The Nordic Culture Fund, 13 January 2026, Denmark

At the Nordic Culture Fund, we are entering 2026 with a new strategy that sets the direction for the Fund towards 2030. The strategy builds on the Fund’s development in recent years and strengthens its proactive and future oriented role within Nordic cultural cooperation. Central to the strategy is the decisive importance of art and culture for the development of Nordic societies – as well as the…

VN Express International, 12 January 2026, Viet Nam

Vietnam will officially mark Nov. 24 as “Vietnam Culture Day,” a paid public holiday, under a Politburo resolution outlining a cultural development roadmap through 2030 and a long-term vision to 2045.

WebProNews, 12 January 2026, Indonesia

Indonesia has banned Elon Musk's Grok AI chatbot for enabling non-consensual sexual deepfakes of women and children, marking the first such national prohibition. Citing threats to dignity and security, this move signals a global push for ethical AI safeguards and could inspire similar regulations worldwide.

Japan Today, 11 January 2026, Japan

Japan's culture agency plans to revise copyright rules to require payment of royalties to artists and record labels when their works are used as background music in places such as cafes and gyms.

Business Day, 11 January 2026, Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has declared 2026 as the Year of Culture and Creativity, building on the momentum of its 2025 Year of Ecotourism and signalling a renewed national focus on cultural identity, creative enterprise and inclusive economic growth.

Hanoi Times, 11 January 2026, Viet Nam

The Hanoi Creative Design Festival 2026 officially opened on January 10 at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, launching a year-long series of creative activities aimed at positioning the capital as a regional hub for the creative economy.