Since its opening, Aomori Contemporary Art Centre (ACAC) has conducted an Artist in Residence (AIR) program via open call nearly every year. This year, we have classified residencies focused primarily on artistic activities (research, production of artworks, and presentation of results) under a “Creator framework.” In addition, we have added a new “Mediator framework” to encourage participation from a broad range of creatives, such as researchers and curators, whose activities are less focused on the production and presentation of artworks. The results of the “Creator framework” residencies will be presented – as artwork exhibitions, performances, workshops, or other formats – during the Results Presentation period. Presentation of results is not required for those participating under the “Mediator framework”; instead, we expect that their research activities will be premised on proactive dialogue and collaboration with the “Creator framework” participants and local residents. In both cases, residency participants will receive continuous support from ACAC staff, from research, production, and the organization of various events, all the way to the Results Presentation. Their activities will also be made available to the public through our website, program catalogs, etc.
The residence period consists of a core period lasting for 62 days (61 nights) from October 9 to December 9, 2026, during which the participants will, in principle, reside at ACAC. If desired, participants may reside at ACAC for a maximum of 92 days (91 nights) from September 15 to December 15, 2026. Please select a residence period appropriate for your desired activities.
Each year, the open-call AIR program is given a different title; the 2026 program will be conducted under the theme of “EAT.” ACAC’s location in the foothills of the Hakkoda Mountains is a landscape thriving with food, home to a diverse array of wildlife, grasses, herbs, nuts, fruits, and edible mountain plants. On the other hand, wild animals such as bears and monkeys have been appearing in human spaces more frequently in recent years. For rural areas like this, the question of how to coexist alongside non-human life is becoming an urgent one. These changes are not unrelated to the impacts of human activities, impacts which include climate change. “Eating” is not an activity reserved only for humans, but one that is practiced by all living things. In this year’s open-call AIR, we will move away from anthropocentric perspectives to reconsider our relationships with other species and the environment, taking “food” as our starting point. Here, “food” is understood in a broad sense which includes not only practices such as cooking and harvesting, but also subjects such as memory, narrative, spiritual belief, and distribution. We expect participants to approach their creative activities by moving back and forth between thought and practice as they immerse themselves in the surrounding landscape.

* Please see the Application Guideline for details.