Women, Art and the Quiet Power of Giving
International Women’s Day 2026
At the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre on 1st March, an intimate exhibition marking International Women’s Day 2026 offered a reminder that progress often begins in small, intentional acts. Curated as part of The Art of Giving: Art, Craft, Enterprise & Equality, presented by the Australian Alumni Association (Thailand), Women, Art & The Spirit of Giving brought together nine women artist‑educators, business staff and leaders from Bangkok Patana School’s Teachers as Practitioners (TAPs) programme.
The works, displayed within the Art of Giving Gallery, explored the 2026 theme, “Give to Gain,” through a lens of reciprocity: giving to oneself, giving to one another and giving to the wider community. Several pieces were offered for sale in support of women‑focused charities, underscoring the belief that creative practice can also be a form of tangible contribution.
Professional learning at Bangkok Patana extended beyond the school’s walls throughout the event. Secondary English teacher and alumna Purnima Ghogar delivered a spoken‑word performance, “Give to Gain: The Art of Giving,” challenging audiences to consider what they are willing to invest—knowledge, opportunity, visibility, protection—if equity is a value they claim to hold. Her question lingered: when future generations look back, will they believe enough was done?
The relationship between artistic craft and social responsibility threaded through the day’s programming. In a Continued Professional Learning workshop, dietitian Keren Granit spoke on women’s health, including holistic approaches to menopause—another form of giving, framed through care, understanding and informed support.
Together, the exhibitions and events suggested that meaningful change rarely arrives as grand gesture, but rather through consistent effort, attention and intention.
Watch the performance video below to experience the spoken word poem “Give To Gain: The Art of Giving.”
