Creative Migration

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Creative Migration

Bringing together Cultural & Climate Diplomacy CREATIVE MIGRATION is a women-of-color-led, international arts organization based in Los Angeles and Bangkok.

Our mission is to bring together cultural and climate diplomacy with a special focus on collaborative community building through intersectional practices. Our programming is defined through three primary strands:
1. Artist Residencies & Creative Hubs
2. Site-specific Installations
3. Transmedia Projects

Creative Migration was founded in 2005 by our Executive Director Susannah Tantemsapya in Calif

ornia. She expanded operations to Thailand in 2018 to open our largest project to date, Bangkok 1899, a cultural & civic hub established through funding from The Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Motor Company Fund. Since 2011, our nonprofit has employed environmentally regenerative practices throughout our projects and day-to-day operations. Throughout the years, we have accumulated knowledge and experience to create our organization-wide Climate Policy, which features guidelines and recommendations for all our operations. Creative Migration, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States and Creative Migration (East) is a registered foundation in the Kingdom of Thailand.

07/25/2026

Amidst global dialogues on AI and energy security, Creative Migration brought a vital perspective to the stage, highlighting the crucial intersection of art, culture and ecology at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity 2026

Our board member, Dr. Piya Kerdlap, shared insights from Creative Migration and Bangkok 1899 at the panel “Global Co-creation: Artistic Response to Climate Emergency.” Piya addressed key systemic challenges, advocating for multi-year, unrestricted operational funding with strong governance and transparency and diversified earned income to keep grassroots spaces resilient. He also championed equitable artist mobility, calling for policy-level visa solutions for artists, true geographic reciprocity from funders, and residencies that prioritize rest and immersion over constant production pressure.

Thank you to UNESCO and the Jeju Provincial Government for designing a space to shape the future of culture and ecology.

📸 Photos by Jeju Forum

07/23/2026

We are proud to share that Creative Migration was invited to speak at the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity. Our board member, Dr. Piya Kerdlap, represented Creative Migration at the panel “Global Co-creation: Artistic Response to Climate Emergency”.

The Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity was launched in 2001 as a platform for dialogue that shares visions for peace on the Korean Peninsula, in East Asia and around the world, while seeking creative solutions through international cooperation. The Jeju Forum has established itself over the past two decades as an international platform where global leaders and world-class experts discuss timely global issues and build diverse networks.

This year, the Jeju Forum focused on the theme: Reinventing Cooperation in a Fragmented World. We had a wonderful time listening to and participating in invigorating discussions on how to act collectively for more sustainable societies.

Thank you to the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia for inviting Creative Migration to tell our story of Bangkok 1899 at the Jeju Forum and exchange experiences with other change-makers at the intersection of art and climate change!

07/22/2026

Reflections on Hull: Music Cities Convention Sound Diplomacy MUSIC CITIES EVENTS 🎵 Culture as the agent of change, that’s what revitalizes a city. Hull, East Yorkshire 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 is the case study.

Susannah Tantemsapya, Founder & Executive Director of Creative Migration, spent three days packed with brilliant music, cross-sectoral policy discussions and reuniting with some great people.

A few favorite moments:
✧ Speaking on “The Policy Remix” panel, proof that the best ideas show up when sectors stop talking past each other (more on that in an earlier post 👇)
✧ Facilitating a “Climate Emergency” Music City Lab 🌱
✧ Presenting one of the global Music Cities Awards at the gorgeous Hull Minster 🏆
✧ Susannah’s podcast interview with Drowned in Sound (Sean Adams) for Sound Diplomacy 🎙️
✧ Catching up with Patcharawee “Jay” Tunprawat () and the Thai delegation
✧ Reconnecting with Nina Netuzhylova, Bangkok 1899’s brilliant architectural consultant during the 2018-2019 renovations
✧ Live music showcases at “Hull of a Night” 🎶, including Hiedu Oraka (Chiedu Oraka), “The Black Yorkshireman,” a prominent UK rap and grime artist from the North Hull estate who’s supported Coldplay at Craven Park
✧ Meeting Jez Collins (Birmingham Music Archive)
✧ Reuniting with the wonderful Marta Pallarès ✨, who we brought to Thailand in 2024 for Creatives for Climate Action - Thailand (Creatives for Climate Action - Global)

Thank you Shain Shapiro, Jett Glozier and Marta Pallarès for having me at Hull Music Cities Convention.

07/11/2026

On June 11, our Founder & Executive Director Susannah Tantemsapya joined leaders from New Orleans, New South Wales, London and Africa at the Hull Music Cities Convention 2026 by Sound Diplomacy — one of the most important gatherings at the intersection of music, culture and urban policy. The convention brought together 400 delegates from over 20 countries to explore music as a tool for peace, recovery and sustainable urban development. The event's focus on cultural diplomacy and sustainability sits close to the heart of what we do at Creative Migration.

Susannah joined The Policy Remix: Bold Solutions for Resilient Music Cities, a panel that got real about the challenges cities face today (venue closures, artist displacement, shrinking cultural infrastructure) and the bold policy moves that are actually working. Alongside panelists Alice Glenn (New Orleans & Company), John Graham (Minister for Music, New South Wales), Yaw Owusu (Nothin But the Music) and Eddie Hatitye (Music In Africa Foundation) and moderated by Sean Adams, the conversation moved beyond theory into what it truly takes to protect and grow creative cities.

