Kobe-Art festivals Symposium
―Structural Transformation of Curation

We are pleased to announce the “Kobe-Art Festivals Symposium: The Structure and Transformation of Curation,” to be held in Kobe City on Sunday, November 9, 2025.

　

Art festivals, characterized by their periodic occurrence every few years in specific regions, continue to increase in number even as of 2025. Art projects tied to cities have often engaged in reimagining places through collaboration with others, seeking to uncover their new value. This could be described as a relational turn in the understanding of place. However, it is no longer solely the works or artists that bear the responsibility for such creation within art festivals. Contemporary direction/curation supporting these events presupposes an orientation toward (or affirmation of) diversity, with multi-subject and co-creative approaches becoming widespread. If so, directors and curators are required to confront complex societies alongside diverse subjects. What possibilities and challenges lie within this? Furthermore, when aiming for the plurality of society and the world through art, how can this be realized beyond mere representation?

Addressing these contexts and questions, this symposium approaches the subject through the lens of the “structure” of direction/curation. Focusing on Kobe since the 2000s, we aim to examine both “the content-related issues of individual works and practices” and “the characteristics of the underlying mechanisms of art festivals” in a continuous manner. The methodology for considering direction/curation as a socially-engaged practice, expanded multi-layeredly in the off-museum space, is not limited to existing frameworks like aesthetics and art history. This symposium seeks collaboration not only with fields like urban planning, administration [KOBE]/community development, and cultural policy, but also with knowledge from design studies—such as meta-design and systemic design—which share common ground with contemporary art festival trends yet have long lacked shared discourse with the art field.

Part One focuses on the parallel existence of multiple art festivals in Kobe, each led by different entities—government, private companies, or non-profit organizations. We invite directional practitioners from three major festivals [Kobe Biennale / Kobe Rokko Meets Art / Shitamachi Art Festival] for three keynote presentations and a discussion. Part Two will feature experts in art festivals (Dr.Yoshida), curation (Prof.Hattori), Kobe (Mr,Masuda), and design (Dr.Mizuuchi) for a plenary discussion on issues related to curatorial practice in art festivals.

We hope this symposium will serve as a space for broad, cross-disciplinary exchange across cultural and artistic fields. We look forward to your participation.

(Organized and curated by: Daichi Matsumura)

 

【Event Overview】
Date & Time: Sunday, November 9, 2025, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Doors open at 1:30 PM)
Venue: ArtTheater dB KOBE (4F, Asta Kunizuka Building 4, 6-1-1 Kubo-cho, Nagata, Kobe City)
Speakers: Fumiyasu Taniguchi, Kiyotaka Takamizawa, Yosuke Oguni + Fumi Yokobori + Fumikazu Kadono, Hiroyuki Hattori, Tadasu Masuda, Tomohide Mizuuchi, Takayuki Yoshida, Daichi Matsumura(GA/TUA) 　(Plus numerous floor guests from various fields)
Language: Japanese only
Free Admission (Registration required via google form, limited to the first 100 applicants)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8Q_djIkbzyab43BscnhErAwNnIEjuTXNmNMSdeW7uuRHsjg/viewform?usp=header

Organized and Planned by: Kobe Art Festival Research Project (Representative: Daichi Matsumura)
* Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Special Research Project for Graduation Requirements
Cooperation: Graduate School of International Arts and Creativity, Tokyo University of the Arts; Kobe Rokko Meets Art; Shinnagata Art Commons Executive Committee; NPO DANCE BOX; NPO Geihou
Supported by: Kobe Cultural Support Foundation; Kobe Town Development Rokko Island Fund
Inquiries: s4224302@stu.geidai.ac.jp (Matsumura)

 

【Access】
ArtTheater dB KOBE
4F, Asta Kunizuka Building 4, 6-1-1 Kubo-cho, Nagata, Kobe 653-0041

・By JR
10-minute walk from Shin-Nagata Station ※Kobe Station – Shin-Nagata Station: 5 min ※Osaka Station – Shin-Nagata Station: 35 min

・By Subway
10-minute walk from Shin-Nagata Station (Seishin/Yamate Line) / 3-minute walk from Komagabayashi Station (Kaigan Line)

 

【Timetable】
14:00-14:20 Speaker introductions and program overview
　　　　　  　Daichi Matsumura: “Expanding and Diversifying Subjects of Curation in Urban Art Festivals”

Part 1: Keynote Presentation “Various Aspects of Art Festivals in Kobe – Reports from Practitioners”
14:20-14:50 Fumiyasu Taniguchi　“Reflecting on the Kobe Biennale: Perspectives from Art Project Research”
14:50-15:20 Kiyotaka Takamizawa “Viewing Art Festivals from a Private Sector Perspective” (tentative)
15:20-15:50 Yosuke Oguni + Fumikazu Kadono + Fumi Yokobori “On the Diversity of Direction in Shitamachi Art Festivals” (tentative)
15:50-16:20 Discussion and Q&A (Moderator: Daichi Matsumura)

