Part 2: "The Search for Theater Activities Facing Each Person: From Appreciation Support to Senior Theater Company" (Part II) Senior Theater Network

On August 25, 2022, the second face-to-face meeting was held as an opportunity to verify the effects of the "Social Support through Arts and Culture" program and to share future issues and visions. The first part reports on the activities of Part 1 "NPO (Hereinafter, NPO) Senior Theater Network". In the second part, we will report on the second part, the roundtable with the audience.

>Part 2: "The Search for Theatre Activities Facing Individuals: From Appreciation Support to Senior Theater Company" (Part 1) is here

Time of the event

Thursday, August 25, 2022 18:00~20:00

Venue

Arts Council Tokyo 5th Floor Large Conference Room

Name of reporting organization

NPO Senior Theater Network

facilitator

Tomoki Ogawa

graphic facilitator

Junko Shimizu

sign language interpreter

Yuko Setoguchi, Yuko Kato

---

relationship of trust that someone is watching our activities

In the second part, with the facilitation of Ms. Tomoki Ogawa, a round table was held in which participants talked openly. Kujira said in his earlier announcement, "Theater performers live so far away from documents like applications and reports that it's very difficult for them to put their dreams on formal forms. The person in charge of the Arts Council Tokyo will give me advice, which is helpful." In response, Ogawa asked, "Was there any advice other than money?."

Whale

They check all the documents and follow up, and they actually come to see the business site. In addition to submitting a report after the project ends, there is an hour or two meeting with the staff in charge to review and discuss future activities. This is an experience that no other grant organization has, and it makes the future clear.

Ogawa

Don't you think inspection is a bit unpleasant like reconnaissance? (Laughter)

Whale

Not at all. I was impressed that you came to the island. He came to Miyakejima and Oshima, and twice to Miyakejima. With the goal of holding a national tournament in Tokyo, I have been to Oshima, Miyakejima, Hachijojima, and Kozushima to spread the word about senior troupes by going to places in Tokyo where there may be few opportunities to see plays or perform. (Footnote 1)

Footnote 1: In addition to the program, the Senior Theater Network has been selected to perform in the Izu Islands for "Tokyo Island Tour by Senior Theater Company Kabutsu Kanjukuza (the second stage of support for citizens' creative cultural activities in fiscal 2017)" and "Tokyo Island Tour by Senior Theater Company 2019 (Support for Creative Cultural Activities for Citizens, Stage 2 in FY 2018)" under the "Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL Grant" (formerly the Tokyo Culture Program Grant), which was implemented by Arts Council Tokyo as part of the promotion of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Ogawa

I think what the Arts Council Tokyo is doing is very good. But if we rely on grants, we may not be able to do business if we don't get it the next time. You'll be like, "Yes, please." If it's a project to build a foundation for activities, don't you have any requests for long-term support, not every year but several years?

Whale

The "Performing Arts Appreciation Support Course for People in the Arts" that is currently being implemented is not set in stone, but it is a three-year priority subsidy, and this is the second year of that, so it is helpful. In terms of long-term support, isn't there not much in the way of subsidies to continue organizations, not just Arts Council Tokyo? I think so. For example, when it comes to operating and utilizing systems such as websites, SNS, and Zoom, you want to hire experts. It's hard that we don't have the funds to hire such people regularly.

Ogawa

In the current subsidy system, they are supposed to provide money to do some projects, but what they really want to be supported is, for example, rent or system reinforcement to continue their activities. But first of all, the current subsidy system was good.

Whale

Of course. You can also feel the desire of the subsidy provider to use the subsidy for what purpose, and you feel that you want to respond to it. It gives me courage and also heals the loneliness of the organizer. It's a relief just to have people watching us. The source is tax, so I can use it with peace of mind if you keep an eye on it. There aren't many people who can consult with you from an objective point of view.

We want to expand support for viewing beyond the boundaries of theaters.

Ogawa

By the way, you also noticed that there are many theaters that don't introduce viewing support, right?

Whale

I myself didn't expect that people in wheelchairs would come to see me until I actually met a woman in a wheelchair with an intractable disease. I learned through her that there are a lot of hurdles to get to the theater, including arranging a helper and paying for her transportation and tickets.

Ogawa

I prepared the data today. FY 2020 "Survey Report on Activities in Theatres and Concerthalls for the Promotion of Cultural and Artistic Activities for Persons with Disabilities" (National Association of Public Cultural Facilities). As a result of asking 2176 national and public facilities and 224 private facilities, 13.5% of facilities "provide services for persons with disabilities" and 86.5% "do not provide such services." When asked why they have not done so, 41.7% answered, 40.1% answered, and 37.6% answered "Lack of position, policy, and guidelines of the installer". Tokyo metropolitan cultural facilities are now promoting inclusive projects and trying to improve various things such as accessibility, but it is still such a situation nationwide.

Whale

Right. Even if the Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities was enacted in 2016, I think there are still many places that have not yet taken action. Because disabled people don't come to our facility. But it's the other way around, you can't go because there's no viewing support.

Ogawa

Some of the responses in the free text include the opinion that they do not feel the need to distinguish between disabled people in culture and art.

Matsuda

I haven't had a chance to think about it during my 26 years at Meijiza. At any rate, they are grateful to be able to eat at the theater, and they value their customers. While they are working hard as a for-profit company, they provide high level services for the elderly, but they never tried to provide any services for the disabled.

Ogawa

That's why we have to change it now, even if it's little by little.

