Overview

The Aomori Contemporary Art Centre (ACAC) is an art institution located at the foot of Mount Hakkoda in Aomori Prefecture. Utilizing its dynamic natural environment and distinctive architecture designed by Ando Tadao, ACAC has come to present wide-ranging contemporary art programs. Since ACAC’s opening in 2001, the Centre’s core program, the artist-in-residence (AIR), has been conducted annually while adapting its framework to rapidly changing social conditions and cultural demands.

This time, we are seeking organizations based outside Japan that can collaborate with ACAC on an equal footing to implement an artist-in-residence exchange program. Next year, ACAC will partially suspend the use of its facilities due to repair work. As a result, the residency and creative activities of the AIR program will be conducted at ACAC, while the final presentations will take place at a satellite venue in Aomori City, where more people can attend. It is precisely because ACAC has until now provided artists’ with an environment for living, creation, and presentation in an integrated facility combining Residential Hall, Creative Hall, and Exhibition Hall that next year’s initiative will bring a new dimension to the AIR program.

We look forward to encountering organizations that can share new perspectives and resources as partners, while exploring alternative approaches that are possible precisely because of this maintenance period.

About the ACAC Artist-in-residence Program

ACAC was founded as a facility to sustain an artist-in-residence program. To date, we have hosted artists through both invitation-based selections organized by a curator and open calls where participants are selected through an application process. Our goal is to foster the development of people involved in the arts and promote arts and culture by providing wide-ranging art experiences that encourage diverse interactions between artists, students, and residents of the local community. Aomori Prefecture, located at the northernmost tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu, has inspired residency artists to incorporate the region’s unique political, social, and historical significance, along with its rich and enduring cultural heritage, into their work.

How to Apply

Please submit the Google Form accessible via the link below.
https://forms.gle/L3g6ioKoDmdwJdRz8
The deadline for submission is October 31 (Thu.), 2024 (must arrive by e-mail until 23:59 JST (GMT +9:00))

Application Requirements

a) Organizations based outside Japan that are involved in artistic and cultural activities (no specific genre required).
b) The organization must be able to recommend artists based in its home country to ACAC and accept artists recommended by ACAC into its residence program.
c) The organization must agree to the collaboration conditions outlined below.
d) If selected, the organization should be able to communicate and discuss with ACAC to build a better collaboration framework, and be capable of making flexible decisions considering both parties’ circumstances.

Selection Method and Schedule

Selection will be carried out by the director and curators of ACAC.

• First Round (document review) Notification of results: Mid-November
• Second Round (online interviews): Late November to Early December
  *The timing of interviews can be adjusted upon request
• Notification of final results: Late December
  
  

Resources Provided by ACAC

1. Travel Expenses (round-trip transportation costs from the artist’s place of residence to ACAC)
2. Per Diem and Meal Allowance
   *Per diem: ¥2,200 per day + Meal allowance: ¥2,200 per night. The amount may vary depending on the length of stay. On non-travel days, half the per diem allowance is allocated.
3. Production Costs (funding for research and materials related to the artist’s work)
   *Approximately ¥40,000 per two weeks, determined in consultation with the partner organization
4. Expenses for hosting events will be provided if both a presentation (exhibition etc.) and community engagement program (workshop, talk, open studio, etc.) are held.
   *Approximately ¥50,000, determined in consultation with the partner organization
5. A private room in the Residential Hall will be provided for accomodation (furniture, Wi-Fi, shared bathroom and kitchen, and communal dining area are included.)
   *Special arrangements can be discussed for family or companions.
6. Support for the residency and creative production from ACAC staff, the local volunteer organization AIRS, and student volunteers
7. Publicity for activities through flyers, the ACAC website, and social media
8. Support for the organization of exhibition and events
9. Production of a catalog and summary introduction of the artist’s activities in the ACAC journal

For more details about the facilities of ACAC, please refer to the following link
https://acac-aomori.jp/guide/

Expenses to be covered by the Partner Organization

1. Travel Expenses (round-trip transportation costs from the artist’s place of residence to the partner organization’s facility)
2. Per Diem and meal allowance
3. Production Costs (funding for research and materials related to the artist’s work)
4. Support for the residency and creative production from staff and local residents
5. Publicity for activities through flyers, the partner organization’s website, and social media
6. Support for the organization of exhibition and events