BACC'S TUMULTUOUS HISTORY: HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Now a Bangkok staple filled with exhibitions, countless workshops and art-related commerce, it’s easy to forget the BACC was almost never constructed, due to Thailand’s bureaucratic incompetence.

Through powerful protests led by passionate citizens, it took more than a decade for the on-again, off-again project to come to light. Soon to celebrate its 10th anniversary, we look back at the BACC’s history of protest.

In 1995, Bangkok governor Bhichit Rattakul proposed the country’s first major art centre be built by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) right in the heart of the city. Planned to honour King Rama IX and called the Bangkok Contemporary Art Centre, the space was supposed to have art galleries; a permanent collection; a mini-theatre; a library specialising in the arts, design, and culture; outlets offering art supplies and equipment; and hip cafés and restaurants.

However, four years into his term, nothing but a design sketch had materialised, and Bhichit left his seat without a construction agreement being sealed.

In 2001, Samak Sundaravej came into the governor’s office and scrapped the project completely. Citing irregularities in the design bidding process and alleged corruption, he instead wanted to build a mall. The disgruntled the art community erupted in unison.

“Once the project changed, we saw right away what politicians thought of art and culture,” said Manit Sriwanichpoom, an executive board member. “They don’t see any importance in it at all. Once that happened, a group of artists, including myself, came out to protest. The state has the responsibility to give its people [a legitimate art centre]. We protested until Samak stopped. However, he didn’t continue the project. He said he’ll let us wait until his post is over, which means that there was wasted opportunity for another four years.”

Once Apirak Kosayodhin was elected in 2004, Manit along with fellow artist Chumpon Apisuk led a group of artists dubbed the “People’s Network for the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre” to continue their campaign for the longawaited art centre. They created the “Art Vote” campaign, ending up with 50,989 signing the petition. It was a success, as a few months later Apirak kept the ball rolling.

Apirak finally greenlit the project. With artists and citizens from different fields of art protesting alongside the People’s Network for the BACC, it was only fair that the name would encompass all of these fields. The Bangkok Contemporary Art Centre then changed to the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.

“Notice that we use the word ‘centre’ and not ‘museum’,” said Manit. “Once the building was finished, we weren’t able to limit it to the visual arts. That’s why it has to be called an art centre. And it’s not a museum because there’s no permanent collection.”

Yet the problems didn’t stop once the BACC finished construction in 2008. For its inaugural year, the BACC was directly operated by bureaucratic BMA officers under the Office of Culture, Sports and Tourism. They lacked any direction or permanent staff, resulting in an empty, crippled and indebted gallery.

Fed up with management, the Network of Artists of the BACC stepped up again and joined hands with the Bangkok Theatre Network to demand the centre be run by an independent foundation. Artists vowed to withdraw their programmes from the centre if they didn’t reach their demands, and the BMA caved in. No more would the government be directly involved with the BACC’s exhibitions.

The principle of the BACC is to be independent, said Manit. “No matter if we’re getting money from the government, we have to support ourselves so we’re free. Creating art needs freedom.”