Social Inclusion through Culture and the Arts: A Handbook for Beginners

Social Inclusion throughCulture and the Arts:
A Handbook
for Beginners
By The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan& Kyushu University Joint Research TeamThe Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan & Kyushu University Joint Research Team

Building a societyof unity in diversity

Social Inclusion throughCulture and the Arts:
A Handbook
for Beginners
By The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan& Kyushu University Joint Research Team

Building a societyof unity in diversity

Introduction

Contents

Coexistence with people different from ourselves has become an important,indeed unavoidable, social issue as we confront questions about the natureof sustainability in today’s global society.
In the area of culture, too, arts activities for those who have experiencedsocial exclusion and isolation, whether due to disability, old age, poverty,
withdrawal from society, or foreign nationality, are becoming widespread.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan has been proactively supporting
arts activities relating to social inclusion since the launch of the “Third Basic
Policy on the Promotion of the Arts and Culture” in 2011. Furthermore, the“Act on the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Activities by Persons with
Disabilities” was promulgated and came into force in 2018.
What, though, are the arts that facilitate social inclusion? There are surely
people who are wondering “How are these different from regular arts
activities?” or “Why social inclusion in the cultural sphere? Doesn’t thatcome under welfare?” Some people may even ask “Does the government
need to support culture?” or “Isn’t this just a fiscal burden?”This handbook has been created to answer such questions. It has been
written for prospective readers who are involved with culturaladministration, arts organisations, or those who have an interest in arts andsociety. It is our particular hope that this handbook may serve as a usefulreference to those intending to start activities in this field, and the content
has been selected for this purpose.
This is, however, a handbook and not a manual. It lays out the basic
approaches, but not models for taking action. This is because the bestpractice will differ according to each actual situation. We believe that themission of this handbook is to encourage dialogue in this field.
We will be glad if it can contribute to policymaking and to project planningand management.

Introduction

2

Chapter summaries

4

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

13

What are the potential outcomes?

29

Nine examples

39

Collaboration between government and arts organisations

51

Bibliography

64

Closing Remarks

66

Research team67

Mia Nakamura

Lead Researcher, the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan & Kyushu University Joint Research Team
Associate Professor, Faculty of Design at Kyushu University

2

This handbook uses a highly readable, accessible font based on the principles of universal design.

3

01 DIGEST

How can the arts facilitatesocial inclusion?

Social inclusion

In Chapter 1, we deepen our understanding of the arts, of culture,and of social inclusion, then go on to explore ways of combining
these in practice.

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The arts and culture
1

Social inclusion aims for a society that accepts and respects
people's differences.

4

Since social inclusion is a vision, it needs to be translated into
concrete terms.

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[OLTHQVYP[`T\Z[JOHUNL[OLPYWLYJLW[PVUZPerspectives on the arts often focus on either art as the
final art product, or on art as a process of creation.
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3

Arts activities
for social inclusion

In recent years, Japan’s cultural policy has demonstrated
an understanding of the arts as a process.

The relationship between the arts and culture is like thatbetween plants and soil.

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6

The following are important in practice:① Direct dialogue between minority and majority people② Flexibility to change in working toward a goal
③ Innovative adjustments to exhibitions or performances→ +VUV[I\PSKYLSH[PVUZOPWZPU^OPJOVULZPKLPZKVTPUHU[Adapt the term “social inclusion” informed by thelanguage used in the community and strive toimprove the quality of the activities according toparticipant perspectives on art.
Foster a culture in which none are excluded,
and build a society in which all live together.

45

02 DIGEST

What are the potential
outcomes?
In Chapter 2, we will think about what happens during arts activities
that engage people from diverse groups, and what kinds of benefits canbe expected from these activities, looking at the stages of creation,
performance, appreciation, exchange, and personnel development.

Creation

Appreciation→ Developing venues for artistic appreciation can be another form ofcreative expression, and by changing the environment in which theart is appreciated, we change the way we look at the work itself.

