GUIDELINES TO DEVELOP AREA OF ART SPACES FOR INTERNATIONAL ARTS EXHIBITIONS IN CHIANG MAI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) Analyze the factors influencing the development of art spaces for international art exhibitions in Chiang Mai Province; 2) Examine the potential of art exhibition spaces in Chiang Mai Province; and 3) Propose guidelines for the development of art spaces to support international art exhibitions in Chiang Mai Province. A mixed-methods research design was employed. The key informants consisted of 23 owners and managers of galleries, art centers, and exhibition venues. The questionnaire respondents and focus group participants included 50 artists, lecturers, academics, students, and members of the public interested in visual arts, selected through purposive sampling. The research instruments included in-depth interview forms, questionnaires, and focus group discussion guides. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The findings revealed that: 1) The key factors influencing the development of art spaces consisted of four dimensions: physical characteristics of the space, infrastructure and accessibility, human resources and networks, and management and policy; 2) The overall potential of art spaces in Mueang Chiang Mai District was at a high level ( = 4.16, S.D. = 0.66), with city image receiving the highest mean score. Facilities and infrastructure were rated at a moderate level ( = 3.53, S.D. = 0.79), while community participation was rated at a high level ( = 4.10, S.D. = 0.65); and 3) Guidelines for developing art spaces to support international art exhibitions should focus on improving physical spaces, enhancing infrastructure and accessibility, strengthening art-related collaborative networks, developing management systems and supportive policies, and promoting community participation in order to enhance Chiang Mai’s capacity as a center for international art exhibitions.