The annual forum, hosted by Arts Council Tokyo sets an important theme each year to consider the current state of arts and culture, deepening perspectives through dialogue with guests active in the international field. The latest forum was held at Arts Council Tokyo on February 20, 2025.
The theme of this year's event is "Art Culture and Urban Power: New Opportunities and Challenges for International Expansion." With the pandemic winding down, climate change, global political changes, and other major changes in our environment, how do arts and culture professionals in their cities think about building international networks and supporting artists and organizations active around the world? We listened to each speaker's thoughts and practices.
The invited speakers were Araf Ahmadari, director of the Amsterdam Arts and Culture Bureau, Choi Seok-gyu, artistic director of the Seoul Performing Arts Festival, and Jill Dre, executive director of the international performing arts platform CINARS. The moderator was Mariko Tsukaguchi, president and secretary general of the Open Network for Performing Arts Producers.
We report on the day of the event, where words were exchanged about the importance of cultural and human connections across cities and countries.
Amsterdam's power to combine culture and internationality
Araf Ahmadari, director of the arts and culture bureau in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, was the first to take the microphone. Ahmadari pointed to culture and internationality as the two important DNAs of the city of Amsterdam, and shared the numbers to back them up.
The city is the second largest public cultural supporter in the Netherlands. The number of people working in the cultural sector is 10% compared to the national average of 4%, and the city has about 1200 cultural institutions for a population of more than 900,000. 2.6% of the city budget is used for the cultural budget.
In terms of its internationality, it is home to over 180 nationalities and receives 25 million tourists and 12000 foreign students every year. Foreign nationals account for 10% of the labor market, and 30% of private employment is created by foreign companies. Based on these data, Ahmadari says, "Culture is an important sector of our cities, but it also supports internationality and economics."
He says Amsterdam's cultural strategy, Plan for the Arts, calls for 169 million euros a year to be spent on culture. At its core is the idea of diversity and inclusion, in which everyone has the right to exercise imagination and access to culture. For example, by securing a wide range of seats at festivals, supporting the renovation and construction of cultural facilities, and providing artists with space owned by the city or invested in by private developers at low prices, the city has turned the venue into an "incubator" (*1) where artists can create and expand cultural infrastructure in various regions.
The city is also focusing on night culture. Ahmadari says, "It's not a bonus, it's an integral part of a cultural city."
To maintain the vitality of art and culture at the core of city life, Amsterdam focuses on investing in small groups and young people. It's not just for budding writers and professionals, but for younger generations, including a policy to ensure that every child in the city gets three hours of cultural education a week. Ahmadari explains the purpose of this by saying, "Because younger generations are inspired by works of art at an early age, and they are faced with ideas and worlds that they have not yet encountered, which leads them to develop a critical awareness, to think about things, to talk about things."
What about the relationship between culture and the internationality of cities? Ahmadari explained that Amsterdam accounts for more than 50% of Dutch cultural exports and that more than 40% of the 25 million tourists who visit the city come for cultural programs. Interestingly, more than 70% of the cultural programs produced in Amsterdam are organized internationally and outside the city. "So Amsterdam is also an incubator for a lot of programs outside the city." Ahmadari says.
At the same time, the city is keen to collaborate with cities around the world. Participation in this symposium is just one of these activities, but in addition, since 2016, the city has been implementing a program called "Work Visit," in which city representatives visit other cities with cultural institutions and artists to exchange ideas. In particular, for the foreseeable future, "Emphasizing strategic cooperation in Europe and shaping a European narrative centered on culture."
In addition, Ahmadari stressed the importance of supporting organizations affected by budget cuts despite their important work on international cooperation, and working with the World Urban Culture Forum (hereinafter referred to as WCCF), which was established in 2012 to exchange information for sustainable cities.
In closing, Ahmadari said that as Amsterdam celebrates its 750 year anniversary this year, the city will work with embassies and others to share its narrative internationally through culture. "I want to connect people who love Amsterdam around the world and use that as a stepping stone for the future. I hope you now understand how international collaboration can play an important and central role in city-level cultural policy." he said.
(*1) An organization, institution, or program that supports and promotes the growth of startups and new entrants, and provides opportunities for funding and networking.
The importance of having a statement and fostering human connections from a long-term perspective
Next, Gilles Doré, Executive Director of the International Performing Arts Fair "CINARS(International Exchange for the Performing Arts)," held every two years in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, gave a presentation.
