On Friday 11th September 2020, Unlimited held the online event, Reimagining Arts Commissioning, in partnership with Bagri Foundation. A panel discussion chaired by cultural organiser, producer and facilitator Joon Lynn Goh in conversation with artist panellists Kai Syng Tan, Mohammad Fastami Barrangi and Omeima Mudawi-Rowlings, where they explored future possible processes for commissions that can be more accessible, diverse, inclusive, and collaborative, meeting the needs of a much wider range of artists in the cultural sector. The event forwarded a provocative mix of ideas, challenging the status quo and providing much food for thought. The transcript of the event can be accessed on the Unlimited website as both Microsoft Word document and a PDF.
Unlimited invited its alumni artist, Ashokkumar Mistry, to reflect on the event and the Bagri Foundation is glad to be able to share his blog post:
‘I feel quixotic at times, talking about disability. Covid-19 has, however, brought disability into focus. It has also highlighted vulnerability amongst people with managed health conditions such as asthma and diabetes, who did not consider themselves disabled. But ableism is something that is so ingrained into human cultures that it is easy to feel gaslit into thinking one is tilting at windmills of barriers that don’t exist. However, listening to three artists during the Reimagining Arts Commissioning event – hosted by Unlimited and Bagri Foundation – brought a stillness and clarity I rarely experience.’ Read the full piece here.
Applications for the Bagri Foundation’s two Unlimited Research & Development Awards are open from the 1st of October 2020, read more about eligibility criteria and how to apply here.
