Artists want PM Prayut to fire Bangkok governor over art centre grab

[webfact]

Artists want PM to fire Bangkok governor over art centre grab

By PHATARAWADEE PHATARANAWIK 
THE NATION

 

 

THE Artists Network for Free BACC will hold a discussion at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) tomorrow over a proposed letter to PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha asking that he dismiss Bangkok Governor Asawin Kwanmuang over plans for the city administration to take over the running of the art centre.

 

On the same day, the Bangkok governor will hold a meeting to find a final solution to turn the cultural centre into a “learning” centre. “We will propose three requests to the prime minister. First we want the BACC Foundation to continue running the art centre, as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA] has no experience in running an art centre. Second, funding the art centre has to be a BMA policy.

 

Finally, we will ask for the dismissal of Governor Asawin,” Vasan Sitthiket, leader of the Artists Network, told The Nation.

 

Asawin last Thursday announced his plan for the BMA to take over the BACCC operations from the non-profit Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Foundation, drawing a strong reaction on social media over the weekend. Many Thai artists posted their reactions on their Facebook pages. 

 

As running an art centre requires particular expertise, artists and culture experts have questioned the management skills of the BMA bureaucrats.

 

Meanwhile Kallaya Kassakul, the artist network coordinator, on Saturday posted a call on www.Change.org for supporters to join a hashtag action, #freebacc. As of Sunday 7pm, more than 6,700 supporters had agreed to fight to free the art centre from the BMA and allow the Art and Culture Centre Foundation to continue running it.

 

After annually funding the centre for 10 years since its doors opened, the BMA this year cut back funding. The governor announced he would assign the Culture, Sport and Tourism Department of the BMA to run the city-funded art centre.

 

 “As the BMA annually provides Bt40 million in funding to the foundation, it is better that BMA officials operate the city centre,” the governor said in announcing his plan.

 

“We will lease the ground floor area in order to earn more money so as to cut the losses. We will convert the exhibition floors into a new learning centre,” the governor said.

 

The BMA claimed that the foundation running the centre was in the red annually. BACC director Pawit Mahasarinand defended the centre’s loss. “The BACC Foundation has a contract to operate the BACC until 2021.

 

Last year, the BMA supported the centre with Bt45 million, and the foundation raised another Bt37 million from corporate sponsorship, management of venues and other income, to cover such expenses as personnel, PR, etc. The total income was Bt82 million, against the expenditure of Bt75 million,” the director said. “Last year 1.7 million people visited the art centre of whom 35 per cent were students,” Pawit said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30345299

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-14

[Thian]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

Second, funding the art centre has to be a BMA policy.

 

Why not start selling tickets? Real art will sell itself.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

First we want the BACC Foundation to continue running the art centre, as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA] has no experience in running an art centre. Second, funding the art centre has to be a BMA policy.

we want to run it , but you have to pay for it; nice

[Kerryd]

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

we want to run it , but you have to pay for it; nice

That's what it sounded like to me as well. They don't want that 7 mil(+) in profit going into someone else's pocket. 

[Juan B Tong]

Art center or show room for Thai approved artists who suck up to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Foundation?

 

I kind of wonder which hi-so names are on the board of this foundation.

 

I like the learning center idea better than the government sponsoring a hi-so hangout.

 

The foundation should freely pull its own pudd, but pay it's own way.

 

 

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

Though I have never been all that impressed with the art exhibits that this center puts on, the building is amazing, and it does seem that they do work for the community, and have programs for the kids, which is a good thing. The governor is lost. He knows nothing about anything. Not a good thing for him to have anything to do with this place. He has amply demonstrated that art and culture is something he does not care one iota about. Keep him away. He is a clown, and a fool. 

 

If you are in Bangkok, and want to experience really high quality fine art, go to MOCA. It is up near Don Muang. It is an astonishing museum, an incredible space, and the collection is superb. The best art I have seen in Thailand, and prior to seeing this place, I had no idea that Thai artists were creating work on this level.

 

A must for any lover of art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Bangkok (MOCA) houses the most comprehensive collection of modern painting and sculpture in Thailand inside a striking, purpose built gallery. The five storeys of MOCA contain over 800 pieces of art collected by communications magnate Boonchai Bencharongkul and showcase the development of Thai fine art since the introduction of modern western concepts. The museum is open from 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Monday), and costs 180 baht for the general public. It costs 80 baht for students and for visitors over the age of 60 or under 15, admission is free.

Read more at: http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/moca.htm?cid=ch:OTH:001

 

http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/moca.htm

 

 

[Srikcir]

Transferring from the non-profit Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Foundation (aka private) to BMA whose governor is a Prayut appointee (after Prayut removed the previous elected governor with Article 44) can potentially subject the center to censorship and/or make it into a pro-military propaganda vehicle. Put a couple military officers and/or pro-military supporters on the board and say goodbye to any art that doesn't please Prayut et al and/or doesn't meet his standards for national, cultural and Buddhist traditions.