The Pacific Islands Museums Association (PIMA)’s first Oceanic Art Symposium on “Oceanic Art Today: Status, Production and Tendencies” provides a space for international art scholars and museum professionals to share new ideas about creative traditions and contemporary arts practice in the Pacific region today. The symposium, organised in collaboration with the French Embassy in Vanuatu, aims to ensure the safeguarding of intangible creative traditions, the transmission of knowledge and the stimulation of interest amongst young generations of artists to keep contemporary practice alive and evolving. The symposium will include the opportunity for participants to identify opportunities for international and regional interaction with Pacific Islands’ museums, artists and creative industries. It will be an opportunity to promote recognition of PIMA’s Code of Ethics for Pacific Islands Museums and Cultural Centres and to develop the relationship between PIMA and the Pacific Arts Association (PAA). The symposium aims to produce a set of recommendations advocating the way forward for enhancing ethical research and practice in the field of Oceanic Art.
The two-day symposium will be preceded by an optional one-day field trip.

Symposium Theme
“Oceanic Art Today: Status, Production and Tendencies” is the first PIMA symposium on Oceanic Art. It is a Pacific-wide opportunity for international art scholars and museum professionals to explore different facets of philosophical debate, scholarship, case studies and practical examples relating to the topic.

The following topics wll be discussed:

• The concept and definition of Oceanic Art and art practice;
• The role of Oceanic Art in the creative industries;
• Safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage associated with Oceanic Art (including safeguarding traditional knowledge and intellectual property rights);
• The collection, exhibition and research of Oceanic Art (including the issue of illicit trafficking), respecting the ethics PIMA promotes.

Symposium Format
Each day of the Symposium will start with a key note presentation followed by a panel of four speakers. The topic for the first day will be the role of metropolitan museums holding large collections of Oceanic art (Collections) and the topic for the second day will be the role of institutions vis-à-vis safeguarding and promotion of living culture (Practices). Delegates will be able to participate in workshops on these two topics and in the production of the Symposium recommendations.

Registration includes

• Attendance at all symposium sessions on Wednesday 7 May and Thursday 8 May;
• Registration materials (information package, program, symposium proceedings etc.);
• Refreshment breaks and lunch on Wednesday and Thursday;
• Welcome reception on Wednesday 7 May;
• Closing reception on Thursday 8th May.

Registration does not include accommodation or travel costs. PIMA has negotiated discounted accommodation and travel prices for symposium participants. Accommodation and travel options will become available on the PIMA website closer to the date of the symposium.

Optional tour (additional cost)
There will be a one-day field trip on Tuesday 6 May to Vanuatu ’s first World Heritage-nominated site, Chief Roi Mata ’s Domain on Efate Island.

To Register for the Symposium
Please return completed registration form (with payment) by post or fax to:

PIMA, c/o Vanuatu Cultural Centre,
PO Box 184, Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Fax: 678 26590.

Alternatively, complete the electronic registration form and email to pima@vanuatu.com.vu. Enquires may be directed to Secretary-General, PIMA.