The Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture is committed to promoting arts and culture through the operation of metropolitan art museums, museums, theaters, halls, and other cultural facilities, as well as through the various programs of Arts Council Tokyo. This series focuses on the people who work there, introducing their work and the people behind the scenes. In this third installment, we feature three members of the Digital Creative Promotion Division, Activities Support Department Arts Council Tokyo, who are in charge of the TOKYO Smart Culture Project (hereafter, Smacul). In the first part, we present a roundtable discussion with the three, in which we hear about collaborations with the various facilities and future prospects.
*Department names and titles are those at the time of the interview.
Collaborate with libraries to promote digital archives and their use
The Digital Creative Promotion Division is a department established within Arts Council Tokyo in 2023. Within the department, the three members are in charge of the TOKYO Smart Culture Project, commonly known as "Smacul." Smacul is a project that develops the digital infrastructure of metropolitan cultural facilities operated by the Foundation, promotes the digitization and utilization of collections and valuable materials, and combines cultural resources with technology. Digital archive initiatives have been underway at each facility, but the Smacul team's job is to collaborate with each facility to promote digital utilization initiatives from a new perspective and create an environment where "everyone can enjoy art and culture, anytime, anywhere."
About 370,000 pieces of digital data to be released over 5 years
-― You are in charge of both the utilization of digital archives and the digitalization before that.
Kumiko Fukui (hereinafter referred to as Fukui): That's right. With regards to digitization, each institution of the foundation had planned goals even before the Digital Creative Promotion Division was established, and by fiscal year 2025, they plan to fully release digital data of approximately 370,000 items held by six art museums and museums. Each institution - Edo-Tokyo Museum, Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum Tokyo Open Air Tokyo Photographic Art Museum Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Museum - has a wide range of materials, and digitizing their collections is a priority project that they are working on together with each institution.
Mitsunako Taguchi (Taguchi): Incidentally, the digital archiving of valuable materials owned by Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, of which I am in charge, is a new initiative. There is a vast amount of materials from the time of the theater's opening, such as PR magazines, flyers, and programs, but unlike the collections of museums and art galleries, these materials were not once considered to be materials that should be preserved for archival purposes. Tokyo Bunka Kaikan The Foundation's theaters and halls, including the Geigeki, have also started digitizing valuable materials, and the person in charge of the Geigeki asked us to work together with them during the temporary closure of the theater.
Understanding and materializing the requests of each building
-― How do you cooperate with each museum on projects?
KOBAYASHI Aie (Hereinafter, Kobayashi): Basically, we make specific proposals based on the requests we receive from each library. We will continue to consult and persuade each other to make the project mutually acceptable. The museum is very cooperative, but we don't have enough staff. The judgment is quite severe about what it's useful for and whether it makes sense to spare people.
-- What's the use? I'm surprised when you ask. How are you persuaded?
小林：「Meta Bath（メタバス）～デジタルで見る東京型銭湯～」の場合は、オンラインで見せることによって、物理的な距離を越えられることに意味があります。私自身、江戸東京たてもの園で学芸員をしていた時に銭湯をテーマに企画した展覧会「特別展 ぬくもりと希望の空間～大銭湯展」が、コロナ禍で予定通りには開けられずもどかしい思いをしました。これまでも360°カメラの画像や動画公開などを実施していましたが、「もっと見てほしいところ、あるじゃないですか」と口説きましたね（笑）。Meta Bathは天井から見下ろしたアングルなど、デジタルでしか見られない景色もたくさんあって、実物を見慣れている人にも新たな発見があると思います。
田口：東京文化会館の音楽資料室と進めているLPレコード目録のデジタル化は、館から具体的に要望があったパターンです。目録をデジタル化し、OPAC（オンライン蔵書目録検索システム）で検索可能にすることで、一般にも資料の所在を示すことができます。昔ながらの紙のカード目録を元に、約4万件弱をデータ化し公開予定です。
福井：ひとつの館と複数のプロジェクトを進めている場合もあります。東京文化会館とは、来年度開催される東京2025デフリンピックに向けて、新たな音楽鑑賞の体験を提供するプログラムも進行中です。音を視覚情報に変換し、ろう者・難聴者の方も楽しんでいただけるもので、コンサートのアクセシビリティを高めるプロジェクトです。デジタル技術を通して社会課題に向き合うことは、私たちにとって大きな挑戦です。アーカイブとはまた異なるアプローチですが、スマカルが目指す環境づくりのひとつだと思っています。今年度はそのステップとして、コンサートのオンライン配信にも取り組みました。
a team that works with all the houses
-Q: You all have different backgrounds. Who do you think Sumakal is for?
Taguchi: You can deal with various materials related to art and culture such as music and art in a cross-section, so I think it's perfect for people who like materials. We are also happy if we are involved in materials.
Fukui: People who like digital technology can also enjoy working here. It is important to be interested in new technologies and actively conduct interviews and research.
小林：このチームに入ると、財団が管理運営するすべての館と仕事をすることになるので、全体を俯瞰して見ることができます。「Tokyo Museum Collection （ToMuCo、トムコ）東京都立博物館・美術館収蔵品検索サイト」[1]にしても、館に所属しているときには“自館データベースの行き先？”程度の認識でしたが、ここに来て、各館データベースとの連携の仕組みや意図を理解し、今後の可能性を模索するようになりました。個人的には、財団内の人にも各館や他部署と協働できるチームとしてもっと知ってほしい。気軽に相談してもらえたら嬉しいです。
[1] Tokyo Museum Collection（ToMuCo）は、都立ミュージアム（江戸東京博物館、東京都写真美術館、東京都現代美術館、東京都庭園美術館、東京都美術館、江戸東京たてもの園）が収蔵する資料・作品を、横断的に検索できるデータベース。
https://museumcollection.tokyo/
Addressing Social Issues Beyond Space, Time and Language Barriers
-It plays an important role to connect organizations and halls horizontally. Lastly, what is your vision for the future through digital utilization?
Kobayashi: The problem of not being able to access cultural resources due to geographical and temporal hurdles can often be solved by utilizing digital technologies. You can watch, listen and investigate to your satisfaction from anywhere you like without having to go to the location. I hope so, and I think it's happening.
田口：「たてもの園ナビ[2]」を通して感じていることですが、海外からの来場者も多く、そういった方は皆さん建築について詳しく知りたがっているのです。デジタル化、多言語化によってそのニーズに応えられたらと思っています。アクセス数や履歴を見ることができるのもデジタルの利点です。フィードバックを受けてよりよいものにしていきたいです。
Fukui: Through music appreciation support programs and other activities, we have come to see the potential of digital technology to address social issues. By clarifying the target audience, I think the benefits of digital will become clearer. It would be great if Sumakar tackles social issues with its unique approach and produces new works.
[2] "Tatemonoen Navi" is a web app that guides you through Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum with maps and explanations. You can also enjoy explanations using AR functionality within the museum.
(Continued in Part II)
Reporting and text by Nodoka Sakamoto Photo by Aya Hatakenaka
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