Susannah also had the honor of presenting an award at the evening's ceremony. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners! 🎉

Thank you to Sound Diplomacy for the invitation, especially Shain Shapiro, Jett Glozier, Azu Micò, Marta Pallarès and Cristina Peregrina.

06/04/2026

Save the date! Susannah Tantemsapya, Founder & Executive Director of Creative Migration / Bangkok 1899, is bringing her knowledge and experiences to the Hull Music Cities Convention 2026, organized by Sound Diplomacy ()!

Join her at ‘The Policy Remix: Bold Solutions for Resilient Music Cities All Over The World’ to explore how cities have used policy to solve real-world crises, moving beyond theory into action. Learn the "how" behind the wins and leave with a practical toolkit to rewrite the rules in your own backyard!

The Music Cities Convention is the world’s biggest and most important gathering focused on the importance of music in cities and places. This year, the city of Kingston upon Hull, UK, hosts a global cohort of music advocates from 30+ countries working at the forefront of music policy, including representatives from government, tourism, the night-time economy, development banks, city councils, artists, venue operators, creative entrepreneurs & more.

📌 The Policy Remix: Bold Solutions for Resilient Music Cities All Over The World
Location: Connexin Live Arena
Date & Time: Thursday June 11, 10:35 - 11:30 (GMT+1)
Buy your tickets: https://www.musiccitiesevents.com/hull

05/27/2026

We are pleased to announce that Creative Migration has successfully qualified as an Active Member for 2025-26 with Gallery Climate Coalition - GCC

To achieve this, our organization had to audit our programming and hold ourselves accountable to GCC’s four pillars: Measuring Impact, Taking Action, Publicly Committing and Reviewing Progress.

Active Membership is not a certification of sustainability nor a claim that we are doing things perfectly. We’re all doing our best to assess, report and reduce our impact, setting targets in line with science, taking any actions we can and working out other solutions as we go.

We encourage all of our peers and colleagues to visit the Gallery Climate Coalition page or website to learn more about the initiative and how to get involved!

05/23/2026

On April 13, we co-organized California’s First Policy Forum on the Culture Global Stocktake as part of 🌇🌱

Artists, designers, cultural producers, community organizers, consultants and academics gathered at the Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC) for a half a day of productive conversations, real policy work and an abundant selection of vegetarian/vegan fare.

Following the delivery of the first public draft of the Culture Global Stocktake for Climate Action, this forum brought together Angelenos to collectively assess policy gaps, stress-test emerging recommendations while aligning on pathways to embed culture across mitigation, adaptation, Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and climate finance agendas.

The room engaged with ideas surrounding funding, industry accountability, green space, indigenous wisdom, storytelling and community repair with intersectional themes such as:
✧ Artist stipend models and multi-year community funding
✧ Nature access as mental-health infrastructure
✧ Joy, play and cultural belonging as tools for climate resilience
✧ In LA, younger generations, industry transformations and community spaces offer hope

Thank you to everyone who participated, contributing their knowledge, tools and lived experience to this collective process ✌️

Organized by . Hosted by . Special thanks to our food & beverage sponsors !

LosAngeles UNFCCC EntertainmentCulturePavilion CreativeMigration ecology

04/23/2026

🌍 Happy Earth Day! 🌍

Today we take a moment to listen more closely to the world around us. In honor of today, we're looking back at the work of our 2020 artist-in-residence, Scott Kildall, whose site-specific installation “Unnatural Language” did exactly that.

Using electronic sensors measuring air quality, noise pollution, water quality and soil health, Scott transformed Bangkok 1899 's outdoor space into a living, breathing soundscape: where environmental distress became something you could actually hear and feel. The sculptures in the exhibition were built from reclaimed wood, recycled auto parts and scavenged plastic, a reflection of Bangkok's reuse economy and a reminder that sustainability is already embedded in the city's culture.

In March 2020, the COVID pandemic was just beginning – Scott’s residency was cut short, forcing him to travel back home very quickly. To adapt to the changes, the exhibition turned into an international Zoom exhibition, where it was hosted from two different locations, Scott’s home in San Francisco and Bangkok 1899.

This Earth Day, let's ground ourselves in our environment and recommit to caring for our planet.

04/04/2026

Rest as Resistance for Artists & Culture Workers x With Love Projects

Creative Migration developed this wellness program for the official Arts & Culture Day for a Living Planet theme activation at LA Climate Week, taking place on April 11 in Downtown Los Angeles.

In collaboration with With Love Projects , the program centers sustainability and care practices for artists and culture workers, featuring breathwork and sound bath sessions designed to create space for restoration, reflection and connection.

Join us for one of two sessions: 🕛 12:00 PM 🕓 4:00 PM
📍 SkyXPortal – Downtown Los Angeles
🗓 April 11, 2026
🎟️ Free entry!
✍️ Spots are limited, register via Luma
🕛 12:00 PM https://luma.com/4ab30pcy
🕓 4:00 PM https://luma.com/dyvza9g2

Bring your yoga mat, water bottle and wear something comfortable!

03/21/2026

Rest as Resistance for Artists and Culture Workers x With Love Projects

Developed by Creative Migration for the official Arts, Culture & Media theme activation on April 11 in DTLA, this wellness program centers sustainability and care practices for cultural workers. In collaboration with With Love Projects, it includes breathwork, tea ceremonies, soundbaths and embodied practices that create space for restoration, reflection and connection during LA Climate Week.

Save the date!�April 11, 2026
SkyXPortal – Downtown Los Angeles

Address

Los Angeles, CA
90026

Telephone

+13239054426

Website

http://creativemigration.org/

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