Participating in the Arts Council Shizuoka Kickoff Meeting

On June 19 2025, we participated in the kickoff meeting for grantee organizations hosted by Arts Council Shizuoka. As part of its regional revitalization program through arts and culture, the event brought together around 70 participants—including 18 organizations under the Regional Creative Support program and 10 under the Regional Start-up Support program—at the 6th-floor hall of Granship, Shizuoka Prefecture.

This year, Aura no Mori Geijutusha (Amamoto & Shiraishi Africulture Centre) received its first Regional Start-up Support grant. With this support, we will hold dialogue-based viewing sessions (or formally Visual Thinking Strategies developed the MOMA) of contemporary African art in Izu no Kuni City, Shizuoka Prefecture, focusing on the elderly and people with disabilities. We also plan to compile a report documenting the activities.

The meeting featured a keynote speech by President Taneo Kato of Arts Council Shizuoka. His witty yet pointed message about fostering a society where "every resident becomes a creator" left a strong impression. The group work session also offered meaningful exchanges with other participating organizations.

Having lived in the UK since the age of 13, I had long been familiar with the name “Arts Council.” After founding Aura no Mori Geijutusha in Shizuoka in 2022, I began exploring how our collection of approximately 200 contemporary African artworks in Izu no Kuni City could contribute to the local community. In the process, I learned about the establishment of Arts Council Shizuoka in 2021 and discovered that they offer consultation support. I was fortunate to first receive kind guidance from Chief Director Mr. Nobumasa Kushino and Program Director Ms. Mari Kitamoto.

I later joined their training program Kikaku no Ba (“The Planning Space”), where consultations helped me clarify the direction of our activities. Encounters with VTC facilitator and insights from hospital art initiatives also enriched my approach.

At the kickoff meeting, participants were divided into five groups for discussion. I was placed in Group A, facilitated by Mr. Kushino. I was surrounded by impressive individuals: a person bringing dialogue into medical settings, a mother of a child with disabilities who organizes corporate roundtable discussions, an organizer of a costume parade involving the local mayor, and the founder of a unique music festival set in the tourist town of Atami. I was struck by the strength and richness of their networks.

Since 2024, Aura no Mori Geijutsusha has been conducting exhibitions of contemporary African art, kora performances (a traditional West African instrument), and dialogue-based appreciation sessions mainly in Izu City, particularly in facilities for seniors. In 2025, we will shift our focus to Izu no Kuni City, where our studio is based, and host viewing sessions at community spaces such as Izu-non Café, run by the Nirayama Community Support Center, and at a special employment support workshop. These sessions will feature Shetani by Tanzanian artist George Lilanga, painted in 1998.

Recently, our project was also featured on Izu no Kuni Digital Map 2 under the “Hot Springs & Attractions” category, and I had the opportunity to speak about our activities on Izu no Kuni FM. I’m truly grateful for these expanding connections with the local community. I also attended the African Heritage event in Tokyo the other day, where I had the pleasure of making new connections.

In this way, small but meaningful networks rooted in African culture are beginning to take shape here in Izu no Kuni. I’m excited to see what kinds of creative collaborations may emerge going forward.

In closing, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Arts Council Shizuoka for providing such a valuable opportunity.

🖼 Photo credit: Arts Council Shizuoka

Arts Council Shizuoka Kickoff Meeting at Grandship Hall