The Arts Council of Mongolia (ACM) was formed in 2002 to promote sustainable development of Mongolian arts and culture. In 2019, ACM expanded partnerships to over 28 countries and raised $707,482 to fund 36 projects benefiting over 800 artists. Major programs included the Ulaanbaatar International Film Festival, arts education initiatives reaching over 500 children, and cultural heritage preservation projects. ACM works to nurture artistic excellence, preserve cultural heritage, and promote the role of arts in society.

1. Friday, December 6, 20198 THE MONGOL MESSENGER
Arts Council of Mongolia, Delta Foundation Center, IV floor, Tourists Street-38, Chingeltei District Tel/Fax: 976-11-319015 E-mail: marketing@artscouncil.mn Web: www.artscouncil.mn
ARTS COUNCIL OF MONGOLIA
ARTS
COUNCIL
OF MONGOLIA
ARTS & CULTURE
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In 2002, business, civic, and arts
leaders of Mongolia formed the Arts
Council of Mongolia (ACM), a non-
governmental organization with the
mission to promote the sustainable
development of Mongolian arts and culture
and preservation of cultural heritage. Its
activities include the support of Mongolian
art institutions and individual artists
through programs promoting international
exchanges, and raising awareness of
Mongolian arts and artists. While also,
advocating for more creative cooperation
of the private and public sectors towards
initiating art education and cultural
heritage activities.
In 2019, ACM expanded its geographi­
cal network for cultural partnerships.
ACM initiated new collaborations with
artists and organizations from Australia,
Switzerland, UK, Sweden Canada,
Netherlands, Austria, France, Ger­many,
Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, Indo­nesia,
Sin­gapore, China, Korea and the USA.
ACM successfully maintained its sta­ted
objec­tives including supporting artistic
excellence, enhancing international coope­
ration, preserving cultural heritage and pro­
moting the role of arts and culture in human
and social development. Since ACM’s
establishment, US$7.5 million has been
raised to carry out organizational priorities
and objectives.
The year to date, has seen ACM raise a
total of US $707.482. These funds supported
the implementation of a total of 36 projects,
13 of which were new initiatives.Altogether,
21 local and international cultural orga­ni­
zations and 882 artists benefited from our
activities. ACM activities reached out to
a total of 553 children, 25.500 public and
social media posts reached over 600.800
people.
The Art Program highlights for the
year were the 11th edition of Ulaanbaatar
International Film Festival and the 4th
edition of Ulaanbaatar International Media
Art Festival, both successfully held with
enriched artistic excellence programs.
Sustaining these international festivals helps
to promote cultural diversity, introduce
world renowned films and media art works
to local audiences. This in turn builds local
artists’ capacity and increases international
cooperation within the industry. In the
framework of the Community Education
Program ACM implemented “Re-Imagine
Ulaanbaatar” community engagement
project with a slogan “My City-My Home”.
This initiative supports inclusive community
engagement and access to economic
opportunities in the Bayankhoshuu area of
Songinokhairkhan khoroo No.7,8,9,10, and
28 with support of the City Mayor’s Office
and the ADB. Overall activities included
a solid waste program at three schools
and a kindergarten; implementation of a
solid waste management survey; weekend
creative arts program for youth which
played a significant role in promoting arts
impact on human, social and economic
development. The Culture Heritage Program
focused on improving conservation of
cultural heritage sites through MCS Group’s
“Cultural Treasure” grant. With funding
from this grant ACM implemented Choijin
Lama Temple Museum Landscaping
project, Conservation Management Plan
and Condition Assessment of Choijin Lama
Temple Museum Structures, Preventive
Preservation of Amarbayasgalant
Monastery, Condition Study and Needs
Assessment of Bogd Khaan Palace
Museum. The “Cultural Treasure” grant
continues to invite individuals, private and
business organizations’ involvement in the
preservation of cultural heritage sites. In
the scope of this project, ACM nominated
Choijin Lama Temple Museum to the 2020
World Monuments Watch in June 2019,
with an aim to raise international awareness
and to seek technical assistance and funding
for the restoration of the temple museum.
To fulfil its mission, ACM continued
to run programs in four different areas:
Arts, Community Arts Education, Cultural
Heritage and Development.
The Arts Program focused on
nurturing artistic excellence among arts
and culture organizations and artists, with
building their capacities and enhancing
their international collaboration. A major
focus of the program included international
promotion of Mongolian arts and culture
and with bringing world talents to Mongolia
for creative exchanges.
Arts Program implemented 13 different
projects, trainings and international ex­
change programs in the field of film, dance,
music, visual arts and arts management,
and involved more than 600 artists and arts
managers and reached over 15000 people.
