NPO Arts Network Japan is an art NPO aimed at revitalizing arts and promoting international communications. ANJ has launched various art and cultural projects to retrieve social power of arts from an international point of view, while mainly focusing on organizing Tokyo International Arts Festival and planning and administration of cultural facilities, such as Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory and Steep Slope Studio. In addition, ANJ is building an international network in cooperation with artists and art organizations in the world.

 

1. Organizing Tokyo International Arts Festival (“TIF”)
2. Management of “creation base / art center” - Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory
3. Human Resource Development Project
4. Administration Project
5. Talks and Lectures

 

Tokyo International Arts Festival (TIF) started as “Tokyo International Theatre Festival'88 in Ikebukuro” in 1988, followed by the festivals held in 1990 and 1992. The festival changed its name to “Tokyo International Festival of Performing Arts” in 1995, which continued to be held in 1997 and annually from 1999. Until then, an executive committee was organized for each festival and the director designated by the executive committee organized and managed the executive office. However, as the festival expanded its scale, the ad hoc nature of the organizational operation of TIF became to be a concern.
Following determination of the executive committee after the festival of 1999, ANJ was certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as an NPO in March 2000. NPO Arts Network Japan was officially established in April 2000. The festival changed its name to “Tokyo International Arts Festival” in 2002 to date.

 

 

April 2000	Establishment of NPO Arts Network Japan
October 2000	Tokyo International Festival of Performing Arts 2000 [organized by ANJ]
October 2001	Tokyo International Festival of Performing Arts 2001 [organized by ANJ]
September 2002	Tokyo International Arts Festival [organized by ANJ]
August 2003	ANJ Lecture Series vol.1 [organized by ANJ]
February 2004	The 10th Tokyo International Arts Festival The Eurasia Festival [organized by ANJ]
August 2004	Establishment of Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory ([Toshima city Promotion of Culture and Art Creation])
November 2004	Camo-Cafe vol.1 [organized by ANJ]
February 2005	Tokyo International Arts Festival 2005 [organized by ANJ]
February 2006	Tokyo International Arts Festival 2006 [organized by ANJ]
April 2006	Okurayama Memorial Hall［administered by ANJ］
October 2006	Yokohama Arts Platform: Steep Slope Studio［administered by ANJ］

 

NPO Arts Network Japan organizes Tokyo International Arts Festival (TIF) every February and March. Tokyo International Arts Festival consists of three main programs as follows.

Performing Arts Program

1. Performances by international theater and dance companies / international co-production
2. The ”Regional Theater Series” which introduces theater companies based in local areas
3. Production of theatrical and dance performances by resident artists at Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory and Steep Slope Studio and other artists

Communication Program 　

TIF provides students and the youth with opportunities to experience arts and to meet artists as a part of our efforts in promotion of arts.

IVP International Visitor's Program　

Establish international network with the next generation artistic directors and producers overseas

Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory is an art space established in August 2004 by NPO Arts Network Japan and NPO ASIAS (Artist's Studio In A School) as a part of “Toshima-ku Promotion of Culture and Art Creation”.

Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory utilizes a school building and a school gym of a closed school (former Asahi Junior High School) as rehearsal facility and provides rehearsal room for continuous and exclusive use of theater and dance companies who are generally suffered from a chronic shortage of rehearsal space. In August 2005, Plan for “Creation of Creative City of Culture and Art” of Toshima city was certified by the Cabinet Office as “Plan for Regional Revitalization”. The pillar of this plan is provision of infrastructure for promotion of culture and art creation, while utilizing “Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory”. The certification facilitated the conversion of a closed school into “Base for Creation to Transmission” which enabled Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory to be utilized as a theater and the main venue for Tokyo International Arts Festival (TIF) organized by ANJ since February 2005.
Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory continuously organizes art communication projects for local residents. Further well-developed projects will be expected with launch of “Children's Museum” organized by ASIAS which aims at providing children with more opportunities to freely see and experience arts. <Project under Toshima city Promotion of Culture and Art Creation, Sponsored by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.>

 

Human Resource Development Project is a project which continuously develops audience, artists and producers of next-generation and creates a new forum for communication through arts.

Youth Art Management Project (YAMP)　

YAMP is a program which offers opportunities for working experience in art industry to people who are interested in working in art industry and students and the youth who seek their career in art in the future. YAMP started as a part of the Communication Program of Tokyo International Arts Festival (TIF) in 2000. It has organized projects and events anchored by students who major in art management. Since 2004, YAMP has extended its activities and provided the youth with opportunities for training and working experience as Youth Support Staff at professional environment, including Tokyo International Arts Festival and other programs organized by ANJ.
ANJ encourages young people to obtain working experience in art production through this program and expects them to find problems with their fresh eyes and take action to solve the problems. ANJ is willing to provide various supports to the participants while respecting individual initiative.

