ASEAN-Japan Centre has been bringing lacquer artists, artisans, educators and scientists together for seminars, workshops and art exhibitions in Bagan, Myanmar since 2002.

Exchange program (2002 to 2022)
The purpose of the Asian Lacquer Craft Exchange Project is to promote natural lacquer arts, crafts, industry, and education throughout Asia.

Technical and cultural exchange

• MLA organised Myanmar lacquer artists and experts to give lectures and workshops to Japanese students and other lacquer artists from different countries at the Lacquerware Technology College, Bagan, Myanmar, Cambodia, China.
• ASEAN-Japan Centre invited qualified young teachers from the lacquer centre in SE Asia to Japan to study lacquer art education, the lacquer crafts industry, lacquer conservation, and other techniques.

Joint Asian Lacquer Art Exhibition (2015 to 2022)
MLA and ASEAN-Japan Centre arranged for Myanmar lacquer artists to exhibit their lacquer art works at the International Lacquer Exhibition in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Japan – together with other Asians lacquer artists and technicians from each country.