profit sector driven by committed and passionate individuals who are looking to develop strategies for sustainability, that the rise of privately funded initiatives in the cultural sector such as festivals, theatres, galleries, auction houses, art funds, private museums and cultural foundations require trained art personnel, and last but not the least, that public sector institutions need revitalization and professionalization – it is clear that innovative cultural management within the cultural sector, as well as conversations around the role of cultural policy, the creative industries, and their role in our burgeoning cities and peri-urban areas, have become not just important, but necessary in South Asia today. In response to this need, ATSA’s programmes seek to empower arts managers in the planning and development of sustainable cultural organizations. Arts professionals learn critical management aspects such as strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, digital media, human resources, and financial planning, keeping cultural values as a core of the programme. International tutors bring a global perspective to the programme by sharing the best international practices in arts management. The programmes are aimed at the arts and culture sector in the wider South Asian region – encompassing Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – thereby developing an incredible network of peers across countries.