Barriers can be removed by adapting both the concrete aspects, such as
facilities and equipment, and the intangible aspects, such as the use ofinterpreting.
It is essential to pay attention to what exactly needs special consideration
in a particular local community.

→ It is important to pay attention not only to the final art products, but tothe developments in the creative process and the environment.

Diverse approaches to creativity and openness to the ideas generated
through the process are key.
This creativity changes depending on how the people involved in theactivity understand what is taking place on site.

Performance

Exchange→ Exchange is an opportunity to understand the social issues that others

face.

Art functions to trigger exchange which crosses identities and nationalboundaries.
Communication through physical and sensory expression can facilitate newconnections.

→ A cultural space can be a new home for the local community.

The experience of performing can energise people, motivating them toengage with the next creative activity.
It also provides opportunities to build connections with a diverse rangeof people that they would not otherwise meet.

Personnel development→ Art managers occupy a creative position, drawing up plans, setting

directions, and innovating opportunities to disseminate project
outcomes through society.
It is essential to foster both creators and arts managers in the field of social
inclusion arts activities.
Art managers need to have expertise about art but also be able to act as“interpreters,” working across various fields such as welfare and education.

6

7

03 DIGEST

Nine examples

Kani Public Arts Centre – ala

Chapter 3 introduces nine unique examples of social inclusion arts projects
from across the country. Who is involved? What approaches are they taking?

The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto

P.45“Opening the Senses –Project to Promote Innovative Art Appreciation Programmes”
Creation of new forms of art appreciation together with people with visual impairments

Toyonaka City

P.44

“Smiling Workshop” – ala Cheerful Town ProjectCommunication workshops for children who refuse to go to school

sendai mediatheque“Center for Remembering 3.11”
Archiving records of the Great
East Japan Earthquake

P.41

P.47

“Shonai World Music Festival”
A unique orchestra which does not require any musical experience

Wakasa Community Centre, Naha City
“Parlour Community Centre”
A new style of community centre
outreaching to the local community

P.49
Arts Maebashi

P.42

Forest of Expression“Gaishi Ishizaka & Zakuro Yamaga with Kiyomizu no Kai, Eimei”
Music and dance created by artists and residents of an intensive carehome for senior citizens

Owlspot Theatre
Maru (NPO)P.43“Sound of Light: Sound of Shadow – Are They for Hearing by Ears Alone?”
Creations with a deaf dance choreographer

P.48“Lifemap”
Encounter and accept each other across barriers

The Room Full of Voice, Words, and Hearts “Cocoroom” (NPO)“Kamagasaki University of the Arts”
Creating a place for people to express their feelings in Kamagasaki

8

P.46
9

04 DIGEST

Collaboration between the government
and arts organisations
In Chapter 4, we will look at how to enhance communication between thegovernment and arts organisations. Communication is essential to facilitate
successful projects, and this can be done by building understandings ofeach other’s positions and perceptions on cultural projects.

Should we just fund projects
with outcomes that are easy
to quantify, like participant
numbers?

Government

Programme
planning

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10

Isn't the government
just interested in
one-off events?

Ç(internal and external)+\YPUNPTWSLTLU[H[PVU\UHU[PJPWH[LKKL]LSVWTLU[ZTH`OHWWLU^OPJOSLHK[V[OLNYV^[OVM[OLWYVQLJ[Implementation
We’re doing good work, so
we want the government tofund us.

We need evaluation to keep
us accountable when we
implement projects.

Project evaluation

Monitoring

Call for applications

Application

Arts
Organizations

The project isn’t running toplan? Are things really OK?

I wish arts organisations
understood what it means
to do projects with publicfunds…

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HY[ZHJ[P]P[PLZÇ

ReportingIf we stick to the original plan,
we won’t achieve the main goal.

Isn’t the most important
outcome to think about anddiscuss what happened?

