A project aiming to create a stage that everyone can enjoy, regardless of disability or age, has begun!
(Top image) The artwork of Karin Abe, a member of "Art de Vivre," has been selected as the main visual for Kanagawa Prefecture's "Coexistence and Co-creation Project."
The place where plays are born
File.2 Coexistence and Co-creation Project: Living Together, Creating Together - KANAGAWA ALL-COMERS STAGE -
(Koichi Imai / Editor and Writer)
The Kanagawa Arts and Culture Foundation, which operates KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Kanagawa Prefectural Hall, and Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall, has launched a new inclusive and collaborative project this year: "Living Together, Creating Together - KANAGAWA ALL-COMERS STAGE." Commissioned by Kanagawa Prefecture, the foundation will hold new stage performances and workshops that can be enjoyed by everyone, from children to adults, regardless of disability or age. Leveraging the foundation's expertise in project planning and facility management, the foundation will undertake practical initiatives toward borderless creative activities through performing arts.
In July, we held the first "Human Resource Development Seminar," which served as a kickoff lecture. Participants included the Director of the Cultural Affairs Division of the Kanagawa Prefectural International Cultural Tourism Bureau, the Director of the Inclusive Society Promotion Section of the Welfare and Children's Future Bureau, who advocates the "Kanagawa Charter for a Society Where We Live Together," and the Director of the Pre-Disease Prevention Measures Section of the Health and Medical Department of the Health and Medical Bureau, who advocates the "Kanagawa Declaration for Improving Pre-Disease Conditions."
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With less than two years to go until the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, we see information about the Paralympics and images of athletes aiming to compete on a daily basis. Although it is not yet widely known, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are not only a celebration of sports, but also a celebration of culture. The cultural program includes many performances by artists with disabilities, aiming to provide opportunities for more people to participate.
On the other hand, Japan is experiencing the world's most rapidly aging population and declining birthrate, and is on the verge of a 100-year lifespan. The days when people worried about what their fathers would do after retirement are long gone. In the future, as life expectancies continue to lengthen, it will likely be suggested that people spend their time engaging with culture.
Furthermore, in recent years, attention has been focused on "social inclusion." Social inclusion means considering every citizen as a member of society, and it is an initiative that aims to lower or eliminate barriers to social participation for people who face hurdles or barriers to social participation (socially vulnerable people). According to the Daijisen dictionary, socially vulnerable people are "people who are in a socially disadvantaged position due to limitations on income, physical ability, voice, etc., due to employment or educational opportunities, differences in race, religion, nationality, gender, or illness (this can include the elderly, people with disabilities, children, women, the unemployed, ethnic minorities, refugees, and the poor)."
In light of these various environmental changes, arts and cultural facilities such as theaters have recently been given a new mission: to carry out projects that promote "social inclusion" using the attractive resource of "culture." Following the enactment of the "Basic Act on the Promotion of Culture and Arts" in June 2017 through the revision of the "Basic Act on the Promotion of Culture and Arts," the "Basic Plan for the Promotion of Culture and Arts" was approved by the Cabinet in March 2018.
The following is an excerpt.
(The significance of social inclusion through culture and art)
The Basic Act on Culture and Arts states that "creating and enjoying culture and the arts is a fundamental right of all people," and that "all citizens should have equal opportunities for culture and the arts, regardless of their age, disability, economic situation, or place of residence." Furthermore, culture and the arts have a function of social inclusion, as they allow people to participate in events that respect diverse values and promote mutual understanding among others.
For these reasons, it is desirable to create an environment where people of all ages, from children to the elderly, including people with disabilities and foreign residents, can equally enjoy opportunities to engage in cultural and artistic activities throughout their lives, regardless of where they live. At the same time, in order to maintain, pass on, develop, and create the diversity and richness of Japan's culture and arts themselves, it is necessary to promote cultural and artistic activities that are in line with the characteristics of each region, such as cultures rooted in the history and beliefs of each region, and distinctive regional cultures.
The "Coexistence and Co-creation Project" was launched in response to these social demands. Going forward, it will focus on creating and disseminating engaging content with a view to realizing a symbiotic society.
First, as a commemorative performance, the Saitama Gold Theater , a theater group for senior citizens, will present "Wareware no Moromoro 2018" at the Saitama Prefectural Mutual Aid Mirai Hall on October 13th (Sat) and 14th (Sun).
Saitama Gold Theatre is a theater group founded in 2006 under the artistic direction of the late Yukio Ninagawa. Currently, it consists of 36 members (as of April 2018) ranging in age from 67 to 92, and has performed overseas.
This performance marks the beginning of a series of numerous performances and workshops planned for the future.
■ Vietnam "A-O-Sho" Workshop
Date: Mid-November 2018 (Dates TBD)
Venue: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai Hall
*Production, staff work, performance, and music are all handled by Vietnamese people. A workshop for both children and adults by a performing arts company that has toured the world, including France, the home of the circus, and received high praise.
■Turksoi (International Turkic Culture Organization) 25th Anniversary Concert: "The Great Heritage of the Turkic World"
Date: November 15, 2018 (Thursday)
Venue: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai Hall
*This is a concert in Japan by "Turksoi," a national cultural organization comprised of six Central Asian countries and Russia that speak Turkic languages.
■Experimental Gig "Futuramax"
Date: December 24, 2018 (Monday, Shinkyu)
Venue: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai Hall
*An unconventional Christmas concert featuring the virtuoso jazz pianist Sugadairo and 85-year-old bassist Isao Suzuki.
■Blue Print Present “SAKEBU”
Dates: January 16th (Wed) - 20th (Sun), 2019
Venue: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai Hall
* Featuring dancers in their teens and twenties who are attracting attention worldwide. This dance performance depicts the past and future of these dancers who have been involved in dance since childhood, fighting and struggling in harsh environments.
■TPAM (International Performing Arts Meeting) in Yokohama 2019 Related Events
Dates: February 14th (Thu) and 15th (Fri), 2019
Venue: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai Hall
*Showcases and other events are held as part of the "TPAM" international performing arts platform, which takes place every February at various locations in Yokohama.
■ Stopgap Dance Company "Enormous Room (The Endless Room)"
Date: March 3, 2019 (Sunday)
Venue: Earth Plaza (Kanagawa Prefectural Global Citizens Plaza)
*A leading British dance company whose members include wheelchair dancers, dancers with Down syndrome, and able-bodied dancers. Workshops will also be held from March 4th (Mon) to 6th (Wed).
■ Kanagawa Senior Citizens' Creative Project "Challenge of the Silver" Presentation & Information Session
Date: March 16, 2019 (Sunday)
Venue: Kenmin Kyosai Mirai Hall
*A creative project program primarily for senior citizens. Directed by Yoko Ando, a dancer and choreographer from Kanagawa Prefecture, this project aims to help senior citizens discover new possibilities and functions within their own bodies through physical expression, fostering a collaborative creative process. An information session for prospective participants will be held in conjunction with a stage presentation.
