HART/Beat Newsletter - Issue 2 (Jan 2020)

May happiness, good health, passion, luck and wisdom fill your Year of the Rat, while letting go of worries to fearlessly embrace all the challenges and new attempts in the becoming of a more innovative person.

HART would like to share a small chapter that we have just accomplished to kick-start the new year. The 5 Courses which were just completed in January has served as a very good case study for our ongoing research, while this particular program has formed a good foundation for knowledge sharing, with which we hope to trigger more of your curiosity.

各位好！新春大吉，祝大家鼠年創意滿溢，智慧運氣圓融，健康安樂充實；免除對一切憂慮悲苦的驚怕，勇於承擔面對及接受挑戰、不斷嘗試、大膽創新。

二月新春時節，HART 團隊很想跟大家分享剛剛努力推行的五節藝術行政管理課堂的小小成果。在這個段落着墨，其實是想賣關子：因為 2020年尾，我們想給大家展示整理過的資訊知識池；該項目是團隊一直努力做的研究和洞察，望給行業一塊新的借鏡。

HART Director & Course Instructor’s Sharing by Jeannie Wu

Recap

Besides gaining insights and experiences with our learners and my fellow teammates at the courses, the interactions and exchanges have led to more positive self-growth and interesting developments... All the follow up questions, unexpected in-depth discussions, and sensational sharing have proved the methodology used effective, for the course itself is both the end as well as a means - the responses and reactions exchanged in the course are the improvisations that I learnt from performative professionals. Those are not reckless random instances; the results were informed by experiences, the process involved constant (re)applications of skills and techniques based on critical analysis. Such skill sets can be acquired, practiced, 'un-' and 're-'learnt from the engagement to cultural and art-related happenings in various nature (as well as quality) and different scales, regardless if it interests you or not in the first place. We believe curiosity and open-mindedness can be learnt, gained and trained. To discuss the "how" in approaching this will be another topic that requires time of a new course to explore.

Since the batch of learners come from backgrounds with different understanding of the creative industries and the art ecosystem, I had to control and limit the lengths and depths of subjects to cover in the classes. They have surprised HART team with enthusiastic discussions on the significance of archival research to the industry's developments, a few nailed the key message intended for wide spread out: the right balance to maintain and grow integrity as a professional based on our attitude.
 
This course succeeded because it can serve as a bad example for people to criticise or judge, or it can be a good reference for acquaintances to use as materials for course or program planning. Afterall it is an experience with times invested collectively, for learners gained awareness to be responsible individuals to develop or consume art and cultural products, while for HART team to grow and better plan for our futures. 
 
Thank you! 

作為剛圓滿結束課程之主持人，最大的得着當然是跟課堂同學所有的真摯交流、兼夾與隊友同事共同經歷、成長、學習（都是管理實戰的一個機會）。以下分享些挺有趣的體會：
 
* 每堂課總結後都馬上有後續問題、感受分享和讚美，證明我所用的方法奏效了。是次一連五節課是個測試點，我視課堂作為實驗的同時，透過觀察進程與互動的發展而馬上在課堂上（或下節課）作出回應的做法，是我在表演藝術專才身上學會的，他們的即興，絕非偶然或無端興起的個別反應，而是透過經驗而得出的結果。此功架運用得宜的話，絕對能加強反應、提升思考判斷。要確保掌握幾套板斧，在面對不同局面時能發功，必須養成「多事同身痕」的習慣：節目不分（規模）大小（質素）高下一律去「八卦」、去汲取體驗、增強洞察力。至於如何從被動參與轉換成一種技能，以及如何分配時間去育成有益的「八卦」，就又要多開另幾節課去探索了。

* 內容都是豐儉由人，這次所分享的資訊知識是點到即止、刻意「吊癮」的，因為是次參與的同學背景不同，對藝文界的理解和定位不一，深淺拿捏肯定要狠準、忌貪。所以，唯一的重要訊息是在最後一課得到學員主動舉手分享表述：我有感功成身退了！其中一個重點題目是檔案館與檔案學在藝文界的作用與建立，我不是檔案專員，但講解目的是想傳承培養誠信正直氣節的專業精神，要做到不慍不火。成就事業與做人一樣，萬變不離其宗：還不就是態度？

小總結就是：學員明白箇中道理，用課堂分享的作反面教材好，視為標準模範都好，也是歷練經驗。最起碼，班中每位領悟到藝術行政管理作為學科是啥，他們作為文化建構或消費者能分辨到高低好壞，而 HART 團隊就長進了歴練作未來規畫。

謝謝！

HART Managers’ Sharing by Dorcas Leung and Leo Cheng

Different from many subjects, say art history and archaeology, there is simply no so-called ‘syllabus’ in art administration; nor a simple checklist which will make one a successful art administrator.

