Kevin Bathman heads to London to take up a Chevening Scholarship
It’s with excitement and a little sadness that we farewell our Projects and Events Producer, Kevin Bathman, as he moves to London to take up a prestigious Chevening Scholarship. Kevin will pursue his Master’s in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Kevin has worked on many of DARTS major projects in the last three years, including 2017’s Beyond Tick Boxes Symposium, and the Diverse Screens Project. His new MA offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of contemporary culture, with a focus on the city, the culture industries, politics and globalisation, and media in the information age, as central themes.
Kevin said, “With the MA course, I want to understand how important it is to address how art and culture industries, politics and globalisation, and media in the information age, influence the way culture evolves. The course will help me develop a broad and diverse approach to create imaginative solutions through material, media, technologies and people. The post-study career plan is to champion artists for social change by inspiring, advocating, encouraging and building support structures and networks for an engaged community of artists and changemakers.”
I have a vision for a more just, equitable and compassionate world, and want to enable that through catalysing conversations, collaborations, new ideas and initiatives using the arts for social change.
Kevin’s career has taken him from working as a Senior Creative Art Director in advertising agencies to establishing The Chindian Diaries project advocating for mixed identity people in Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere; the Carnival of the Bold, a movement of artist for social change, the Cause + Effect forum, Artists & their Mums project where artists sat down on stage with their mums for a chat, and many more.
Kevin took some time to answer a few of our questions about his scholarship.
Q&A with Kevin
Why did you decide to apply to this program?
The Chevening scholarship offers me the opportunity to learn and collaborate with exceptional future changemakers who want to contribute to and influence change in their home country. The UK will impart a fresh, new environment for cultural exchange, I’ll be learning alongside other changemakers and gaining invaluable life lessons and insightful experiences.
What do you hope to take away/ learn/gain from participating?
I have a vision for a more just, equitable and compassionate world, and want to enable that through catalysing conversations, collaborations, new ideas and initiatives using the arts for social change. With the MA course in Cultural Studies, I want to understand how culture evolves with the influences of the art and culture industries, politics and globalisation, and media in the information age. The course will help me develop a broad and diverse approach to create imaginative and impactful solutions through material, media, technologies and people.
How are you hoping this help you in your career/ future work?
As part of the the scholarship, I am obligated to return to my country of citizenship for a minimum of two years. The post-study career plan is to champion artists for social change in Malaysia by inspiring, advocating, encouraging and building support structures and networks for an engaged community of artists and changemakers. I do intend to keep in touch with my links to the arts and cultural sector in Australia, and hope to do more crosscultural and collaborative projects between the two countries.
