Research by Vietnamese journalist Truong Uyen Ly has shed light on the reasons behind the closure of many creative hubs in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the study, there are around 40 creative hubs in the two biggest cities in Vietnam which are different in scale, type of activities, and field of operations.
A creative hub could be a co-working and networking space, a training institution, an investment fund, a place where all creative ideas are welcomed, an online information sharing forum, or a talk-discussion base for all creative people and those interested in art.
These places, where intellectuals and artistic people can meet, nurture and exchange their ideas, currently face many difficulties due to safety, financial problems, and a lack of management skills.
Opening and closing
Some of the oldest creative hubs in Vietnam were built within the last two decades, according to Ly’s paper, “The Mapping of Creative Hubs in Vietnam.” Salon Natasha might be the oldest, as it was established in 1990.
Located in just 60 square meters of space at 30 Hang Bong Street, in the heart of the Vietnamese capital, Salon Natasha is the home, studio, artist meeting and exhibition space created by the late Hanoi artist Vu Dan Tan and his Russian-born wife, Natalia (Natasha) Kraevskaia.
This space hosted many artistic events ranging from creative collaborations, exhibitions and spontaneous performances to international exchanges, and served as a new source of inspiration urging the establishment of other art spaces across Vietnam.
Besides Salon Natasha, other creative hubs that were set up in the 1990s included Nha San Studio (Stilt House Studio, established in 1998) in Hanoi, Gallery Khong Gian Xanh (Green Space Gallery, founded in 1997) in Ho Chi Minh City, and Anh Khanh Studio (opened to the public in 1999) in the capital city.
In her research paper, unveiled on December 11, Ly emphasized the significant increase in the number of creative hubs in the Southeast Asian country in the last few years, particularly since 2009, as each year people have created many new hubs.
After the 2010 opening of Ca Phe Thu 7 (Saturday Coffee), a café with free weekly art talks for the public, such creative spaces blossomed, including Zero Station in the southern city and Hanoi Rock City (both established in 2010), Manzi and Saigon Outcast (both founded in late 2012), Heritage Space and ADC Academy (both opened in 2014).
These places help diversify the creative scene, especially in terms of experimental music, film making, design and public access to art and culture, Ly said in her research.
However, many spaces have struggled with numerous problems during their operations, leading to many closures shortly after opening.
Gallery Bui, an art space opened in Hanoi in 2008, closed in late 2011. Some hubs were even shut down after just a year of operation, including the Center for Contemporary Art (opened in 2002, closed in 2003), or Zone 9 (established in early 2013 and closed in early 2014).
Why did creative hubs close?
In her paper, Ly discussed several challenges that hinder the operation of many creative hubs in Vietnam. Those challenges include unstable landlords, unsupportive authorities, expensive rent, and a lack of financial and human resources management skills.
“In Vietnam, there are too few people with art management skills, and without these skills, simple jobs can become very complicated,” the Vietnamese journalist quoted Do Thi Tuyet Mai, owner of 3A Station in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, as saying.
Manzi, a creative hub at 14 Phan Huy Ich Street in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District, is struggling to survive and has not made any profit even though it seems that the founders have tried their best to raise income and funds from a café, an art gallery and souvenir shops, Ly wrote.
Besides the need for financial support and investment, Ly stated that these art spaces also need to effectively manage their communication and PR strategies as well as organize more seminars and networking events which allow people to exchange their experiences.
Creative hubs provide not only an environment for artistic people to come and share their stories, but also jobs for many people, playing an important role in combating unemployment.
The closure of Zone 9, at Number 9 Tran Thanh Tong Street in the capital city’s Hai Ba Trung District, left a long trail of regret not only for art lovers but also for the 60 businesses and more than 1,000 staff members who earned their living there.
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Đăng ký: VietNam News