When we first started having the idea of doing a series of course on art administration, some questions which our team constantly asked ourselves were: what are we going to share? How is that different from the content of the numerous courses in the market? Ultimately, how can participants be benefited?

Below are three elements summarized, which HART found crucial in making HART’s 5 Courses series one of a kind.

Openness
One of the key signatures of the courses is the frankness promoted in all sessions. Not only did all the case studies come from day-to-day experience, Jeannie, our instructor, was never reluctant in sharing the true side of the stories, which was very much endeared by all participants. As art administrators, we learn from our experience, and behind every story, there are lessons - happy or painful - that fuel us going further; and these were the key takeaways - not the certificates - which we wanted participants to bring home with.

Applicability
Prerequisites were never set for the courses, which means that participants from different fields - performing arts, design and fashion, career-changers… were all welcome to join these five sessions. Applicability was thus a key point of consideration when developing and driving all course content. How could the courses speak to all participants? Having a well-balance of sharing on soft skills (i.e. personal attributes) and hard skills (i.e. specific arts and cultural knowledge) allowed the courses to stay relevant to everyone in the class.

Interaction
Exercises, discussions, presentations, debates… all were highly familiar to participants in the courses. Spoon-fed kind of lecturing is never HART’s style, as we are strong believers in sharing and learning from each other. Nothing amazed us more than seeing how engaged the class was, as well as the bonding and linkage built throughout the five courses through dialogues.

By sharing the above insights, we are not conveying that ‘one way is better than the other’. We are not looking for a conclusion, but a continuation - an extension of discussion, which has made and will continue to make us all better as practitioners in the arts and cultural sector.

What is your interpretation of a successful art administrator, and how do you think the training should be? Share with us your thoughts by dropping us a message.

(Dorcas)

適逢拜年的時節，不知道作為藝術行政人員的你有沒有以下的經歷？

「你而家返咩工呀？」
「我係做藝術機構架」
「即係做ARTIST呀？」
「唔係呀，係同ARTIST一齊舉辦唔同既藝術活動同項目」
「咁係咪即係助手呀？」

近年隨著各個文化地標相繼落成，藝術風氣盛行，坊間各個藝術機構亦樂於舉辦關於藝術行政的活動，令大眾逐漸了解「藝術行政」。如同藝術家不斷發掘嶄新的靈感或媒介，藝術行政人員若要偕同踏上這遼闊的創意過程，定必要常加探索、瞭解從而增值自己。「藝術行政」到底是甚麼呢？「藝術行政人員」能在哪個層面反思自身呢？這次的活動有幸獲得一眾行內人士、或對行內有興趣的人士支持和參與，在廣泛的主題上共同研討；同時課程成為了一個觀察平台，反思一場藝術行政人員的活動可以牽涉甚麼元素：

商用溝通技巧
我們往往強調藝術行政與一般行政工作的分野。然而歸根究底，藝術行政的本質終究是行政工作，少不面各種書信來往、報告，或編寫計劃書。尤其其實藝術機構往往經常需要接觸行外人士，包括各種商業伙伴和供應商。藝術行政人員固然要關注藝術或創意項目的特質，更要闗注藝術界以外的事情，注意和改善商業的溝通技巧。

跨界別交流
「藝術」是無遠弗屆的概念。古時大眾將藝術分類為文學、繪畫、雕塑、舞蹈等等，縱使今時今日跨媒體盛行，各領域仍存在各自的專長和特點，亦對行政人員有各自的要求；但往往藝術行政人員日常難以接觸界別外的人士。藝術行政人員往往希望透過為藝術行政人員舉辦的活動，與跨界別的行政人員交流；而參加者、甚至活動舉辦方都需要跳出自己的舒適圈。

藝壇資訊
藝術家和藝術行政人員往往被要求與時並進，汲取當下的藝術和文化資訊，而一場藝術行政人員的活動正好是交換資訊的機會。坊界的藝術活動眾多，往往得知某個活動卻無暇參與。這次課程間從各個參加者口中得知近來各種藝術活動，我們亦分享了我們參加過或感興趣的活動，交流我們的體驗和想法。

(Leo)

Participant's Sharing by Victor Lam

Upcoming Events | 活動預告

Stay tuned for more details!
請留意我們即將發佈的最新資訊。