Fostering Cultural Dialogue: Finalists of the 2024 Arts Journalism Fellowship Programme announced
The European Network on Cultural Management and Policy (ENCATC) and Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) are thrilled to announce the selection of two arts journalists from Malaysia and the Czech Republic for the prestigious Arts Journalism Matters Fellowship: Virtual x Prague. This initiative, in collaboration with ASEF culture360, highlights ENCATC's commitment to fostering emerging talents in arts journalism.
The chosen journalists will engage in a three-week residency and mentorship program, under the guidance of ENCATC member, Dr. Carla Figueira, Director of the MA in Cultural Policy, Relations and Diplomacy, and the MA in Tourism and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths, University of London. This intensive program will equip participants with invaluable skills and insights in cultural journalism and policy.
Additionally, the fellows will have the exclusive opportunity to cover the 2nd edition of the ASEF LinkUp | Asia-Europe Cultural Diplomacy Lab, a four-day event taking place in Prague from 10 to 13 June 2024. This on-site program will provide a rich ground for exploring the dynamics of cultural diplomacy between Asia and Europe.
As a key outcome of the residency, participants will produce a significant piece of content—be it a written article, interview, podcast, or video—focused on the ASEF LinkUp event and the future directions of Asia-Europe cultural diplomacy.
ENCATC is proud to support and promote the next generation of arts journalists through this dynamic and impactful fellowship programme.
Meet the finalists
Kalash Nanda Kumar | Critic and Journalist | Malasyia
Kalash Nanda Kumar is a critic and journalist from Malaysia. He graduated with a degree in filmmaking and worked in several major productions before pivoting into journalism. Kalash is an alumni of the Climate Tracker fellowship, Far East Film Festival Critics Campus, the Golden Apricot IFF Critics workshop and Yamagata IDFF. In 2022, he became the first Malaysian member of FIPRESCI and was recently selected as an International Voter for the Golden Globe Awards.
Kalash has also participated in various regional and international film festivals, serving as juror, programmer, and facilitator. As a journalist, he has covered a wide range of socioeconomic issues with bylines in various national outlets: R.AGE, The Vibes, Malaysiakini, FirstClasse, among others. He was formerly the projects and communications director for Imagined Malaysia, a non-profit dedicated to advancing public histories and policies.
Vojtěch Pulda | Master's Student, Faculty of Arts, Charles University | Czech Republic
Vojtěch Pulda is currently a master's student at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. Since his early years, he has been interested in different cultures from all over the world and the enriching power of culture-sharing. He completed his BA in Humanities in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in postponing his dream of working in the arts sector.
Three long years and two corporate jobs later, he decided to return to university and continue his education in the field he is most passionate about. His main study focus is on museums, presenting both tangible and intangible heritage within these institutions and public spaces, intercultural dialogues, and the more practical and hands-on aspects of working in the arts sector. After his master's, he would like to explore the possibility of continuing his education with a PhD program that would focus on transcultural matters, cultural entrepreneurship, and how to make culture and heritage sharing more accessible globally.