International Exchange Program Executive Committee for Disabled People’s Culture and Arts
TOKYO 2020 & Japan Cultural Expo – Disabled People’s Arts and Culture Festival – Grand Opening –
2020.01.07
Press release
PDF ver.
Date/Time: Fri, February 7 – Sun, February 9
Place: Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel Convention Hall, etc.
Organizers: National Network for Promoting Arts and Cultural Activities of Disabled People towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games
International Exchange Program Executive Committee for Disabled People’s Culture and Arts
Host: Culture and Art Promotion Division, Department of Art and Sports, Shiga Prefectural Government
Provided by: the event organizers (two organizations) and the prefectural government hosting the event
From Fri, February 7 to Sun, February 9, 2020, the grand opening event for the Disabled People’s Arts and Culture Festival will be held in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture.
This festival is held as part of the Japan Cultural Expo, or Nihonhaku, hosted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The festival aims to express the theme of the Japan Cultural Expo -“Humanity and Nature in Japan”- through artistic and cultural works by people with disabilities, and showcase the charms of disability art and culture to people around the globe. The festival will go on tour and will be held at several locations across Japan, from Hokkaido to Kyushu, from fiscal 2020 to 2021.
Marking the beginning of the festival, the opening event will be held in Shiga Prefecture for the three days indicated above.
One of the opening programs, Art Brut World Forum, will bring together, from around the world, distinguished people involved in promoting “art brut,” including Mr. Jean-Marc Ayrault (former French Prime Minister, Honorary Mayor of Nantes) to engage in a meaningful discussion toward establishing an international network.
In addition to the World Forum, the opening event features a wide variety of programs that allow visitors to feel the artistic expression of persons with disabilities. These programs include an exhibition of art brut works that have been highly rated in Japan and abroad in recent years, live performances by people with disabilities and an inspection tour of formative activities by disabled people.
In the same venue, Amenity Forum 24, a nationwide welfare forum, where people involved in welfare across the country get together to discuss and exchange ideas on various welfare issues will also be held.
Being a place where Kazuo Itoga, dubbed the “father of welfare for the disabled in Japan,” began artistic activities for children with disabilities, ahead of the rest of the country, Shiga Prefecture has a long-standing history of promoting welfare for persons with disabilities and their cultural and artistic activities. We sincerely invite members of the media to cover this festival and activities being undertaken in Shiga Prefecture.
* See press release(pdf) for details.
1 Coverage
(1) Programs and events held at the grand opening venue
We invite media representatives to let them collect first-hand information on various grand opening events and programs. You can collect information freely at the venue.
Event Name: TOKYO 2020 & Japan Cultural Expo - Disabled People’s Arts and Culture Festival - Grand Opening -
[Sponsors] Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan Arts Council, National Network for Promoting Arts and Cultural Activities of Disabled People towards Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, International Exchange Program Executive Committee for Disabled People’s Culture and Arts
Date/Time: Fri, February 7 - Sun, February 9
Place: Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel Convention Hall, etc. (4-7-7 Nionohama, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture)
Programs:
- Art Brut World Forum (Japanese, English)
- Disabled People’s Performing Arts Fair (Japanese (Explanatory material in English))
- Art Brut Exhibition: “Humanity and Nature in Japan” Exhibition” (Japanese, English)
- Barrier Free Film Festival 2020 (Japanese only)
- Workshop -Source of Expressions- (Japanese, English)
Website:
https://artbrut-creation-nippon.jp/
(2) Inspection tour
In one of the above-listed programs:Workshop -Source of Expressions-, an inspection tour will be conducted, in which guests (panelists) at the grand opening will participate. We invite media representatives to the tour for information gathering.
Program Name: Workshop -Source of Expressions-
Date/Time: Sun, February 9 10:00am - 4:00pm
Place: Shigaraki Town, Koka City (A tour bus will be provided to transport participants for the tour. Media representatives can ride on the tour bus.)
Languages: Japanese, English
Tour Outline:
The tour visits Shigaraki Seinenryo, a foundation for disabled people’s formative activities in Shiga Prefecture, and other related facilities. The tour also takes participants on a leisurely stroll through the streets of Shigaraki Town.
Schedule:
9:00am depart at Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel
9:15am stop in front of JR Otsu Station to pick up participants
10:00am-12:00pm Visit to the Shigaraki Seinenryo
Appreciate artworks and observe facilities including a workshop where works are made.
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (venue undecided)
1:00pm-2:00pm Stroll around Shigaraki Town
2:00pm-4:00pm Visit to the Shiga Prefectural Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park
Experience making a work with clay, together with artists from Shigaraki Seinenryo.
5:00pm Arrive at JR Otsu Station
2 Points to Note for Information Gathering
(1) Expenses associated with information gathering
Participation fee is free of charge. (Transportation fees to the venue and the meeting point are at your own expense.)
(2) Meeting place
For information gathering at the grand opening venue, please come to the reception counter on the day of the event. For the inspection tour, come to either pick-up location (Lake Biwa Otsu Prince Hotel or in front of JR Otsu Station). (Details of the pick-up locations will be announced later.)
(3) How to apply
Please apply by email no later than Wednesday, February 5, by providing all required information as listed below.
- Name of participant
- Company name
- Media type (Newspaper, magazine, TV, etc.)
- Email address
- Mobile phone number (for communication on the day)
- Coverage (1) Grand opening programs/events at the venue (2) Inspection tour
- Others: If you participate in (2) the inspection tour, please indicate the pick-up location where you will board the bus.
[Application and Inquiries]
International Exchange Program Executive Committee for Disabled People’s Culture and Arts (Social welfare organization Glow)
Person in charge: Mr. Miki, Planning Division
TEL: 0748-46-8100 e-mail: kikaku@glow.or.jp
Address: 4837-2 Shimotoyoura, Azuhi-cho, Omihachiman-shi, Shiga 521-1311
About the event
International Exchange Program Executive Committee for Disabled People’s Culture and Arts
(Person in charge: Mr. Miki, TEL: 0748-46-8100 e-mail: kikaku@glow.or.jp)
About projects and activities undertaken in Shiga Prefecture
Culture and Art Promotion Division, Department of Art and Sports, Shiga Prefectural Government
(Person in charge: Mr. Fujita, TEL: 077-528-3344)
