“Creating a new cultural festival together: NEWTOWN 2018” is a free event that children and elderly people alike will enjoy, featuring live music, an art exhibition, movie screenings, theater and dance performances, rakugo traditional comic storytelling, poetry reading, a singing contest, live discussion, traditional bon-odori dance, workshops, children’s play areas, and more. A diverse array of arts and entertainment featured on a day-to-day basis in web magazine CINRA.NET will be gathered on the site of a former elementary school.
Since its inception last year, this event has evolved into a cultural forum where visitors do not merely look on as spectators but also actively participate and present. A new cultural festival is being created through the involvement of not just professionals but numerous general/amateur arts and culture groups.
The school yard will see visitors take part in bon-odori and a singing contest, with live performances in the gymnasium by some fabulous artists. In addition we’ll hold a “cipher” freestyle rap session in collaboration with Japan’s largest outdoor poetry festival, Ueno Poetrican Jam 6. The 20 or so classrooms of the school building will host art exhibition “SURVIBIA !!,” discussions, workshops, movie screenings, performance by theatrical troupe Kodomokyojin and others, as well as live performances making use of the music room.