16:20-16:30 Break

Part II: Talk Session “Art Festival Direction/Curation”
16:30-16:45 Takayuki Yoshida　“Trends and Turning Points in Domestic and International Art Festivals”
16:45-17:00 Tomohide Mizuuchi “Relational Design Approaches to Complex Societies” (tentative)
17:00-18:00 Plenary Discussion and Q&A (Moderator: Daichi Matsumura)　

 

【Panelist】

Fumiyasu Taniguchi (Kobe Biennale 2007 Executive Committee Member, Director 2009–2015 / Associate Professor, Kobe Design University)

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1971. Graduated from the School of Art and Design, University of Tsukuba in 1994. Completed the Master’s Program at Kobe Design University Graduate School in 2008. Completed the Doctoral Program at Kyushu University Graduate School in 2013. Doctor of Arts and Engineering. Specializes in plastic arts, art workshops, and art projects. Author of “The Potential of Art Projects: Co-creation of Artistic Creation and Public Policy” (Kyushu University Press, 2019).

 

Kiyotaka Takamizawa (General Director, Kobe Rokko Meets Art / Independent Curator)

Born 1957 in Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduated from Osaka University of Arts in 1979. After working as a photographer and museum curator, began directing galleries. Involved in the launch of Rokko Meets Art Art Walk (now Kobe Rokko Meets Art) in 2010 as Secretary General and Co-Curator; currently serves as General Director. Also plans and operates art centers and galleries primarily in Kobe.

 

Yosuke Oguni (Director, Shitamachi Art Festival / Executive Committee Chairperson, Shinnagata Art Commons / Director, Curator, Chairman, NPO Geihō)

Born 1984 in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture; resides in Kobe City. Based in Komagabayashi-cho, Nagata Ward, supports artists’ expressive activities through various community initiatives. Also serves as director for art festivals and projects primarily in the Kansai region.

 

Fumikazu Kadono (Director, shitamachi Art Festival / Architect, Community Development Consultant)

A walking enthusiast, architect, and community development consultant who loves buildings and neighborhoods intertwined with daily life. Engages in architectural design rooted in place affection and one-on-one relationships, as well as resident-led community development support, regional planning, and regional revitalization. His motto: “Keep it close enough to visit in your slippers—just get your faces together!”

 

Fumi Yokobori (Shitamachi Art Festival Director / Program Director)

In Shinnagata, a multicultural melting pot with roots in various regions worldwide, she aims to create unique international programs. Concurrently, she runs the unit “VIAN,” dedicated to promoting cultural and artistic exchange between Japan and Vietnam.

 

Hiroyuki Hattori (Curator/Associate Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts; Director, Aomori International Art Center)

After completing his graduate studies at Waseda University (Architecture), he worked in artist-in-residence programs for about 10 years. After freelancing, he became involved in arts education. Recent projects include the Japanese Pavilion exhibition “Cosmo-Eggs” at the 58th Venice Biennale (2019) and “200 Years of Cultivation” (2021, Akita City Culture Creation Center).

 

Masuda Tadasu (Mayor of Chuo Ward, Kobe City; Former Mayor of Nagata Ward)

Joined Kobe City Hall in 1991. Developed an affection for Nagata Ward while working there from 2013, relocating from Akashi to Shin-Nagata in 2017. Served as Mayor of Nagata Ward from 2019 to 2021. After working in several departments, assumed current position in 2024. Has enjoyed involvement with the Downtown Art Festival in various capacities since 2015. Enjoys exploring neighborhoods and appreciating art.

 

Tomohide Mizuuchi (Associate Professor, Future Design and Engineering Organization, Kyoto Institute of Technology)

Studied foundational design at Musashino Art University’s Department of Basic Design and metadesign at Goldsmiths, University of London. Worked at creative agencies in both Japan and the UK before assuming his current position. Conducts research and practical projects on social innovation and systemic design. Author of “Design for a Multiverse” (co-edited and translated).

 

Takayuki Yoshida (Professor, Graduate School of Urban Management, Osaka Metropolitan University)

Born in Kobe City. Professor at the Graduate School of Urban Management, Osaka Metropolitan University. Director of the Japan Society for Cultural Policy Studies. Ph.D. (Academic), completed doctoral program at the Graduate School of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. Publications include: The Transformation of Art Projects: The Intersection of Theory, Practice, and Society (Waterday Press, 2025), Art Festivals and Community Development: From the Reception of “Festivals” to Spontaneous and Collaborative Resource Development (Waterday Press, 2019), https://yoshi-lab.org/

 

[Organizer/Facilitator]

Daichi Matsumura (Master’s 2nd Year, Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Global Arts, Department of Arts Studies and Curatorial Practices.)

Born in 2001, active as a visual artist and curator. His artistic practice traverses exhibitions as artworks and collections, architecture supporting art festivals and spaces, and the urban spaces formed by clusters of these and their surrounding environments. His master’s research focuses on art festival curation. Recent projects include “Criticism (and Criticality) of Curation” (Kyoto City University of Arts, 2025) and the “Parallel Circuit” exhibition (Tokyo University of the Arts Exhibition Hall, 2025).