Asia House
Asia House, founded in 1996, is the leading Pan-Asian organisation in the UK. A non-profit, non-political body, its geographical remit extends from The Gulf in the West to Indonesia in the East. It was founded by a small group led by Sir Peter Wakefield who still serves as Lifetime President. The current CEO is Charlotte Pinder.
Since 2005 Asia House has been housed in a fine 18th century listed building in London's historic Marylebone.
Mission
The Mission of Asia House is to "prepare the people of the UK for the "Century of Asia" by promoting a greater understanding of the distinctive and varied cultures, arts, religions and commercial opportunities presented by the growing vibrant economies of Asia.
This broader understanding of the diversity of Asia is achieved through a lively series of over 125 events including: lectures, exhibitions, seminars, debates and performances staged annually, such as a literary festival, and a film festival, covering over 30 countries and reaching an audience of +35,000 people. Exhibits housed at Asia House change several times throughout the year, a recent example has been Modern Chinese Art: The Story of the Sullivan Collection.. The exhibition programme is on hold, but the spaces can be hired. .
Public Programme
The Asia House Public Programme features lectures and performances, annual events such as the Asia House Festival of Asian Literature , the Asia House Festival of Asian Film , the Connecting Contemporary Cultures series and a broad and varied program of talks, debates and discussions focusing on Current Affairs.
Corporate Programme
The Asia House Corporate Programme, includes lectures, seminars and major conferences, and works with Asian heads of mission in the UK, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Trade & Investment and UK corporations.
Examples of its activities are: Ambassadors’/High Commissioners’ program, with which Asia House provides a forum for regular economic and political updates from British and foreign diplomats through informal breakfasts and luncheons; Visiting dignitaries program, offering a platform for Asian Presidents Prime Ministers and other high-level Ministers to deliver their latest economic and political messages to UK business opinion-formers; a CEO round table program, providing a forum for debate and policy review at a senior level by hosting round-table discussions with speakers including UK government ministers and other international figures; Bilaterals/business councils/societies, for whom Asia House acts as the secretariat to inter-governmental business and social institutions for Japan, Korea, Malaysia, India and Pakistan, and encourages debate and interaction on a variety of levels.
Trustees
Mr Charles Miller Smith (chairman), Mr Vahid Alaghband, Mr Charles Allen-Jones, The Hon Apurv Bagri, Sir Thomas Harris KBE CMG, Mrs Sung Joo Kim, Mrs Beth McKillop, Mr Dalip Pathak, Mr Victor Lap Lik Chu,
Benefactors & Stakeholders
Founder stakeholders
HSBC, Prudential plc, Standard Chartered,
Founder benefactors
Hutchison Whampoa Ltd (chairman: Li Ka-shing), James Hsioung Lee Foundation, Alaghband Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Dr Johnny S H Hon, Linklaters, Royal & SunAlliance
Facilities
Asia House's headquarters at 63 New Cavendish Street, London, is a splendid Grade II* listed building, originally planned by Robert and James Adam on the Duke of Portland’s Marylebone Estate in the 1770s. By 1775, however, the Adams’ attention had turned to the creation of Portland Place, and neo-classical architect John Johnson took over the site, erecting the magnificent townhouse that has now been redeveloped as Asia House.
Asia House's facilities include:
- a state of the art museum-standard Gallery for historical and contemporary visual arts, crafts and photography
- three ‘Fine Rooms’ and the Library, all of which are used for a variety of functions ranging from events such as talks, dinners, film screenings and discussions, to private views for exhibitions and outside hires for corporate clients and partners.
- Café T, serving pan-Asian food, and exhibiting art by young Asian talent in the UK.
Renovation and modernisation
The building’s interior is Adamesque in style, with filigree plasterwork, inset classical paintings and elaborate marble chimneypieces. It has been sensitively converted by an architect of Indian origin at the architectural firm of Calford Seaden.
The rooms retain many of their original features – including bookcases designed by Sir John Soane and plaster cornicing – while other parts of the building have been modernised in line with English Heritage recommendations, specifically to create café and gallery spaces.
Awards & Recognition
In 2005, Asia House received the Charity Finance Award for Arts, Culture & Heritage.