HCMC - RMIT University in Vietnam and Australia continues its cross-cultural initiative, the Here/There project, to foster contemporary design practices while preserving traditional forms of art and craft.

The initiative built upon a cross-cultural exhibition Skilled Hands, Shared Culture, hosted by RMIT Gallery in 2020, features the works of 10 Australian and 10 Vietnamese artists, designers, and craft people. The project creates opportunities for cultural, economic, and knowledge exchange among makers and designers from both countries, fostering innovative art, craft and design. As part of the Vietnam Festival of Creativity & Design (VFCD), the project has been supported by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam, CAST (Contemporary Art and Social Transformation) research group at RMIT University, RMIT University Vietnam, RMIT Culture, VICAS (Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Art Studies), Vietnam Design Week and Vietcraft. In the opening event of VFCD 2023, representatives of RMIT University, the Australian Consulate-General in HCMC and VICAS also presented the Emerging Design Talent Awards to four young talents of Vietnam as part of the Here/There project. Sarah Hooper, Australian Consul General in HCMC, praised the project as a notable illustration of fostering connections in the realms of art and culture. Hooper emphasized the necessity of cultivating a growing pool of talented and dedicated individuals in both countries.