Session Time: 14:30~16:00, Nov. 29
“What is the Role of Culture-Art Social Enterprise for the Low Income Class?”
On Nov 29th Monday, the social entrepreneurs from Korea and overseas got together throughout the second session of ASES2010 to discuss the projects of “Culture-Art Social Enterprises for the Low Income Class.
In the 2nd Plenary Session led by Jong-Whee Kim, Head of the Youth Network Enterprise, Jin-Yi Oh of Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture (SFAC), though not a ‘standard’ social enterprise, introduced SFAC’s culture-art support for the low income class in Korea. Oh said the SFAC currently runs several support programs: such as the Literature Course of Hope to support the homeless, the Banking Service to guide self-funding, and the Hope-Dream Project to help children from the low income class to overcome their cultural isolation.
Oh asked for advice and comments from participants as valuable for ongoing networking and improvement of their projects. He said that cases like “Hope-Dream Project” is a meaningful enterprise providing a range of support in Art from basic to professional level. 312 children of the low income class are currently participating and he added that “the foundation is also running a project to generate Art Educators in order to promote the employment of Art Majors.”
Yasuo Harima, from Japan, the Chairperson of Tanpopo-No-Ye Foundation, introduced his Foundation’s case where they created a new type of art, Art by the Disabled, in contrast to the stereotype view of the general public that looks down on the disabled as incompetent individuals with limits. He explained, “The social consciousness of the current generation is switching its focus from material things to the spiritual, and this change had drawn a growing interest in art by the disabled.”
In addition, he explained “The ABLE ART movement”, a movement which refers to the existence of the area of art where ONLY the disabled can portray. It has now extended its network to South Korea, The Philippines, and Thailand.”
Byung-Soo Kim, from Korea, of the social enterprise E-um, an entrepreneur in local culture-art business, defined culture as “the overall type of life beyond trend and genre.” He also attested “the importance of discussing what the local truly needs, in an attempt to change the current local circumstance. Local areas, despite their decent cultural resources, are becoming more unilateral after mass capital.”
Kenny Low of the Singaporean social enterprise City College Holdings Ltd., and Umesh Malhotra of Hippocampus Foundation in India did not attend this summit due in part to the Yeonpeyongdo incident on the peninsula last week. Instead their participation was replaced with their abstract on presentation. Mr. Low throughout his abstract addressed that “there is a tendency in Singapore to look down on commercial arts and that true artists should not publish their works for money.” He also suggested “the important role of social entrepreneurs to challenge these unspoken rules in society and change people’s mind so that the socially neglected class rather have an access to values than mundane supports.”
Umesh Malhotra, the CEO of Hippocampus Foundation, stressed his idea that “art education is very useful in utilizing the energy and creativity among suppressed children.” (Do not understand; did someone else read their papers?)
The Social Entrepreneurs participating in the 2nd Plenary Session, wrapped it up with an unanimous agreement to be critical and question the “skill-oriented” culture art-programs which only sought to train professional individuals. They determined that more importance be given to the role of art education which empowers individuals positively and help better their communities.
Before the Session ended, there was a viola performance by Da-Eun Park, a 14-year-old music apprentice who continued her education through the Hope-Dream Project initiated by the Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture. This performance by Park who became a musician through the SFAC Project, added a relevant dimension to the active atmosphere of the session.