Dear family, friends, colleagues, artists and activists,

I am so happy to share that I have been selected to participate in the Perception of Self event  at the 2018 Venice International Performance Art Week.

Sadly, at the moment, I can not afford to go.

A close friend made the suggestion that I could possibly raise funds through crowd-funding so I am here to ask for your support to make this opportunity a reality.  At the end of this message I have included eight ways you could help me realize my dream.   

 This Perception of Self event is a 10-day Intensive Summer Class, part of the Venice International Performance Art Week workshop series. 

It will take place from May 29th to June 7th 2018 at the C32, a performing art work space, Forte Marghera, Venice, Italy.

 It will be led by four amazing performance artists from Europe including VestAndPage , an award winning performance artist duo. 

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Myanmar, 2014

 This is an opportunity for me to be one among 25 participants from different art backgrounds who will come together to share cultural understanding.

 This year is the 10th anniversary of my career as a performance artist and my 6th year as an artist-activist. In 2009 I was able to artistically grow after participating in an international performance art camp organised by the International Performance Association in Berlin and I want to upgrade my knowledge and skills again in Italy.

Schaumbad - Freies Atelierhaus, Austria, 2014

Performance is the medium I use to understand the chaos that I see around me. It is how I express my vision for a peaceful Myanmar. It is the language I use to stand up for justice and freedom. This opportunity will help me to learn how to better use my skills  draw attention to the suffering felt by so many in my country.

International Artist Residency, Britto Art Trust, Bangaldesh, 2013 

I have two weeks to raise the following:

COSTS:

Workshop fee:                     €550 Euros        $658USD
Round-trip air tickets:      €1,100 Euros    $1,300USD
Visa fee:                                   €60 Euros           $72 USD
Travel health insurance:  €150 Euros        $180 USD

TOTAL:                                     €1,860 Euros    $2,210 USD
 
8 ways to support you can support me:

1.  For a 10 USD contribution, I can send you a picture of me performing in different performance festivals. Contact me for your favourite choice.  I will of course include a “Thank You” note on the back!

2.  For a 50 USD contribution, I can deliver you the original print of any one photograph from my portfolio.

3.  For a 100 USD contribution, I can deliver to you an art piece featuring Myanmar tribal women and their 'identity-birds';

4.  I am a trainer for an educational community theatre, which has trained 90 youths from 3 states of Myanmar.  We ran land-mine awareness raising project through the Catholic Relief Fund INGO in Myanmar in 2014 and in 2016. Hire me to conduct a workshop for your organisation if your organization wants to be involved in advocacy or community engagement.

5.  You could buy one of my works presented by the Intersections Gallery in Singapore

Check them out here:  https://www.artsy.net/artist/zoncy 

6.  As an activist performance artist who is known for her performance pieces (ending sexual violence against women in war and conflicts).  Hire me to  organize a participatory workshop for your organisation - I have four years experience in this work.

7.  I have experience as a fixer/advocate, and I'm especially effective at communicating with MPs, politicians, activists in Myanmar politics in the areas of women's rights, peace building and conflict transformation.  I can also help your organization to communicate with local artists and art practitioners, individuals or organisations in the visual arts field, especially in the area of "Modern and Contemporary Art".   Consider hiring me if you have any forthcoming media projects. I have worked for a contributing editor of Foreign Policy Magazine during the 2012 by-election, and coordinated Hong Kong Baptist University's School of Journalism's Media and Democracy: Reporting Diversity  tour in 2014.

8.  Donate any amount your desire to my campaign because you believe in me as an artist and activist and the power of the creative arts to support social change.

Please let me know if you have any questions about this crowdfunding campaign, my goal, or anything else. If you'd like to make a contribution locally please contact me for banking information. Online contributions will be withdrawn by my friend Grace in the US and used to make the travel and workshop payments with a credit card.

Thank you again for your support. Any small donation will help me to get nearer to my goal!

Yours hopefully,
Zoncy

* Note: If you are making a contribution with a Myanmar credit card select the country of your choice from the drop down menu and enter 11111 as the zip code. Myanmar/Burma is not yet included as an option. The site will still be able to process your donation.

Art therapy for Kachin IDPs in Northern Shan State, 2013

Learn more about Zoncy,  her art,  her activism and her story here:

Interview: Performing the Lives’ of Women in a Riven Country: Myanmar Spotlight: Zoncy 

Video: Anniversary of the death of two Kachin volunteer teachers  , Public Performance, Manadalay 2015 (Myanmar language)