Artists-in-Residence Program　

Artist-in-Residence Program is a “Human Resource Development Project” which provides the artists whose creation ANJ is willing to support with studios at cultural facilities operated by ANJ, such as Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory and Steep Slope Studio, for their exclusive use and supports their creation and production.
Resident artists will be able to focus on their creation at their own stable creation base. Production and financial support will be provided by ANJ. Resident artists will be involved in activities in cooperation with ANJ based on discussion between ANJ and the artists. These activities include participating Tokyo International Arts Festival organized by ANJ and cooperating in workshops for local residents held at Nishi-sugamo Arts Factory (Practice and Lecture of Reading “Touching Drama Reading”). ANJ works with artists for creation while always keeping in mind what the artist needs now.

 

Talks and Lectures is a project aimed at further revitalizing arts by providing opportunities to discuss and express concerns on today's themes related to arts in general.

Camo-Cafe　

Camo-Cafe is a casual event to talk about hottest topics pertaining to arts and society over a drink, including guest talk, film showing, and expression of concern while exploring a new horizon of art and society. Having artists and professionals in every category as guest speaker, Camo-Cafe aims at thinking and sharing (or acknowledging each other's differences) rather than drawing a conclusion through discussion among participants with different information and awareness.

ANJ Lecture Series　

ANJ Lecture Series deals with the hottest themes of cutting edge issues and trends in arts and related subjects and new movement which bridges between art and society. A symposium is held for each series having a leader in the field as coordinator and guest speakers. Another aim is to build new networks among participants of the lecture.

 

Under Administration Project, ANJ is consigned administration of public and other cultural facilities as designed administrator or other responsibility in expectation of fully utilizing the characteristics and flexibility of an Art NPO.

Okurayama Memorial Hall　

ANJ has been engaged in administration of Okurayama Memorial Hall as designated administrator since April 2006. ANJ, as a private organization, is responsible for administration of this public facility for five years. Okurayama Marmorial Hall is a very attractive facility built in 1932 inspired by ancient Greek architecture, which has a small concert hall accommodating 80 people, a gallery and ten conference rooms (or rehearsal rooms). The most fascinating facility is the gallery which surrounds a spacious courtyard and lies in parallel with two miniature gardens. Not only the rental activities, new projects will be developed, such as co-projects with other institutions, cafe and museum shop.

Yokohama Arts Platform:　Steep Slope Studio 　

Since October 2006, ANJ has been engaged jointluy with NPO ST Spot Yokohama in administration and management of Kyu-Oimatsu Kaikan, a former wedding center, as a creation base for performing arts in collaboration with Yokohama City. The various activities of Steep Slope Studio include rental activity of six studios, fostering of resident artists and producers and cafe. As a platform where artists and citizens gather and communicate, Steep Slope Studio induces dialogues and collaborations across genres and generations. In addition, coupled with “Creative City Yokohama”, an initiative of City of Yokohama, Steep Slope Studio supports to form the Sakuragicho/Noge creative community with local residents and artists.

 

Sachio Ichimura (Director, Tokyo International Arts Festival)
Born in Osaka in 1949. Administrator, “Sankai Juku”/ Art Program Advisor of Park Tower Hall (Shinjuku, Tokyo) / Director, Toyota Art Management Lecture Series / President, Theater Television Co., Ltd / President, NPO Arts Network Japan and Director, Tokyo International Arts Festival (since 1999)
His responsibilities include selection and production of both Japanese and international dance performances, management of cultural facilities as well as operation of projects linking private companies to arts and research for NPOs.
Vice President, NPO ASIAS (Artist's Studio In A School) / Board of Director, Yokohama Arts Foundation, Board of Director, Japan NPO Center / [Research Fellow], Association for Corporate Support of the Arts
Assistant Professor, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Musical Creativity and the Environment

 

Kouichi Ikeda	Chairman of the Board and CEO, Asahi Breweries, Ltd.
Akihiko Senda	Professor, Shizuoka University of Art and Culture
Taeko Nagai	Director, Setagaya Arts Foundation
Shogo Hayashi	General Director, Japan Foundation for Regional Art-Activities
Yoshiharu Fukuhara	Honorary Chairman, Shiseido. Co.,Ltd.
Susumu Yanase	Councilor, Vice-president of Ongaku-Giin Renmei

 

Sachio Ichimura	Director, Tokyo International Arts Festival
Toshiyuki Aizawa	Manager, Corporate Citizenship Group, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Masao Katayama	Managing Director, The Saison Foundation
Yutaka Kubo	Manager, Corporate Culture Department, Shiseido Co., Ltd.
Shuji Sota	Professor, Atomi University
Hiroshi Takahagi	General Producer, Setagaya Public Theatre
Yoshinobu Takeda	General Manager, Social & Environmental Management Department, Asahi Breweries,Ltd.
Tomiyasu Tashiro	Executive Secretary, Association for corporate Support of The Arts
Naoko Hasuike	Secretary General, Arts Network Japan
Naoto Fuse	General Manager, Corporate Citizenship and Communication Dept. Public Affairs Div, Toyota Motor Corporation
Mitsuhiro Yoshimoto	Director, Arts and cultural Projects, NLI
Hiroshi Watanabe	Director, Production Department, Saitama Arts Foundation
Takashi Tsumura	Chief Director, Japan Foundation for Regional Art-Activities