CINARS was founded in 1984 to promote Canadian artists worldwide, including in Quebec, the French-speaking region of Canada. One of the reasons behind this was to generate income for manufacturers by disseminating information to the world at a time when domestic demand alone was not sufficient.
CINARS has two divisions. One is a biennial category. Up to 122 performances will be held at the fair. The program covers several fields, including contemporary dance, circus, and theater music, and includes symposiums, discussions, and workshops. During the exhibition, representatives from the United States, Europe and Asia will gather in Montreal. CINARS now has an international network of 25000 people.
The other is the International Mission Division, which invites performing arts agents and companies from around the world to Montreal about 12 times a year. The group originally held a meeting in Montreal in the early days of its activities. After that, around 2000, networking was strengthened. I was also involved in the Tokyo Art Fair (TPAM), which started in Tokyo in 1995, and the Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting (YPAM), which took over from the Tokyo Fair in 2011.
After introducing these basic activities, Dre's main message of the presentation was his own experience, especially for young people for the next 10 years.
Our world is undergoing a radical shift, with advances in technology and its impact on live arts, changes in business models and ecosystems, and ecological issues. In addition, the diversity of stage personnel is increasing, and young people are appearing on the scene. There is a tendency to rush to achieve results, but Dre says, "It's okay to take your time."
Dre says a study in New York found that 37% of people in the performing arts have been replaced since the pandemic. In other words, there are more opportunities for strangers to work together, but Dre says, "I felt the need to talk to young people about the importance of networking." It's important to take a long-term view. He says it will take at least three years for young program workers to have many face-to-face interactions and friendships with world stakeholders.
Dre also urges young artists and people in the performing arts to have a statement about their artistic and humanistic identity. In particular, this is a time of rapid change. In this context, I believe that even in times of economic hardship, as long as each individual has a statement or belief about his or her own artistic or humanistic values, his or her will and interest can continue unbroken.
Dre also pointed out that the quality of artistic experience and business models are changing due to changes in information environment such as digital technology and social networking sites, and agents are required to be strategic and not just to sell performances. He also said that since the pandemic, there has been a growing tendency to take a more continental view of internationality and conduct programs abroad.
In closing, Dre said that as the world changes in various aspects such as the environment, climate, economy and geopolitical situation, we are "It's time to rethink our cultural policies and our deeply held values." He enthusiastically appealed to the audience, "I have a responsibility to think about why I am going overseas, why I am working internationally, where and what kind of activities I want to do, and above all, to spread humanistic values around the world through art."
Questions about marginal narratives and Asianness, and an eye toward new mobility
Finally, Choi Seok-gyu took the stage.
Choi touched on the political turmoil in South Korea, the start of the second Trump administration in the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, and raised three questions that are important to her as a director, producer, and researcher. "(1) What is the role of art in this period of change? What are these new, unconventional values?""(2) What is the meaning and importance of being international today?" and "(3) New perspectives on Asian performing arts, movement and collaboration among Asian artists, and what is the meaning of solidarity?". Choi addressed these three questions by introducing three practices in which she is involved.
The first is the Seoul Performing Arts Festival (hereinafter SPAF) where he served as artistic director in 2022. In his direction, Choi tried to share with the audience diverse voices that have traditionally been marginalized, based on the idea that art reflects society. The themes presented as "new narratives" include "stories of women," "gender and LGBTQ," and "aging and generations." By the way, referring to the female perspective, Choi pointed out that there were only male speakers and commented, "In Korea, men are still dominant, but I think the situation in Japan is similar."
The festival also addressed the lack of awareness of deepening cultural understanding through conducting programs for artists with disabilities and collaborating with makers from the Middle East, with whom South Korea is unfamiliar. But there are challenges to overcome, including diverse audience expectations for programs, lack of budget and expertise for accessibility initiatives, audiences' reluctance to deal with unfamiliar cultures, and critics' difficulty contextualizing them.
Next, Choi talked about "internationality." He says the meaning and value of the term in South Korea and its position in cultural policy have changed significantly over the past 40 years. It has been aimed at showing the cultural identity of the nation and developing the market. In this context, Choi's second practice is the concept of "Next Mobility."
People are active internationally for many reasons, including economic and artistic reasons, but Choi says it is more important to increase international engagement and mobility through cross-border tours and patrols in the post-COVID-19 era. Also related to the theme of mobility is the growing interest in green slow mobility, a means of reducing the impact on the environment, in the context of the climate crisis, and digital technology making it possible to experience art without moving around.
