German-born Ute Meta Bauer has been appointed as founding director of the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), Nanyang Technological University’s national research center, which opened in Singapore’s Gillman Barracks on October 23, coinciding with the 4th edition of the Singapore Biennale. In her commencement speech, Bauer outlined plans for the CCA, which is supported by Singapore’s Economic Development Board, to operate as a local hub with an international perspective, with the overall aim to “shape and profile a new institution that embraces academic scholarship and research with art as knowledge production in its own right.”

Last week, West Kowloon’s new museum for visual culture M+ welcomed Lesley Ma as its new ink art curator. Ma, who took up the new position on October 8, will serve part-time in developing exhibitions and building the museum’s ink art collection and public programming.

Outlining his vision for the future of Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Chris Saines, the museum’s director appointed six months ago, said he was ready “to set a new course for the gallery” in an effort to make it the world’s “leading museum for the contemporary art of Australia, Asia and the Pacific.” He then proceeded to outline some exciting prospects –namely, landmark exhibitions by living international artists, a shift in curatorial focus for the Asia Pacific Triennial (APT) and general gallery restructuring—that future visitors to the museum can anticipate.

This year, the Ateneo Art Gallery in Quezon City, Philippines, held the tenth edition of its prestigious Ateneo Art Awards, which recognizes young Filipino artists under the age of 36 for outstanding exhibitions in the previous year. On August 8, out of a shortlist of 12 artists, three winners were announced: Raffy Napay for his exhibition “Thread Experience” at West Gallery, Charles Buenconsejo for “Reality is a Hologram” at Art Informal, and Buen Calubayan for “Fressie Capulong” shown at Blanc Peninsula. Each artist was awarded a studio residency grant at one of the museum’s institutional partners as well as the opportunity to exhibit their work in a group show at the art gallery (now on view through December 7).

Ruth Aiko Asawa, a modernist sculptor and arts education advocate, known for weaving wire into intricate, abstract sculptures, died on August 6 at the age of 87.

Winners of the Prince Claus Fund—awarded annually to outstanding people and projects from developing nations—were announced today. Among the honorees are several artists from the Asia-Pacific region who have demonstrated an ability to add fuel to the creative fire despite limited material and cultural resources.

Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Indian artist Nalini Malani have been named the 2013 laureates for the Fukuoka Arts and Culture Prize, awarded annually to promote exchange between the diverse regions of Asia.

Last month, two of Hong Kong’s nonprofit organizations were given notice that they would no longer be receiving government funding from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council (HKADC), the statutory body supporting arts development in the city. For Para Site, a 17-year-old art space in Sheung Wan, and Woofer Ten, which operates out of Shanghai Street Artspace in Yau Ma Tei—both of whom have enjoyed productive years, respectively—this announcement came as a surprise, indicating both questionable motives and lack of foresight on government’s behalf.

On July 31, Rome’s National Museum of 21st Century Arts (MAXXI) announced independent curator and critic Hou Hanru as its artistic director. Assuming this role in September, Hou will be responsible for planning MAXXI’s cultural programs.

Last month, 100 days from its official opening, the curatorial team of West Bund 2013: A Biennial of Architecture and Contemporary Art—an ambitious program that seeks to combine experimental architecture and art—held a press conference in Hong Kong revealing its latest plans. 

This past May, the Iranian art community mourned the loss of Sadegh Tirafkan, one of the country’s “new art movement” pioneers, to brain cancer at the age of 47. Known for his innovative blending of photography with other artistic media, Tirafkan was an early proponent of photo-based art in Iran and a prominent international representative of Iranian contemporary art.

Last week, The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) and Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) jointly launched the 2013–14 edition of The Sydney International Art Series (SIAS) with a “double header” that will bring a Yoko Ono show and a comprehensive survey of 200 years of American art to the two galleries this November.