Vincom Center for Contemporary Art

An exhibition space at VCCA. Image: VCCA

Ambition can be seen from the smallest things from illumination lamps, humidity testing machines in galleries and art storages of artworks to hiring prestigious international art directors. But let's not talk about all these stories yet. The time when the VCCA was launched was when most of the major corporations in Vietnam were focusing on branding through investing in entertaining music programs that were easy to see and listen to. As marketing expert Pham Vu Tung said: "The feature of these short-term cultural marketing campaigns of brands is fragmentary, patchy, and intermittent programs. Some brands have big budgets for marketing but no specific marketing strategies. This may bring some immediate attention to the brand but it will not last long.” In contrast, the Toyota Classic concert is a way of marketing and branding through social and cultural activities. They sponsored the Vietnamese Symphony Orchestra for three purposes: to have money to buy musical instruments and replacement parts, periodic repairing for strings, drums…; holding annual classical concerts; awarding scholarships to students of the Vietnam National Academy of Music. This concept has lasted for many years. Another example is the classic concert Hennessy classical concert: this year has been the twenty-first year they invite the best artists to come to Vietnam for performing. It's a well-planned strategy.

Back with the VCCA’s story, starting a project will always be hard, but at least they have the vision "to open up the opportunities to enjoy the beauty and artistic experience for all people, bring to the community the products and high quality artistic activities, contributing to the sustainable development of the national art, becoming a center of innovation and connection with international contemporary art.” VCCA's operational model embraces everything related to the field of fine arts. The displaying space in the Royal City, with an area of ​​four thousand square meters, has a gallery, a library, an auction house and a gallery of artworks by Vietnamese fine arts masters. There is also a conference room, art educational club for children, residence - compositions area, there is a storage for renting with insurance, protection, light, humidity and temperature. ..which meet international standard; as well as plans to connect and market with art centers, art museums worldwide.

The Vietnamese art community should watch what the VCCA will do. It is another story with how much they can to and whether they accomplish what they aim, but clearly its ambition has been a remarkable one. The launching of VCCA has changed the operational model as well as the definition of the art center.

We all know that it is expensive to invest in art and culture, while the long-term effect that can not be seen immediately and might not calculated by material. If Vietnamese enterprises, art lovers in Vietnam are not determined to do something but just wait for other to do that, who will be the starters? If the Vietnamese do not honor, who will honor? If everybody just make entertaining music, who will make the art?