Choi is working with artists, producers, and research institutes in South Korea on the concept of "next mobility." It also collaborates and dialogues with the Australian Performing Arts Fair "Australian Performing Arts Market (APAM)," the Australian Arts Festival "The Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts (Asia TOPA)," and international research institutions and creative labs. "Because we still need to think about how to expand our cultural connections." Choi said. In order to promote this idea, we have published various publications in English as well as in Korean.
In terms of international cooperation, when overseas artists are invited to SPAF, they are carried out in four stages, from sharing visions and concepts to understanding local conditions, performing, and archiving. He says he aims to produce high-quality works by localizing them. In recent years, 45 dancers from Australia have been invited to perform. We are also working with the Creative Lab to develop new languages and technologies for the performing arts, as well as work on the climate crisis.
"New mobility is always driven by artists. policy follows" Choi said. He also says that when thinking about mobility, it's important to have a funding perspective, to share responsibility among many stakeholders, to use technology to create interactive and immersive experiences, and to ask about locality and quality.
Finally, Ms. Choi introduced her practice on Asia. When he was a student in London, he had a dream of bringing Asian performing arts to Europe, but as he studied there, he began to think about Asia from a Western perspective. In 2013, he established the Asian Producers’ Platform (APP), a network of performing arts producers active in the Asia-Pacific region. We engage in dialogue about Asia's geopolitical context and build peer-to-peer connections that support producers ’ creativity.
It has also created networks at various levels within the Asia-Pacific region, such as the Asia-Pacific Playwrite Focus, a project focusing on contemporary playwrights in the region, and the Asia-Pacific Playwrite Focus "Asia Pacific Festivals Connection (APFC)," which links performing arts festivals, theaters, and organizations in the region and supports the movement of artists.
"International practice is essential for art," Choi said. He finished his presentation by asking the audience, "So how can it be more international? Can you increase that speed? What is the importance of putting local communities on international mobility?."
Methods of "cross-border" cooperation and sharing issues that take into account differences in regional backgrounds
In the second half of the forum, Mariko Tsukaguchi, president and secretary general of the Open Network for Performing Arts Producers (ON-PAM), served as moderator and spoke to three guests.
At the outset, Tsukaguchi asked what it means to be international in the face of many challenges, such as global conservatism and climate change. Ahmadari mentioned that "that international cultural policy and urban cultural policy are interconnected and inseparable, and that culture is a countermeasure to these challenges" and pointed out the importance of dialogue among cities. "We need to rethink who we want to share our values with," Dre says, referring to the fact that more and more people are not flying in recent years out of concern for the environment.
Choi, on the other hand, said that in recent years she has been using the word “transnational ” more often than“ international. ”. He explained that this is because the term "international" has a customary western-centric bias, and because although similar problems exist in various parts of the world, the background of each place is different, so he believes that it is important to have dialogue while understanding each other. Ahmadari said he was impressed by this idea of looking at global issues from the perspective of transboundary nature. In response, Choi touched on a book she recently read about handicapped craftspeople, saying that each person and country has its own perspective on the world, and that it is important to learn from various angles.
Tsukaguchi then asked how we can build an inclusive network without hierarchy. Dre says the foundation of networking is dialogue, and that it's not the obvious outcome that matters, but the time spent discussing it. She then touched on her relationship with Choi, which she has known for more than 15 years, and spoke of the importance of friendship between individuals. Ahmadari and Choi agreed. Ms. Choi added that it is important to bring an "individual perspective" to the network by ensuring independence if the network is built with the assistance of the government, or by sticking to a small scale if the network is not built with the assistance of the government.
When Tsukaguchi asked more questions about networking and individuality, Dre replied that to build a relationship with someone internationally, it takes a long time, such as meeting at least three times at a venue like this and having tea and drinks. Ahmadari also says that when considering investments in culture and international cooperation, it is important to see social and human values as well as economics and rationality, and to take leadership as a funding agency. Ms. Choi also mentioned that when there are differences in resources among related communities, it is important to think about allocating resources based on common responsibilities, and that new leadership is required to promote a group based on autonomy.
What do you think about human resource development for the younger generation? Dre says CINARS organizes programs and workshops on the theme of the new generation, creating connections between younger and older generations, and brings the new generation to workshops and conferences around the world, giving them an opportunity to think about their own identity and background. In terms of learning, Ms. Choi points out that dialogue and context formation through works are important, citing, for example, the fact that SPAF has staged performances and held forums on works from the Middle East that are not familiar.
