Events

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TERACCO Project “Ekidenart Festival Returns”

Genre:
  • Art Project

The festival that boldly took on the challenge of fusing sports with art is back. We’re talking about Ekidenart Festival, in which participants create art while they run, and run while they create art. Following on from the world’s first Ekidenart Festival in October 2018, the 2019 event promises an even more intense fusion of art and sport, and to that end three teams of runners will race alongside the JR Chuo Line. Will participants pass the “tasuki” sash all the way to the goal? You can cheer the runners on along the route, or you can watch the live streaming with bated breath. The starting gun is set to go off at last on June 1.


Ekidenart Festival declaration
Ekiden is a Japanese-style relay race in which runners pass on a “tasuki”sash. Art refers to the arts in a general sense. The festival will feature participating artist-runners passing the “tasuki” to the next sprinter while practicing their art forms such as painting, sculpture and performance.
Last year the world’s first Ekidenart Festival was implemented as part of the art project TERATOTERA connecting the stations of the JR Chuo Line, the train line forming the center of the project’s activities.
This year, the festival will reopen from the section of the race that was suspended this time last year due to sunset, and there will be two new sections along which runners will pass the “tasuki.”
In fact, Japan’s unique tradition of Ekiden and the characteristic human activity of art are connected through the thoughts and ideas that developed during the formation of the festival of sports we now know today as an event with the widest range of participating countries and regions in the history of humanity.

Ekidenart Festival is a project that pays respect to the Olympics, at the same time giving a great deal of critical consideration towards their significance. The festival is enjoyable enough without singing its praises this way, but there is no doubt it will make visitors ponder for themselves why people play sports or create art.
Next year, by the time Tokyo is all abuzz about the Olympics, Ekidenart Festival could be a familiar, accessible leisure pursuit for people at the weekend. Nor is it difficult to imagine there being an Intercity Ekidenart Festival, or an Ekidenart World Tournament in the not-too-distant future.
(TERAKKO iwaosho)

The TERACCO project
The aim of programs under this project is the cultivation of future leaders to implement and run art projects. Volunteer staff known as TERACCO gain practical knowledge of the process and skills involved in art projects from planning to fruition, through progress management, operation etc.

Artists

1st runners: Ogikubo Station to Nishi-Ogikubo Station section

2nd runners: Nishi-Ogikubo Station to Kichijoji Station section

3rd runners: Kichijoji Station to Mitaka Station section

Live streaming

On the day of the event, there will be live streaming available on the official website.

Public screening

Get together to watch the Ekidenart Festival via live streaming.

Date/Time: Saturday, June 1, 8:00 start (opening time 7:45)
*This event will be postponed until Saturday, June 2 in case of stormy weather

Venue: HYM, Harmonica Yokocho Mitaka, 1 Chome-5-8 Nakacho, Musashino City, Tokyo / 2-minute walk from the North Exit of Mitaka Station on the JR Chuo Line and Sobu Line
*To be held at Art Center Ongoing (1-8-7 Higashi-cho,Kichijoji,
Musashino City) if postponed until Sunday, June 2
Reservations not required, free entry

Contact

TERATOTERA office
Art Center Ongoing, 1-8-7 Kichijoji Higashi-cho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo
TEL: 090-4737-4798
E-mail: info@teratotera.jp

Venues

Between JR Chuo Line Ogikubo and Mitaka stations

Credit

Organized by
Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), Ongoing (General Incorporated Association)