Art and Resilience: Navigating Cultural Spaces in Crisis

Association for Myanmar Contemporary Arts’s Studio Grant Programme

My Own Words is a monthly series which features personal essays by practitioners in the Southeast Asian art community. They deliberate on their locality's present circumstances, articulating observations and challenges in their respective roles.

Recycling workshop at Soke Tan Studio, Yangon. Presented as part of the Artist Fund Cycle-4 Project, the studio grant programme is supported by AMCA.

I am an art and cultural professional, currently working in the Programme Team of Association for Myanmar Contemporary Arts (AMCA) as the Networking and Grants Manager. Over the past few years, Myanmar has endured a range of crises—pandemics, wars, and natural disasters. These challenges have not only disrupted everyday life but also significantly shaped the country’s art and cultural landscape, along with the creative spaces within it.

Myanmar society has a long-standing tradition of generosity, rooted in its collectivist culture and the absence of functioning state institutions. In response, communities have self-organised systems based on public fundraising and volunteerism. These systems are essential, supporting efforts from local social work to large-scale responses to disasters like pandemics, floods, and earthquakes.

However, the tradition of selling artwork as a fundraising method is relatively new. It gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many artists spent time online discussing how they could support efforts to address the crisis. One of the ways artists and collectors raised funds was through exchanging services and cultural materials such as artworks and collectibles like mini model figures, old books, rare comics or even used musical instruments. Objects and services which usually do not have a standard price tag or market value, would be transformed into appreciation gifts for donation in fundraising campaigns.

Dot2Dot: Experiencing the Echoes, installation view at Yoma Art Space, Taunggyi, Presented as part of the Artist Fund Cycle-4 Project, the Studio Grant Programme is supported by AMCA. 

Under normal conditions, the monetary value of art is often debated. But in times of crises, when an artist offers their work in exchange for material support, its value lies in the shared cause between the artist and the audience rather than in aesthetics or financial value. This dynamic turns the exchange into a form of mutual aid rather than traditional charity.

Through artworks and art spaces, the emotional bonds among people are strengthened, creating a broader sense of belonging. These shared experiences and emotions, bound by time and place, reflect American philosopher Arthur C. Danto’s idea that the work of art embodies meaning. In his book What Art Is (2023), Danto emphasised that art’s true significance lies beyond its material form. Instead, it is anchored in context, history, and shared experiences. His concept of contextual value finds clarity during times of crisis.

Installation view of artists Ellip and Elmoira’s Haviness exhibition. Presented as part of the Artist Fund Cycle-4 Project, the studio grant programme is supported by AMCA.

In the last two years, the number of art galleries in Yangon have increased significantly. As the local currency’s value dropped due to Myanmar’s uncertain political-economic situation, the wealthy class turned to modern and contemporary art as a financial asset. While collecting is not a new phenomenon, there is a shift in preference from cultural works that reflect traditional values. With more investments in commercial galleries, gallery owners now also need to balance between artistic merit and commercial viability.

The growing demand for art also reflects a need for people to find relief from the hardship and trauma caused by political instability and economic challenges. In the post-pandemic period, art therapy practices have become more common in community-based art projects. Many galleries continue the tradition of free entry to offer the public a temporary escape from reality.

“The growing demand for art also reflects a need for people to find relief from the hardship and trauma caused by political instability and economic challenges. In the post-pandemic period, art therapy practices have become more common in community-based art projects.”

However, as Myanmar lacks state funding for cultural activities, these spaces are often run by artists or community organisers, who are sustained through the sale of artworks. The works of established artists tend to be more commercially viable as compared to those of early-career artists who often have other interests in growing their practice. Emerging artists struggle for visibility and professional connection, especially if they are not from Yangon. With the current political situation, opportunities for international cultural exchange are also limited. It has become increasingly difficult for artists to balance having jobs that bring in regular income, while maintaining their practices and operating alternative spaces.

In 2023, AMCA launched a studio grant programme as part of the Artist Fund Cycle-4 project. It was designed to support artists from all disciplines by providing them grants that will go towards paying for dedicated studio spaces. These grants aim to not only benefit the recipient artist or artist group but also to foster the development of art communities across various regions in Myanmar. Through this initiative, AMCA seeks to promote artistic growth, encourage collaboration, and enhance the overall art ecosystem. The grant is open to applicants working in various artistic disciplines, including but not limited to: visual arts, performing arts, music, literature, multimedia, and interdisciplinary projects. Generous support for this project has been provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and Helvetas, who jointly contributed the funds.

Try Expression Studio in Yangon, Myanmar. Presented as part of Artist Fund Cycle-4 Project, the studio grant programme is supported by AMCA.

Akhat Alat 2nd Edition: Orientation and Film Screening in Yangon. Presented as part of Artist Fund Cycle-4 Project, the studio grant programme is supported by AMCA. 

After a careful selection process with judges, the 2023 grant went to 10 awardees from communities and regions such as Shan, Kachin, Kayah, Rakhine state, and Tanitharyi. Across four to six months, grant recipients were expected to utilise their studio space for artistic creation and public engagement through regular open studio events, workshops, or artist talks. Recipients made magic and transformed their spaces for different functions. For instance, the living room of a private house was turned into a screening space, a storage room became an exhibition venue, a carport was used as a workshop space, and a dining table for workshops.

The grant programme impacted not only artists, but also the communities in their neighbourhoods. This included children, who expressed themselves through the artistic activities. The traditional teashop table, where peer learning and sharing happens in community, had become quiet after the COVID-19 pandemic and implementation of laws that limit public gathering. Events such as artist talks have become alternative learning spaces for the youths and young artists.

The project successfully concluded with numerous vibrant cultural spaces that served the various needs of their respective communities during the given timeline. Sadly, some of the spaces have since closed due to the instability caused by war and conscription. Nevertheless, the situation in Myanmar reflects growing cultural capital accumulation and community cultural wealth. This is seen in the rise of commercial creative spaces alongside grassroots initiatives which mobilise art in service of mutual aid and community resilience.

This article is a part of CHECK-IN 2025, our annual publication. You can purchase the physical edition (with access to the digital copy) for SGD38, or the digital copy for SGD5 here.