About Sàn Art:

Sàn Art, founded in 2007 in Ho Chi Minh City as an artist-led platform, has since grown into a leading independent arts organisation in Vietnam and the region. Maintaining a commitment to grassroots support for local and international artists and cultural work, Sàn Art is also a site for critical discourse with regular educational initiatives.

Aside from our exhibition programmes (more than 110 since 2007), Sàn Art’s past projects include the artist-residency Sàn Art Laboratory (2012-2015) and Conscious Realities (2013-2016), a series of publications and events, inviting writers, artists, thinkers and cultural workers with a focus on the Global South. In 2018, Sàn Art launched Uncommon Pursuits, a curatorial training school, and a new gallery with a focus on dialogues between modern and contemporary art in Vietnam and the region. That same year it also launched A. Farm (2018-2020), an international artist residency programme co-founded with MoT+++ and the Nguyen Art Foundation.

Opening a new chapter in the organisation’s history, Sàn Art is expanding as a community hub to support and foster innovative and experimental practices and perspectives.

Our history (2007-2025):

Founded in 2007 by returnee Vietnamese artists Dinh Q. Lê, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Tiffany Chung, and Phunam, Sàn Art was created to address the gap in contemporary art infrastructure in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Drawing from their global experiences and networks, they opened their first space on Ly Tự Trọng Street with the mission of fostering critical dialogue and connecting local artists with international curators, artists, and cultural workers. Their goal was to not only host exhibitions but also to create meaningful exchanges that could nurture the Vietnamese art scene and attract global attention to the region’s creative potential.

From 2009 to 2016, Sàn Art evolved from an artist-led space into a fully realised organisation, a transformation shaped by  Zoe Butt and an incredible team of curators, cultural workers and managers including Nguyen Bich Tra, Arlette Quynh-Anh Tran, Le Xuan Hong Nhung, Duong Manh Hung, Ngoc Nau, Tran Minh Duc, Vo Quynh Hoa, Huynh My Ngoc, Nguyen Ngoc Nam Phuong, Pham Dieu Quyen, and Nhã. This chapter saw a significant increase in both local and international exhibitions, alongside growing educational programmes. A key milestone was the launch of ‘Sàn Art Laboratory’ (2012-2016), a fully funded international residency programme, which became a significant platform for emerging artists from Vietnam and Southeast Asia, offering them a space to develop their practices and connect with global networks. This period also coincided with ‘Conscious Realities’ (2013-2016), a three-year project that bridged art, philosophy, and social sciences, expanding Sàn Art’s reach into global discourse.

Following a vibrant period, Sàn Art entered a quieter phase after 2016. With the departure of its core team, the organisation relocated to a smaller space in District 3, known as the Reading Room. During this time, its activities slowed, focusing on talks, screenings, workshops, and access to its art library. Sàn Art gradually re-emerged in 2018, guided by Dinh Q. Lê and director Nguyen Bich Tra, with a new generation of Sàn Art core members: Nhat Q. Vo, Nguyen Hoang Quyen, Mary Lou David, and Vicky Do. This chapter was marked by the opening of a new exhibition space in District 4, the launch of A. Farm (2018–2020) – an international artist residency co-founded with the Nguyen Art Foundation and MoT+++ – and renewed emphasis on interdisciplinary education, including the curatorial training programme Uncommon Pursuits (2018-2019).

By late 2019, Sàn Art entered a new phase shaped by collective leadership. Moving away from a traditional hierarchical structure, it embraced instead a horizontal model grounded in collaboration and shared responsibility. This period was marked by continued exhibitions, public programmes, residency projects, and international exchanges – building upon Sàn Art’s original legacy – while recommitting its focus on community-building and emerging artists. In addition to Sàn Art’s core curatorial team, new members such as Nguyen Phuong Anh, Phan Yen Nhi, Uyen P. Dang, Pham Ngoc Khanh Linh, Le Anh Thu, and Le Vi Kha joined the organisation.

The passing of founding member Dinh Q. Lê in 2024 marked a moment of deep reflection for both Sàn Art and the Vietnamese arts community. As of 2025, Sàn Art has entered a period of hiatus. While its physical space is currently inactive, its legacy continues through the people, practices, and partnerships it helped shape — and its future remains open.