11How can the arts facilitatesocial inclusion?
Social inclusion is the opposite of
exclusion. It seeks to build a society
i n which everyone can participate,especially people who have been
historically marginalised. However, it
may be no easy thing to foster social
inclusion through the arts. Chapter 1
explores practical methods of bringing
together the arts and social inclusion
by deepening our understanding ofeach concept.

12
12

13

Two ways of looking at ar t

In current times, there are two main ways of looking at art.
The first is the perspective that professional artists, who haveacquired special skills, look inside themselves in order tocreate. This view, closely tied to professionalisation and art
colleges, focuses on the crystallisation of the artist’s skills orideas. It emphasises the idea of art as product.
But art does not belong solely to professional artists. Everyone
ha s t he po t e nt i al to a pp l y s ki ll s a nd i ngenui ty t o create
something that changes how we perceive the world aroundus. Why limit scope of “art” to works by professional artists?
Numerous interactions and processes of trial and error are
involved in the creation of a piece. Once completed, the piecealso influences people through exhibition or performance. This
understanding of art is embodied by social inclusion art
projects, highlighting the process of creation as a whole andits ripple effects, as well as the piece itself. It emphasises theidea of art as a work in process.
Over the course of art history, it is only in the modern age
that these two views of art have clearly emerged. Before this,art in both Japan and Europe existed as a work in process
through religion, festivals, and everyday life. The Romantic
Movement of nineteenth century Europe, though, focused onsensitivity and subjectivity as well as art as product, and theidea of “art for art’s sake” was born. This thinking became
popular in Japan during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) a n dpersists. However, from the late twentieth century onwards,
interest in art as process began to grow again.

14

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

１

As we have seen, then, there are two ways of looking at art
which emphasise its aspect as product and as process. This
handbook focuses on art as process, and on the practiceof the arts as a way to develop wisdom and unity.

Art as productArtwork

Art for art’s sake

Art as process

Art for life’s sake

The process ofcreating a work

15

The history of cultural policy in Japan

This section gives an overview of the history of arts and culture
policy in Japan since the late nineteenth century. Post-war
Japan treated art as a product as a reaction to how it had beenused during the war, but cultural policy underwent a major
shift around 2011, and in recent years there have been moves
to focus on art as a process.
At the start of the Meiji Period (1868-1912), as Japan scrambled tobuild a modern state with policies such as “Leave Asia, join
Europe” and “Enrich the country, strengthen the army,” culture
followed the path of Westernisation. The formation of military
bands and introduction of balls at the Rokumeikan Pavilion
for entertaining foreign guests were examples of this trend. As
Japan entered World War II, military scenes were painted, military
songs were composed, and movies praising war were made toboost patriotism and enhance national prestige: the mobilisation of
all forms of culture for the war effort.
After World War 2, the concept that art should exist separatelyfrom society grew as a reaction against wartime cultural policy.
Culture was promoted in the education system as a way torealise peace and richness of spirit. As Japan entered rapid
economic growth, the arts were presented as a way to restore
humanity to a society which gave too much importance tofinancial wealth.
During this time, many cultural facilities were built across thecountry. Once the economic bubble (1986-1991) burst, however,the question of how to make use of these resources became amajor issue.

16

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

2

Japan’s cultural policy was first laid out in the “Basic Act on
the Promotion of Culture and the Arts” enacted in 2001. In
this law, there was no explicit change from the postwar ideaof culture as a way to seek a lofty richness of spirit, divorced
from government priorities or social trends.
A major change came in 2011 with the “Third Basic Policy on
the Promotion of Culture and the Arts,” a month before theGreat East Japan Earthquake. The policy stated:

From now on, public support for the arts and culture, which
was oriented towards an understanding of these as a social
cost, will instead be understood as a strategic investment
based on societal need. In addition, while activating theirpotential as a new growth area in a mature society, the artsand culture in public policy will be understood from theperspective of increasing social capital.
Culture, which until then was seen as distinct from society andas such simply an expense, was now considered a priority inorder to build social infrastructure.
The Basic Plan also stated:

The arts and culture have the potential to act as social
infrastructure, opening up opportunities for social participation
to children and young people, senior citizens, people withdisabilities, the unemployed, foreign residents, and others. Thissocial inclusion function has recently begun to attract attention.

