HA NOI — Five projects by Vietnamese artists have been awarded grants from the British Council Arts Fund.

The beneficiaries include a theatre project by Phan Y Ly, the YxineFF online short film festival project of Vu Quynh Ha, a photography project by Phan Thanh Quang, the Sports&Culture newspaper's third Viet Nam Cartoon Prize – Rong Tre Cup, and a visual arts project.

Ly received a US$5,000 grant. Her project, in its first phase, will train communities in creating theatre pieces. In its second phase, it will explore the power struggle between women and men through theatre.

The fund will give $2,000 to photographer Quang for his project entitled Limited, while the YxineFF project will get $3,000, and the Viet Nam Cartoon Prize – Rong Tre Cup $2,000. A group of artists including Vu Khanh Van, Le Hien Minh, Nguyen Thuy Hang, Ly Tran Quynh Giang, and Nguyen Kim To Lan will receive $2,000 for their visual arts exhibition entitled The Pedestrians.

The projects were selected by a panel including artist Quoc Trung, curator Tran Luong, British filmmaker Paul Zetter, journalist My Linh and fund chairman Neil Webb.

Established last year, the fund works to support artists and arts organisations in Viet Nam as well as foster co-operation between Viet Nam and the UK through promoting understanding between the two cultures. The fund will accept additional proposals for grants through January 30. — VNS