Arts Council Tokyo is promoting a project called "Creative Wellbeing Tokyo" to improve accessibility, develop programs and build networks. Yukiko Otaka, who is in charge of social symbiosis, and team leader Yuriko Komai are in charge of coordination and coordination between each facility and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. I asked you about the job description and how you joined the team.
* Department names and titles are current at the time of interview
(Part 2 is here)
To make accessibility infrastructure. Yukiko Otaka
Yukiko Otaka has been working at the Arts Council Tokyo since April 2024 as the director of social symbiosis. In my previous job, I worked in a different field, so I used museums. I liked cultural facilities, but as a deaf person, I felt frustrated because there was no information security. But one day, she participated in an artist talk with a sign language interpreter, which led to her current job.
"Until then, I just look at the works. Even if I wanted to participate in an event, there was no information guarantee, or even if there was, I thought I would need specialized knowledge, so the hurdle was high. However, I was deeply moved by the experience of meeting the artist in person for the first time and being able to communicate with him or her through a sign language interpreter about the artist's intentions and thoughts. I came to think that I wanted many people to feel this experience and that it was a waste of time."
I am currently in charge of two main tasks. The first task is to summarize the accessibility of each facility. The other is in charge of running training for sign language interpreters. Sign language interpreters have various specialties and specialties. There are still not many sign language interpreters specializing in the arts and culture field compared to the field of education, administration and local government. For this reason, the Arts Council Tokyo held sign language interpretation training in the arts and culture field this fiscal year.
It has been six months since I started this job, and what made me happy were the voices of Deaf people who participated in events with sign language interpreters.
I heard a voice from a building saying, "I had come to see another exhibition, but I was happy to participate in this event that happened to be going on." The event was not an advance application system but an event that you could participate on the day.
The current situation of events with information security is that the date and time are limited, and in many cases, there is a pre-application system and a limited number of seats. When you go to see an exhibition at a facility, even if there happens to be an interesting related event or other exhibition related event being held on the day, there are cases where information is not guaranteed. In other words, we are in a situation where we cannot participate unless we check the date and time of information security. In the case of events that can be attended on the day, the organizers do not know in advance whether participants who need accessibility, such as information security, will come, but users were able to just drop by and participate. "< br>In the first part of the discussion, Mr. Otaka said," I want accessibility to become like 'infrastructure.' ". "I hope that there will be more opportunities to improve the environment in the future by having people like me involved in the management of arts and cultural facilities." he says.
to be a bridge to the future of cultural institutions. Yuriko Komai
Ms. Yuriko Komai, who leads the Social Symbiosis Team as the section manager in charge of business coordination, previously worked for an organization that manages halls and theaters in Kanagawa Prefecture. It all started about 10 years ago. When I was in charge of renting halls.
"Managing the hall was my favorite job. At a piano class recital, a karaoke contest, or an opera at an Italian opera house, I take off the shutter when I see people coming to the hall and leaving with smiles. And that was fun."
There happened to be a period when there was a concentration of applications from various groups of people with disabilities such as dyslexia (*) and physical disabilities. However, the hall was “full of barriers ” due to its age.
"How can we make them feel at ease? Because it was a big competition, I had about two years to prepare for the competition, so I studied hard."
The event was a success. However, I wanted to spread the knowledge I had gained through this experience to other employees, so I continued to work steadily by inviting lecturers to give lectures regularly. Before long, the foundation to which I belonged established a division to think about a symbiotic society from the standpoint of cultural institutions, and I became the leader of the team.
*a learning disorder characterized by normal comprehension but difficulty learning to read and write
Currently, I am in charge of coordinating projects at the Arts Council Tokyo, where I am responsible for coordinating the social harmony of each facility. "Summarizing" is the job of thinking and communicating how to realize TMG projects in accordance with the characteristics of each facility.
Under the "Creative Wellbeing Tokyo" project, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Arts Council Tokyo, and metropolitan cultural institutions are promoting the project in 3 stages: information support for visitors to cultural institutions in fiscal 2023, appreciation support for those who actually enjoy art in fiscal 2024, and participation support for those who participate in planning and management in fiscal 2025.
クリエイティブ・ウェルビーイング・トーキョーwebサイト内「アクセシビリティに関わる取組一覧」では、高齢者、障害者、乳幼児、海外にルーツをもつ人などを対象とした取組や情報保障支援等のあるプログラム、芸術文化の鑑賞や体験をサポートするツールなど多角的に紹介しています
Mr. Komai said in the discussion in Part 1 that his job is to "reduce the negative to zero." He points out that this is a turning point for cultural institutions to end their role.
"About 50 to 60 years have passed since the period of intensive opening and maintenance of public facilities due to the high economic growth, and it is the time when the physical role of the service life ends. In that sense, it may be time to reconsider the way cultural institutions should be. I believe that accessibility is a bridge to the next stage of enjoying art and culture."
Aiming for a future in which many people can enjoy a single work of art together, we are taking a step forward as a person in charge of social harmony.
Interpreters: Naoko Iizumi, Yuki Toi
Creative Well-being Tokyo
This project aims to improve accessibility to cultural and artistic institutions so that everyone, from infants to the elderly, people with and without disabilities, and people with foreign roots, can easily meet and participate in cultural institutions and art programs. We will cooperate with cultural institutions in Japan and overseas and NPOs involved in local issues, and promote initiatives necessary for future cultural and artistic activities by utilizing their perspectives and experiences.
Organizers: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan History and Culture Foundation Arts Council Tokyo
https://creativewell.rekibun.or.jp/about/
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