Whale

We always make time for people with disabilities to come and talk with us during the viewing support classes, but if people with disabilities give up because they can't, the facilities won't notice. Ideally, the facility would have a support system in place, but people who look like you tend to gather around your living area, so it's understandable that you might not notice (unless you look outside that area).

A woman I was involved with who had an intractable disease and was confined to a wheelchair continued to go to a family restaurant with only stairs, and always had the staff lift three electric wheelchairs. There will be a ramp soon. It was true that they got there within half a year, but I felt sad that if they didn't do that much, it wouldn't change.

Ogawa

A little bit about the elderly. In the 2020 Tokyo Welfare Insurance Basic Survey, there was a survey on the living conditions of the elderly, and 4711 elderly people in Tokyo, with an average age of 75.9, were surveyed on whether they felt a sense of meaning in life (pleasure and enjoyment), and 80% of them answered that they felt a sense of meaning in life, that they felt it enough, that they felt it, and that they felt it somewhat. 45.0% of them go out almost every day. It seems that it dropped by about 13 points due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watabe

Elderly people, especially those with chronic diseases, are sensitive. I don't mind that much, but my wife is very strict with me, saying "Where are you going?" and "Take a bath when you get home."

Whale

But the number of theater troupe members has increased in Kanjukuza since the coronavirus pandemic. People who have a strong desire to go out and socialize may not change much.

Ogawa

Now, I would like to ask for comments and questions from the audience. Mr. Fumio Sato of Theater Company Dora, I heard that he was the only one who raised his hand when Kujira-san started the program to support audiences.

Sato

We are also in the second year of the three-year priority frame of the social support grant through arts and culture, and we are holding drama workshops for young people who have difficulties in living. The idea was to create an activity that would integrate theater into people's lives, and I think the theater company producers raised their hands after hearing about Kujira's support for theater performances because they wanted people with disabilities to see them as well. After listening to your talk today and looking back on the activities of the Gong, I think that the aspiration to do something, the thought and philosophy of the group or individual, is the basis for continuing the activities.

Ogawa

Thank you. In recent businesses, the trend is to solve problems by working backwards to solve them. But, when I listen to Mr. Kujira's story, I try it anyway, and there are various problems one after another, and when I get involved in them, I see something different. In that way, I wonder if we have no choice but to face our current challenges little by little.

Whale

Recently, I have seen cases of expressive activities, such as making plays with people with intellectual disabilities, or making small-scale works with people who have never been involved in theater at all. If you think about sales, you are going to do experiments that you probably wouldn't be able to do. Last year, I was surprised to hear about "Family Theater" by Osamu Komatsubara from Saga Prefecture. It is an activity to visit the homes of disabled people and perform plays for their families. It looked like you were having a lot of fun and I was encouraged. I think that's what we're aiming for. Well, it doesn't make any money.

Ogawa

Even if it doesn't make money?

Whale

Because I like it. I mean, you want to meet. I'm happy that I can meet things and people like that.

The person in charge of the Arts Council Tokyo commented on the for those involved in the arts (the second year of the three-year project), saying, "A wide range of people, from young people to people with careers, participated in this project. People who had never met with disabled people said, "I made a big discovery," and people who had never participated in this project said, "I want to participate in this project again next year."". He also said he expects the activities of a support team that transcends the boundaries of theater companies and theaters.

In fiscal 2021, a framework was established to support projects with a long-term perspective, and the maximum amount of subsidies was raised from 1 million yen to 2 million yen.

Following on from the previous session, the debriefing session was held where activity reports and concerns were shared and opinions and suggestions were exchanged. This is an opportunity not only for individual groups to connect with the Arts Council Tokyo, but also for various groups to work together on social issues. It was the first time I could see my face in person (though it was through a mask), and I had the impression that it was another step forward.

(Reporting and writing by Yuri Shirasaka)

---

Senior Theater Network

高齢者の演劇活動の支援と、障害者の観劇支援を主な活動とする。2006年任意団体として設立し、2012年に法人化した。現在は全国シニア演劇大会の企画運営や、シニア劇団の運営組織として活動するほか、さまざまな劇団、劇場の演劇公演でバリアフリーサポートを施している。
https://s-engeki.net/

Social Support through Arts and Culture

• FY 27 (2015) "Audio Guide Producer Training Course for the Visually Impaired"
• Heisei 28 (2016) fiscal year (2) 'The 11 th performance of Senior Theater Company Kanjukuza "Neko! 2017"
• Heisei 29 (2017) fiscal year (2) "Senior Theater Company Kanjukuza: The 12 th Performance" Minori no Hata ""
• FY Reiwa 2 (2018) 1st Term "Barrier-free Lecture for Theater Professionals" Support for the Visually Impaired "
• FY 2021 (Phase 1) "Barrier-free Continuous Seminar for Theater Professionals 2021 (Year 1 of 3-year Project)"
• FY 2022 Phase 1 "Support Course for Appreciation of Performing Arts" (2nd year of 3-year project)

---

Social support through arts and culture

A program to support "Activities that allow people who have limited opportunities to experience and participate in art due to their social environment to engage in art experiences, such as appreciation and creation, and to exercise their creativity and enrich their imagination." and "An artistic activity that sets social issues based on one's own awareness of issues and works to solve them with a long-term perspective while collaborating with various people and organizations" for organizations working in Tokyo.
The system was launched in FY 27 (2015), and since FY 28 (2016), applications have been made twice a year. It has supported more than 120 projects. It is not just "art for art's sake" or "art that is useful to society," but it is trying to support activities that propose and materialize a new way of art in which society and creative activities are inseparable in a way that has never been done before, so to speak, "the third art."