Chinese Arts Now (CAN) is a UK platform for artists who tell British Chinese stories in contemporary and innovative ways. It commissions, produces and presents work across the artforms with the intention of increasing understanding and appreciation of British Chinese arts and culture.
CAN artistic director An-Ting Chang's belief that the arts survive and prosper through the work of artists has led her to radically restructure the organisation, placing artists at its very centre.
Chang has created three new permanent Associate Artistic Director roles to work alongside her and a new, soon-to-be-appointed, executive director. As part of the creative leadership team, the Associate Artistic Directors will help develop the organisation's artistic strategy, lead and deliver on productions, build industry partnerships and curate and commission projects for the artistic programme, including the biennial CAN Festival.
The three new Associate Artistic Directors are writer, performer and filmmaker
Daniel York Loh, choreographer and theatremaker Si Rawlinson and multidisciplinary designer and artist Ling Tan.
Daniel York Loh says: "I'm enormously excited and grateful to accept one of the new positions which CAN has created in what is a bold restructuring at this difficult time for the arts. I'm very much looking forward to building on what the company has achieved so far as we interrogate, broaden and celebrate what 'Chinese' - with all its vibrant complexity, diversity and rich history - means in today's world, as well as continuing with the free-form combined arts and multi-media work we've collaborated on recently."
Si Rawlinson says: "It's really important to me as an artist of mixed heritage to be able to create space for different British Chinese perspectives, to foster understanding and connection between cultures, and present innovative Chinese art that deconstructs barriers and creates a lasting impact on audiences across the UK. I'm really excited to become one of the new associate artistic directors at CAN, working with the team to showcase artists who represent the diverse contemporary voices of the Chinese diaspora and to build CAN as a leading organisation showcasing Chinese art."
Ling Tan says: "As a Singaporean who came to the UK almost a decade ago to carve my own practice in participatory design, art, and technology, I'm excited to work with a community I identify with and explore ways that the voices of the under-represented and excluded can be represented on complex urban issues, like climate change, that affect everyone. Working with CAN, I look forward to presenting ways that art can activate the local Chinese community (including East and South East Asian) to make sense of, and affect, the environment through individual and collective actions."
An-Ting Chang says: "I found it ridiculous how few permanent roles for artists there are in arts organisations. If the current system doesn't support such roles, we invent them. The contracts with the new Associate Artistic Directors - permanent but part-time with flexible hours - are CAN's response to the current system. They are designed to enable artists to keep freelancing whilst having a solid voice and making a contribution to the organisation. We had many amazing applications. I'm glad that we are going to work with the three phenomenal artists we've chosen. Together we will lead productions and design commissions and artist development programmes which will involve even more artists."
The appointment of the Associate Artistic Directors adds to the extensive support CAN is now able to offer to BESEA artists. These include resources made available through the organisation's role as one of the associate companies at NDT Broadgate, itself a radical new resource for artists. As part of its residency there, Chinese Arts Now offers invaluable rehearsal and desk space free of charge to anyone with an artistic project that features East Asian artists in a key role.
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