Address by Masanori Aoyagi, Director General, Arts Council Tokyo

Roundtable discussion: “Aiming for sustainable activities by artists”
This discussion will bring together experts who are working on consultation and support from different standpoints to the practitioners in the field of arts and culture. Our guests will share there activities and exchange opinions on current situations of arts and cultural sector, the role of/approaches to support going forward, and the challenges and needs involved.
［Video message］
Yoshiki Mizuno (Ikimonogakari, HIROBA)
［Speakers］
Christina Nazuna (Naz Chris, Japan Dance Music & DJ Association Director)
Kanako Sato (Program Officer, Association for Corporate Support of the Arts)
Arata Hasegawa (Independent curator, member of SNZ, “Soudan” office)
Mari Yamauchi (certified public accountant/licensed tax accountant, Arts and Law Director)
Rick Yamakawa (Artist, member of SNZ, “Soudan” office)
Mayumi Yamamoto (Deputy Director, Kyoto Art Center; Coodinator for Cultural Policy, Kyoto City)
［Moderator］
Chie Otsuka (Program Director of Consultation and Support Division, Initiatives and Grants Department, Arts Council Tokyo)

Special program: Accounting/tax lecture “The qualified invoice – based method (the invoice system)”
Prior to the full-scale launch of the center, we will be starting an educational initiative. In this first lecture, participants will get the latest overview on invoice – based method (the invoice system) to be introduced from October 2023, and learn about the knowledge and preparation necessary for artists and practitioners in the field of arts and culture.
Lecturer: Mari Yamauchi (certified public accountant/licensed tax accountant, Arts and Law Director)

Hello, everyone. I am Masanori Aoyagi, the Director General of Arts Council Tokyo. On the occasion of today’s Pre-Opening Event for Tokyo Arts and Culture Consultation and Support Center (provisional title: the Support Center), I would like to say a few words as one of the organizers.
Arts Council Tokyo (ACT) was established as a part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture in 2012 with the aim of enhancing Tokyo’s powers of creativity and communication as a city of culture. As an intermediary supporting organization interacting with public bodies, arts and cultural organizations and artists, ACT has supported the artistic and cultural activities in Tokyo through a variety of ways, such as offering grant programs, educational programs, etc.
In October this year, 11 years after ACT’s founding, ACT and Tokyo Metropolitan Government will open the Support Center. Based on our experiences to date, it will provide more comprehensive support to Tokyo-based artists and practitioners, and at the same time listen to their voices and feedbacks from the field of arts and culture.

Arts and culture have been an indispensable activity for humankind from prehistoric times and constitute something necessary in our lives. Not only does arts and culture enrich people’s creativity and power of expression, but they also encourage emotional connections and mutual understanding between people and contribute greatly to a society in terms of diversity and inclusion. The cancellation of many events and activities in the recent coronavirus pandemic may well have reminded us of the importance of arts and culture.
On the other hand, many artists and practitioners who create work as freelancers or for small-scale organizations; and we understand that many issues have become apparent, including unclear contracts without documents, harassment, etc.

We hope the Support Center will be a place where people can ask for advice and obtain useful knowledge and information. We also would like people to share practical issues with us from the creative frontlines. To that end, we will offer centralized information on our website, collaborate with a variety of specialists in legal affairs, accounting/tax, welfare, etc., and utilize resources such as Tokyo Metropolitan Government help desk. We hope not only to support the concerns and problems of artists, but also to empower new activities by the artists themselves and to become a role in enhancing Tokyo’s powers of creativity and communication.

As the Pre-Opening Event for the Support Center, we are today hosting a roundtable discussion and a lecture. In the roundtable discussion, guests working on consultation and support from different standpoints for artists and cultural organizations will join on the theme of sustainable activities by artists. For the lecture in the later half, it will outline and provide a basic understanding of the qualified invoice system that starts in October.
Ahead of the Support Center’s full-scale launch in October, we hope today’s event will prove meaningful and that it will spark interest in the Support Center among as many artists and practitioners in the field of arts and culture as possible.
We appreciate continued understanding and support from everyone. Thank you.

Available until: Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Available until: Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Available until: Friday,March 29, 17:00, 2024

Free

Please make a reservation via Peatix (Account registration required in advance)

URL for booking(Only in Japanese)
https://20230627preevent.peatix.com

Application period
Friday, June 2 – Tuesday, June 20, 2023

*Based on the privacy policy of Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, any personal information provided will only be used in connection with providing details for this event and will be managed appropriately.
*Please note event details are subject to change.

Consultation and Support Division, Initiatives and Grants Department
Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture
TEL: 03-6256-9237 (Weekday 10:00-18:00)
E-mail: soudan@artscouncil-tokyo.jp