About

It has been nine years since the establishment of the MA Program at the Graduate School of Global Arts (GA) in 2016, marking its 10th anniversary this year. Under the leadership of Professor Sumiko Kumakura, who played a pivotal role in its inception and served as the Dean of GA until March 2025, the program has attracted a diverse and unique cohort of students from Japan and around the world. Over the years, GA has produced specialists across various fields, including art, culture, media, and education, with expertise in arts management, curating, and academic research.

Since the introduction of the PhD program in 2018, we have fostered even more highly specialized professionals who contribute to the global landscape as researchers and practitioners, shaping the next generation of artistic and cultural discourse.

Beyond education, GA has made significant strides in practical research projects. These include global art and cultural initiatives, community-based art projects, and theoretical research that responds to the evolving landscape of contemporary society.

However, as we move further into the 21st century, it is undeniable that the world is undergoing profound transformations.

When the Graduate School of Global Arts was established in 2016, its name carried an optimistic vision—reflecting the aspirations of a new era of globalization that followed the end of the Cold War, marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This period was characterized by expectations of increased transnational exchange—of people, goods, capital, culture, and art. Advances in digital media technologies, such as the Internet, and the expansion of global transportation networks were anticipated to facilitate the emergence of a dynamic global culture and a flourishing arts movement.

Yet, the optimism of that era has begun to wane. The very technological advancements that were once heralded as unifying forces have become sources of division. The Internet, governed by unrelenting capitalist structures, has given rise to misinformation, fake news, and hate speech. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities and unintended consequences of globalization. Furthermore, escalating geopolitical conflicts, such as those in Ukraine and Palestine, the proliferation of authoritarian regimes, chauvinistic nationalism, racism, fundamentalism, sexism, economic disparity, and the worsening environmental crisis all pose significant challenges to the fabric of contemporary democracy.

Arts and culture are not immune to these global upheavals. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to critically assess the trajectory of globalization and reimagine a new, more inclusive and conscientious vision for “Global Arts.” Art must take an active role in addressing the pressing crises of our time. Rather than being a passive bystander, it carries the potential to confront and respond to a multitude of social challenges.

What, then, will the future of art look like?

The answer is not yet clear, but it will likely manifest as an interdisciplinary aesthetic practice—one that assumes the intellectual role historically played by the humanities, including philosophy, history, and literature. This new form of artistic engagement will integrate visual, auditory, experiential aspects, and investigative methodologies, transcending conventional definitions of art and culture.

As we embark on this journey of exploration, we invite individuals from all walks of life to join us in dialogue, collaboration, and transformation. Through culture and the arts, we aspire to navigate and shape this evolving world together.

Yoshitaka Mōri

Dean, Graduate School of Global Arts
Tokyo University of the Arts
April 1, 2025