On the other hand, Ahmadari said that the younger generation is becoming more interested in the culture of other regions through social media, and that the average age of his workplace has dropped by about 10 years in recent years, and that a new way of thinking about culture and policy, that is, a more open approach rather than a centralised one, is spreading. In relation to this, Ms. Choi and Ms. Dre also talked about the significance of including people with disabilities, people of different genders, immigrants, and other diverse people in the team.
Possibility of changing individual's view of the world through movement and dialogue
There were many questions from the audience. First, we asked for opinions on the problem that quantitative criteria such as the number of visitors are easy to measure when evaluating festivals, while qualitative evaluations such as quality and nurturing the next generation take time.
Choi said that in South Korea, local arts councils are updating their evaluation methods to be more qualitative. In the past, the focus was on the number of visitors and the number of media publications, but in recent years, the focus has shifted to the quality of the works, their contribution to artistic debate, and the impact they have had on various people in society. Ahmadari also stressed the need to measure impact not only in Japan but also globally. Dre, who recently wrote a report on last year's Biennale, said the number of visitors was strong because of the high quality of the works and dialogue.
Questions were also raised about disparities between cities and provinces. From the questioner: In Japan, a lot of culture and budget is concentrated in Tokyo. How do you deal with it in Amsterdam? Ahmadari reiterated the fact that about 70% of the programs born in the city take place outside of the city, and said the city views culture as an ecosystem, avoiding the "big city versus rural" narrative. He said cities have a role to play in this.
Dre also said that with Montreal's rising prices in recent years, artists have been moving to the suburbs. He said this is partly due to the development of technology, but it also shows the possibility of connecting directly from the suburbs to the world. Choi also pointed out that there is a stark difference between Seoul and the rest of the world in the field of contemporary art, and that decentralization based on local culture is necessary. On the other hand, he said that such development could force art to be evaluated in terms of key performance indicators (KPIs), and that the government needs to support the activities of creators who want to create in their own places and share them with creative people.
At the end of the talk, they reiterated the importance of dialogue between cities, the importance of multiple cities facing common challenges together, and the importance of learning about different contexts. Finally, Mr. Tsukaguchi asked about the essential value of art and culture. Mr. Ahmadari answered Mr. Jill answered "Openness, pioneering, and democracy" and Mr. Choi answered "Asking questions and making suggestions. the exercise of artistic imagination."
After the talks, the deputy mayor of Amsterdam, Tulia Meliani, made closing remarks.
First, Meliani commented on each of the three speakers. "You need numbers to show you love art and culture. Data is a community where people come together and make beautiful things." he said, referring to his colleague Ahmadari. Jill said she shared the point about building long-term relationships, and Choi said she learned a lot from the cross-border perspective.
Meliani also touched on personal stories. Born in Morocco, North Africa, Meliani moved to the Netherlands where her father worked at the age of six. She says that at the time, people only looked at her in the categories of "foreigner" and "immigrant," and they didn't see her. Influenced by her mother, who values individuality, Ms. Meliani emphasized that it is very important to change one's perspective and perspective on the world by traveling the world.
As Mr. Ahmadari said, more than 180 nationalities live in Amsterdam. In an era of global polarization and the rise of far-right political parties and populism, Meliani said this diversity was the city's strength. "I believe in the power of those individuals in these dangerous times." he says.
He also mentioned that Amsterdam will host the WCCF in October on the occasion of the city's 750 year anniversary this year and said, "Working hand in hand and exchanging ideas can change the world."
This forum has invited three speakers from cities around the world to talk about the relationship between cities and culture, and the importance of networking across countries. From this, we can see that there is a sense of common issues in various cities around the world, the significance of connecting these issues across borders while paying attention to regional differences, and that even over time, it is still felt that relationships between individuals over a long period of time have great potential.
In addition, although there were not many scenes in which I could directly touch on the subject, I could feel a sense of crisis about the current chaotic situation in the world and a reconsideration of the significance of culture in this context from every word of the speakers' remarks.
Photo by Yuki Nakayama
Text: Tamaki Sugihara
2024 Arts Council Forum
"Art Culture and the Power of Cities: New Opportunities and Challenges for International Expansion"
- Time: Thursday, February 20, 2025 17:00~20:00
- Venue: Arts Council Tokyo 5th floor conference room
- Organized by: Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Arts Council Tokyo