In July, the Arts Program implemented
the 4th edition of Ulaanbaatar International
Media Arts Festival and featured nine
curators from East and South East Asia. 26
artists from 11 countries provided creative,
imaginative and untold stories through
their expressions. The 11th Ulaanbaatar
International Film Festival, held in October,
presented 15 award-winning films that
have been selected in highly prestigious
international film festivals including
Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam and Berlinale.
In addition, the program provided a
networking platform of culture and expertise
exchanges for Mongolian artists, performers
and managers in the field of visual arts and
media. These creative exchanges were
achieved through initiatives such as Shining
Horses International Fellowship and Grant
competition, Nomadic Arts Residency and
World Wood Day. The program expanded
its network in visual and media arts, film,
and music with more than twenty-eight
countries around the world including
Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada,
France, Germany, China, Korea, Sri Lanka,
Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan,
Thailand, U.S and UK. In 2018-2019,
ACM organized the 11th edition of ACM
Fellowship program with support of ACM-
US.The aim of the Fellowship program is for
inducted fellows to enhance their leadership
and arts management skills, and promote
their collaboration skills and experience.
This year, the program has involved 20
emerging young leaders from film, visual
art, performing art, cultural heritage and
media fields and enhanced their networking
and practical experience by attending
a series of 22 trainings. ACM Fellows
were granted with an amount of $600 to
implement four different joint community
service projects which were intended to
encourage arts access and arts education
for youth and communities. Also, ACM
Fellowship Alumni Grant Competition,
with a total sum of 6 million MNT was
announced amongst all ACM fellows. In
total eight project proposal were received.
2018-2019 intake fellow J.Nomgonmaa’s
“Journey” contemporary dance performance
with wheelchairs won the competition. The
performance took place on the 28th of
September at the Ulaanbaatar Ensemble and
it involved four dancers on wheelchairs and
eight professional dancers.
The Community Arts Education
Prog­ram focused on promoting public awa­
reness of arts and culture and on increasing
the value of arts and culture for individuals
and on the development of Mongolian
society. With this focus, the program has
implemented 10 arts education projects to
nurture arts and cultural education of youth
and the public. The program contributed to
the education and professional development
of students in several ways. Scholarships
were awarded to 17 students and engaged
553 children (17 children with disabilities
and 390 from underprivileged communities)
in visual arts, classical music, dance and
film trainings to enhance their creativity
and self-esteem. Through the program,
ACM contributed to the professional
development of 65 music and visual art
teachers from 30 schools and collaborated
with 100 local artists, art students as well
as three Australian, three Korean and one
German partner. The program reached out
to 10,000 people through social media and
involved 1500 people in various events and
art exhibitions. With the support of new
international and local business partners,
ACM enriched its program content and
expanded its activities with local and
international partners.
The Cultural Heritage Program has
been continuing to contribute to the preser­
vation and promotion of both intangible and
tangible heritage of Mongolia and to raise
general public awareness on the importance
of cultural heritage. The program has created
andmaintainedastrongnetworkamongstate
parties, private businesses, international and
local organizations in charge of cultural
heritage preservation. In 2019, the program
focused on improving the conservation
of cultural heritage sites through MCS
Group’s “Cultural Treasure” grant. With
funding from this grant ACM implemented
five projects namely: Choijin Lama Temple
Museum landscaping project, Conservation
management plan and condition assessment
of Choijin LamaTemple Museum structures,
Preventive preservation ofAmarbayasgalant
monastery, Condition study and needs
assessment of Bogd Khaan Palace museum
and produced a “Zanabazar” documentary
feature film project. As a traditional event,
ACM organized the Culture Naadam for
the 12th year to promote five domains of
intangible cultural heritage and reached out
to 10.000 people.
The Development Program ensures
development of ACM and Mongolian
arts and culture by increasing its earned
revenues through building a creative
partnership with local and international
businesses. In 2019, eight organizations
and 32 individuals became ACM members.
The program continued its “Take a Break,
Lets Us Handle It!” services, held an ACM
Membership campaign and “Red Ger”
Creative Space activities continued to
facilitate events with quality tailor-made
art and business services. ACM runs the
“Red Ger” Creative Space, which hosted
exhibitions, workshops, trainings, film
screenings and much more. Over the course
of 2019, the space has organised and held 20
lectures, 13 receptions, 10 solo exhibitions,
six trainings, two meetings, and reached
an audience of over 600 in the promotion
of creative events and multifaceted cultural
activities.
ACM would like to extend a heartfelt
thanks to all supporters, donors, board
members, program partners and project
participants who have helped make 2019
such a successful year. The organization is
looking forward to a host of equally exciting
and fruitful projects in 2020 that will
continue to see art and culture in Mongolia
thrive.
For more information please visit
our web site www.artscouncil.mn or call
319015
TheArtsCouncilofMongolia:2019TheYearThatWas