The first post-dispatch debriefing session was held on February 28, 2024, with all participants participating, as an opportunity to widely share the contents and results of the Art Management Personnel Overseas Dispatch Program, which started in FY 2023.
前編 第1部 活動報告はこちら
In the second part, we will report on the roundtable in Part 2, where 10 participants reported and shared their experiences by answering questions from the moderators and asking each other questions.
Reporters
[Edinburgh, Scotland]
Yoshifumi Nomura Stage Art, etc.
Hayato Okada Fringe Organizer
Tosae Takamoto Production, Art Manager
Haruna Matsunami Public Interest Corporation Staff, NPO Staff
[Thailand Biennale (Chiang Rai), Bangkok]
Natsuki Tanji Project Coordinator, Director
Han Seong-nam Director, Curator, Filmmaker, Director
[New York Broadway]
Kasugamare Actor
Nanami Endo Creator, Artist, Dancer
Ikumi Takada Business Strategy and Marketing
Fuyuko Mezawa Producer, Manager, Production
- Moderator (M):
- Based on the experiences and experiences you have gained through this dispatch, what kind of activities would you like to do yourself in the future?
- Endo-san:
- During this dispatch, I made appointments and explained myself to overseas clients for the first time, and they were interested in me, which made me feel closer to expanding my activities overseas. Also, when I think about my own works and projects, I think I have gained perspective on how they will work overseas.
- Mr. Tsuida:
- I think it would be great if there were an environment in Tokyo where small plays and musicals can grow up like Broadway. No matter how high the quality is in today's small theaters in Japan, it is difficult to scale up to major theaters. I want to think about how we can prepare that environment in Japan.
- Mezawa-san:
- After all, the solidarity on Broadway had a strong impact, so I would like to raise the momentum of our generation to create a horizontal network and work together. The other is about dance, which is my field, and physical expression. In the plays I saw this time, I felt the impact of my body directly, and there were many plays that made me excited, so I would like to make such plays in Tokyo.
- M：
- Please tell me again the main reason why you wanted to participate in the dispatch program.
- Takamoto-san:
- I wanted to take my company abroad as a production of a theater company. We wanted to go abroad to broaden our horizons and increase our achievements, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our generation did not know how to go abroad. My goal is to bring back perspectives from overseas to my theater group and artists and use them in my productions. I will realize what I learned during this visit.
- M：
- What were the things that inspired you during your visit and what did you learn from your visit?
- Nomura-san:
- I was personally interested in learning programs for viewers, so I asked the festival officials, and they told me that in its long history, the department for learning programs was established about two years ago. In other words, when it comes to sustainability, it is important not to fix the organization too much like an amoeba, but to explore creative approaches to meet the needs of the times under various circumstances, and to explore forms that can be held. It made me realize my preconception that the foundation must be solid to sustain a festival of this scale.
- M：
- What was difficult or different from what you expected at the place you were dispatched to?
- Okada-san:
- At any rate, prices were so high that it was hard to eat. It would cost me 4,000 yen just to eat out, so I found a curry restaurant behind Edinburgh University for about 1,500 yen and managed to get by. (Laughter)
- M：
- What do you think are the differences between Japan and other countries, and what positive aspects do you hope Japan will adopt?
- Matsunami:
- The Edinburgh Festival is held during the summer holidays in August, which is of course an effective way to attract visitors. In addition, a wide variety of volunteers take advantage of their vacations to work behind the scenes. Japan needs more holidays! Instead, I wanted to consider what kind of festival development, entertainment activities, and creative activities could be done in accordance with the existing lifestyle in Japan and Tokyo.
- Tanji:
- The Thailand Biennale was also a confusing event, but the people who came seemed to be having a great time. There were a lot of Southeast Asian people, maybe because of their nationality, but I could feel that they were having a lot of fun getting together, eating meals, and interacting with each other. I thought it would be nice if Japan had this kind of easy-going and positive energy.
- Kasuga:
- I was inspired by the Union. Actors are paid during the training period, and the minimum wage necessary for living is guaranteed. I personally think this is a system that I would like to see introduced in Japan. Also, in terms of expression, I was impressed by the variety of Representation. I think there is still an issue that there are not many Asians or Hispanics, but there is not only a diversity of race, but also a diversity of people such as body size, age and gender. I think musicals, which are highly commercial in Japan, still have a uniform or unbalanced beauty. There are many differences in appearance among Japanese, and I thought it would be great if such diversity would be adopted more in Japan.
- M：
- Do you have any questions for people who have been to other areas?
- Han:
- I really enjoyed your talk about the role of the Edinburgh team as a market. I understand that you have seen a lot of Asian works. How many Japanese works were shown? If there are not many Japanese works, I would like to ask why.
- Okada-san:
- There were also works from Japan, and I saw only one. However, everyone participated voluntarily and seemed to have a hard time attracting customers. Participating in networking events locally, for example, Taiwan represented the country with a showcase of modern circus. In such networking opportunities, I was asked by a director from overseas why Japan doesn't bring works and artists. There is a fringe spirit of voluntary participation, but as a cultural policy, other countries send artists representing their countries and promote them through the Edinburgh Festival platform. There was no delegation from Japan this time.
- Questions from the audience:
- I really felt the charm of the places and cities where you were dispatched. So what do you think are the attractions of Tokyo and the advantages that can be developed and promoted more?
- Han:
- I think how to attract inbound visitors, including those who have already come to Japan many times, to the arts and culture is extremely important for the attractiveness of Tokyo. For that purpose, I think it is necessary not only for public organizations but also for people who hold festivals and other events for a living to think about what kind of appeal they should make, and to challenge them.
The Art Management Personnel Overseas Dispatch Program began in fiscal 2023. It was an opportunity for each of them to learn about the world and to look back on themselves objectively, and it seemed that they made various discoveries such as awareness of issues that will lead to the next generation, future goals, and specific activity plans. I look forward to seeing how these highly motivated art management professionals will connect Tokyo and the world in the future.
Interview and text: Arts Council Tokyo