The  Connections Through Culture grants programme nurtures fresh cultural partnerships between the Asia Pacific region and the UK. These grants support new ideas and collaborations from artists and cultural organisations at any stage of development.

The grants supported in this round of the Connections Through Culture programme focus on two areas: diversity and inclusion and addressing climate change. New ideas to address global challenges will be created by collaborating across borders and artistic disciplines.

The grants support new connections and build long-term relationships and collaborations between artists, cultural professionals, arts and cultural organisations, networks, and collectives. 

2024 Grant Recipients: Thailand

BOLÉRO: Music and Dance Performance

UK: Pett Clausen-Knight Dance

Thailand: Bangkok City Ballet, Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra

This collaborative project explores and reinterprets Maurice Ravel's Boléro through a unique fusion of cultural influences. By integrating contemporary dance elements with UK dance styles and blending them with traditional Thai dance, the project offers a fresh interpretation of Ravel's iconic composition. 

Hit the North Chiang Mai

UK: Seedhead Arts

Thailand: Dream Space Gallery

Hit the North Chiang Mai is a sustainable street art festival created by Seedhead Arts and Dream Space Gallery. This collaboration aims to raise the profile of street art as a medium of artistic expression and use street art to raise awareness of the collective action needed to address climate change. 

Holding the Door Open

UK: Daryl and Co

Thailand: BICT Fest

“Holding The Door Open” is a partnership between Daryl & Co and BICT Fest, in collaboration with Rainbow Room and Chulalongkorn University, to enhance access and inclusion in the arts. Through online exchanges and an inclusive residency, disabled and non-disabled artists explore the Social Model of Disability and the aesthetics of access. 

Indigo Flow: Tales from the Nation's Streams

UK: Laura Darling

Thailand: Oak Chakrapan Suwanphanich

Nestled in Phrae Province, Natong is a hidden village where Thai locals and hill tribe members coexist harmoniously with nature.Pristine streams and lush surroundings foster a unique ecosystem of spirulina, indigo plants, and freshwater turtles. 'Indigo Flows' will produce a bilingual animated video and graphic novel to share its story, highlighting Natong’s sustainable practices and cultural richness. 

National Opera Complex

UK: Gasworks

Thailand: Tanat Teeradakorn

A new commission by Bangkok-based multidisciplinary artist, musician, DJ, and graphic designer Tanat Teeradakorn, explores the parallel histories of Thailand and the UK through references to pop culture, revolution, and monarchy. The exhibition will contain an installation mimicking a tourist souvenir stand, with products illustrating refusal and resistance. 

 

Phytophones: Exploring sustainability in contemporary music

UK: Alexandros Spyrou

Thailand: Wannapha Yannavut

Phytophones is an innovative artistic collaboration that integrates sustainable practices into the composition and performance of contemporary art music. The project explores new sonic and aesthetic possibilities through green artistic practices, renewable materials, and intercultural exchange. 

 

Streetwise: Grit & Glow in Peckham and Bangkok

UK: Ragini Khurana

Thailand: Associate Professor Dr Supitcha Tovivich

'Streetwise' explores the complex impact of gentrification in London’s Peckham district and Bangkok’s historic district. It examines urban renewal, cultural coexistence, and community revitalisation through street photography, artistic experiments, and participatory workshops. The project promotes creative economic growth while preserving cultural heritage, ensuring communities remain central to their evolving narratives.

 

[AR]t City Canvas

UK: Liam Mason (Ohi Studio)

Thailand: Sufee Yama (Utopia Lab)

[AR]t City Canvas is a tech-forward project merging art and AR technology, creating a new kind of city art walk trail that transforms Bangkok and London into captivating open-air museums. Pulling art out of the walls and into the streets, this initiative brings an immersive experience for locals and visitors, showcasing Bangkok and London as vibrant and innovative cities.