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FY2025 3rd Startup Grant

Startup Grant supports new artistic creation activities that are challenged by emerging artists and art organizations who want to develop their activities in Tokyo's art scene. The program covers performances, exhibitions, art projects, participation in international festivals, international collaborations, etc. in Tokyo and overseas, and supports startups that help young talents build a foundation for future artistic activities.

Public Offering Briefing (Online)

2025年度 第3回「スタートアップ助成」について、助成申請を検討されている方を対象にオンライン公募説明会を開催します。参加を希望される方は、締切日までに申し込みフォームからお申し込みください。
　※参加に際しては、公募ガイドラインを必ず事前にお読みください。
　※公募説明会への参加は助成の採否には影響しません。
　※申請にあたってのご質問は、お問い合わせフォームや電話【03-6256-8431】でも随時承ります。

Date and Time

Part 1: Tuesday, January 6, 2026 17:30~19:30
Part 2: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 10:30~12:30 (Sign language interpretation planned)
* The explanation is the same for each session.

method of implementation

Online meetings via Zoom
*For those who have decided to participate, we will send you an email from Arts Council Tokyo with instructions on how to join the meeting by the day before the event. (Forwarding to non-participants is not allowed.) ）
*Approximately 30 minutes from the start will be the sharing of the explanation video of the application guidelines posted on this page. You can watch it in advance and participate from the Q&A session.

capacity

60 persons each time (If the number reaches the maximum before the deadline, the application will be closed at that time.)

How to apply

申し込みフォームより必要事項を入力のうえ、お申し込みください。　
※手話通訳が必要な方はフォームにて「手話通訳希望」とお知らせください。
　手話通訳の申込締切：2026年1月7日 （水）18:00

application deadline

1st session: Monday, January 5, 2026, 13:00
2nd Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 13:00
※ Reception will be completed with the participation reception email from Arts Council Tokyo.
*If the capacity is reached before the deadline, the reception will end at that time.

Notes

・Instructions on how to register and participate in the meeting will be sent from setsumeikai*artscouncil-tokyo.jp. Please set your settings so that you can receive emails from this address. (Replace * with @.) ）
・If you do not receive an email from Arts Council Tokyo by the day before the event, please contact us.
・Participation in the public recruitment briefing session will not affect the acceptance or rejection of the grant.
・The personal information we receive will be strictly managed and used only for communication related to the operation of this open call briefing session.

Application Guidelines

Implementation period of the target project

Projects beginning on or after May 1, 2026 and ending by April 30, 2027

target business

(1)Creative artistic activities in Tokyo
Performances, concerts, exhibitions, screenings, art projects and other creative activities in Tokyo
(2) International creative artistic activities
Overseas performances and exhibitions, international collaborations, participation in international festivals, invited performances and exhibitions, etc.

Applicants who are eligible

Individuals (Emerging artists, producers, planners and producers, etc.) or up-and-coming groups (Arts organizations, executive committees, etc.) who are engaged in artistic activities based in Tokyo and are expected to play a role in the next generation of the Tokyo art scene.
*For individuals: In the field for which the applicant is applying, it has been less than three years since he/she first organized a public activity in Tokyo, or he/she has organized no more than five public activities in Tokyo.
*For organizations: less than three years have passed since the organization was established. It does not matter whether you have a corporate status or not, or whether you are classified.

Venues

Tokyo or overseas
* Including online publication

Artistic fields covered

Music, theater, dance, art and video, traditional performing arts, and mixed arts (art activities whose core field cannot be specified)

application ceiling

Group: 1 million yen
Individual: 300,000 yen
and within the scope of subsidized expenses
* From FY 2025, all amounts equivalent to consumption tax and local consumption tax will not be subsidized. Please be careful.

How to apply

Application documents can be submitted online.
Please use the application form to register the applicant, fill in the fields, and upload the necessary documents.

Application period

From 10:00 on Monday, December 22, 2025 to 18:00 on Thursday, January 22, 2026

public offering guidelines

2025年度 第3回 スタートアップ助成 公募ガイドライン

Q＆A

2025年度 第3回「スタートアップ助成」に関するよくある質問Q＆A

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Consumption Tax in the Budget

収支予算書における消費税について

Notes

* Co-sponsored projects and affiliated projects with facilities managed and operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture are not eligible for subsidies.
* Projects sponsored or co-sponsored by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, or projects that are or are scheduled to be paid subsidies, support funds, subsidies, consignment fees, etc. by Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture and Tokyo are not eligible for subsidies.

採択概況［PDF］

◆Number of applications (adopted): 208 (54)

Startup Grant is a grant program that supports new artistic activities that are taking on the challenge of emerging artists and art organizations who want to develop their activities in Tokyo's art scene. In the third round of the 2025 Call for Applications, 208 applications were received, and 54 were accepted. The number of applications increased from 192 in the previous survey (FY2025 2nd). In addition, the ratio of the number of applications to the number of applications was the highest this year, at 26%.
In this open call, there were many inconsistencies between the applicant's name and the name of the organizer, as well as inadequacies in location confirmation documents and income and expenditure budgets. Please note that it is a mandatory requirement that the name of the applicant, the name of the organizer, and the organization application match the names of the articles of incorporation and bylaws. In addition, if there is no past performance in the name of the applicant organization in the group application, the requirements will be insufficient. After completing the application form, please review the information you entered again and check the uploaded file for errors before pressing the submit button. As the deadline approaches, it may be difficult to confirm the contents, so please consider scheduling your application with plenty of time before the deadline.
In addition, there were also applications for projects that were not eligible for subsidies because their main purpose was to sell exhibits and productions. Please check the requirements thoroughly in advance before applying.
Under this grant program, projects with clear project details and an appropriately planned budget and schedule for realization are eligible for subsidies. We hold public recruitment three times a year, so please clarify the specificity and feasibility of the project and apply at the appropriate time.
When preparing your application, please check the application guidelines and Q&A carefully in advance. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone, contact us using the "Inquiry Form" or ask questions at the public application briefing session.

《Music Field》
In the field of music, 47 applications were received, of which 13 were accepted. Applications for activities in a variety of genres, including contemporary music, classical music, jazz, improvisational and experimental music, and sound installations, have been accepted. All of the applications that were accepted were based on the applicant's previous activities and specifically presented the project content that would be a new challenge. In contemporary music and classical music, projects were selected that clearly stated the theme of the project and delved into programming and initiatives to realize it. In addition, several overseas projects, which have been positioned as new challenges by groups centered on jazz and improvisation, have been adopted. On the other hand, applications that did not indicate the content of the artistic challenge, whose main purpose was to promote education and sales, and whose budget plan was not appropriate, were not adopted. In addition, there were several applications that were rejected due to insufficient requirements for location confirmation documents and the name of the organizer. Based on the "screening perspective" of the public recruitment guidelines, please check once again whether the project content and budget plan are appropriately prepared before applying.

< Theater >
In the theater field, 59 applications were submitted and 13 were accepted. Expanding the number of spectators and deepening the viewing experience were common issues in many of the projects submitted, but the selected projects formulated specific implementation plans to address these issues. One of the characteristics of the project was that the applicant's unique awareness of issues was consistently reflected not only in the content and themes of the work, but also throughout the project, including the creative process, publicity planning, and space design. In addition, the application was adopted to allow for multiple interpretations of the performance, rather than a one-size-fits-all understanding, based on differences in communication and discomfort in modern society caused by differences in gender, generation, country and culture. On the other hand, applications that did not clearly demonstrate the challenging nature of the applicant's past activities or the uniqueness of the previous generation's achievements were not adopted. Applications for which the feasibility of the project could not be determined in terms of the operational structure have not yet been adopted. Even if a project was not selected this time, it is possible to reapply for the same project if it meets the application requirements. We look forward to receiving an ambitious application with a well-thought-out business description.

​Dance field​
In the dance field, 14 applications were submitted and 5 were accepted. Contemporary dance was the most popular genre, followed by classical ballet, dance and folk dance. The projects selected this time are highly original projects that aim to create new forms of physical expression and expand the concept of dance, as well as projects that are not big challenges but have well-developed plans to address acute issues for applicants. If there are no past results under the name of the applicant organization or if a project is conducted under a name different from the name of the applicant, the requirements will be insufficient. Please check the Guidelines for Public Offering carefully.
In recent years, there have been a number of applications aimed at making dance easier to understand. We look forward to receiving applications that delve into the dance you are aiming for and deepen the contents of your business, without trying to provide easy answers.

< Art and Video >
In the art and video field, 52 applications were submitted and 9 were approved. In collaboration between artists and researchers working in different media, some projects were launched as a starting point for interference and connection with each other's media, and others were adopted as an attempt to reconsider the media and exhibition format itself. As for projects involving presentations overseas, two projects were selected because they were challenging and expected to have ripple effects in the field. On the other hand, if the artist information or exhibition plan is shown but the concept is not clear, or if only the theme or concept is shown but the work or event plan is not concrete, it will be rejected. In addition, about 1/3 of the projects that were rejected had insufficient requirements. These included projects for which the name of the applicant group could not be identified in the "materials showing past activities," projects for which the applicant group and organizer did not match, projects for which the budget for income and expenditure was incomplete, projects for which only production activities were not shown, and projects for which works were sold. Please make sure to check the guidelines before applying to see if your organization or the business you are applying for is eligible for the grant.

《Traditional performing arts》
In the field of traditional performing arts, there were 8 applications and 3 were adopted. Compared to the past, we have received applications from a variety of events, as well as multiple applications for multiple events and cross-cutting projects with other fields. All of the projects that have been selected are highly unique and challenging based on the issues and goals of individuals and organizations, and have a more specific implementation plan. On the other hand, there were several applications that were not accepted, and the past activity results and their contents could not be fully confirmed. When applying, please refer to the guidelines and submit materials, sound sources, videos, etc. that clearly show the details of past activities. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone, contact us using the "Inquiry Form" or ask questions at the public application briefing session.
The number of applications in the field of traditional performing arts in Startup Grant is on a slight downward trend. Please expand your ideas and consider the project based on the issues and interests you feel in your own activities. We look forward to your ambitious application.

​Multidisciplinary field​
In the multidisciplinary field, 28 applications were submitted, and 11 applications were selected, the highest number this year. This year, ambitious and experimental collaboration projects across fields, projects that challenge conventional methods in their fields, and projects that include overseas presentations were highly evaluated for their originality and challenge. Among them, there were nine projects in which music and sound artists participated, and projects were selected that combine diverse fields such as art, video, dance, juggling, lecture performances, calligraphy, and flower arrangement. In addition, two other screenings, including speeches and exhibitions of archives, were selected. On the other hand, applications that do not have artistic creative activities as their main purpose or that do not show a specific method or process of multiple creative activities are rejected. There were also some deficiencies, such as the inclusion of expenses that are not eligible for subsidies, and the inability to confirm the name of the applicant organization in the organization's performance data.

Inquiries about this matter

公益財団法人東京都歴史文化財団 アーツカウンシル東京
活動支援部 助成課 助成係
TEL:03-6256-8431（平日10:00～18:00）
お問い合わせフォーム