17

This new understanding was carried over into the “Act on the
Revitalisation of Theatres, Concert Halls, Etc.” (2012), the“Fourth Basic Policy on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts”(2015), and the “Basic Act on Culture and the Arts” (2017, arevision of the 2011 act), and the “Basic Plan on the Promotionof Culture and the Arts” (2018, based on the 2017 act).

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

In these ways, the postwar idea of culture as a tool for individual
spiritual enrichment began to transform, and the arts were, more
and more, understood as a part of society and a vehicle forsocial inclusion.

Some criticise this use of the arts as “utilitarian.” This
criticism is based however on the view that culture
should not be a means to another end: that the aim
should only be the art piece in itself. Critics arguet h a t c u l t u re h a s i t s o w n i n h e re n t v a l u e . A n d o f
c o u r s e , c u l tural policy should not aim to control
individual thought or interfere with art as a way toexpress criticism of society.
But the arts cannot be separated from politics. How,
then, can we apply the arts as a way of strengtheningsocial fabric while avoiding a “utilitarian approach” toculture? In the next section, we consider the role ofcultural policy and deepen our understanding of therelationship between the arts and culture.

Key changes in cultural policy

1868
Periods

1912

Meiji

1926

TaishoModern state-building period“Leave Asia, join Europe”

1945

Wartime period

Boost morale and patriotism

1945

1989

Showa

2019

Heisei

Post-War period of rapid economic growthRichness of spirit, restoration of humanity

Now

As a social infrastructure“Basic Act on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts” (2001)▲“Third Basic Policy on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts” (2011)▲“Act on the Revitalisation of Theatres, Concert Halls, Etc.” (2012)▲“Basic Act on Culture and the Arts” (2017)▲“Act on the Promotion of Culture and the Arts of People with Disabilities ” (2018)▲

18

19

The role of cultural policy

There are different ways of understanding “culture” and “thearts.” Some people may think that culture is “something thatbelongs to amateurs, related to everyday life,” while the arts are“high-quality items produced by professionals.” But in order tounderstand the role of cultural policy, we need to look at theseterms according to their social roles and functions. In thissection, we deepen our understanding of “culture” and “thearts” to reconsider the role of cultural policy.
Culture is generally defined as shared ways of acting or living. If
we go on to think about what these shared ways are, we seethat culture is a series of unspoken understandings about what
is valuable: why is this considered more important than that? Inother words, culture is an order or system that assigns value.
When people’s cultures differ, it becomes difficult to understandthe other person’s actions or thoughts. This is because things
which are considered important in one culture are not so in
another.
How about art? It is hard to define what art is, but it is possible
to explain the social role that it plays. In today’s society, money
defines value. But there are many other ways to understandvalue. Building on the idea that culture assigns value, art uses
culture to reveal new ways to think about what we value, andhow we value it. It can present objects or issues which are notconsidered important, making an appeal to people: “There issomething important and valuable here: look at it!” Art can play
the role of revealing value that is often overlooked and of
sharing what matters to you with other people.

20

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

3

In other words, culture and art are like soil and plants. Culture is
the soil which gives birth to and nurtures art. Art grows rooted
in the foundation of culture, producing and propagating seeds,
and eventually withering and becoming fertiliser to enrich thesoil. They are in a cyclical relationship. So we could say that therole of cultural policy is to nurture the cultural soil needed
for a diverse and sustainable society by supporting arts
activities that question what is important to people.

Culture and art are two aspects of a cycle

Art (plant)

Culture (soil)

21

Culture and social inclusion
A society in which minorities are excluded

In recent years, cultural policy has begun to pay attention to theterm “social inclusion.” Social inclusion is the idea that people
who have been pushed to the margins of society should not be
excluded; rather, we should aim to build a society which
includes all people. It was born in Europe in the 1990s as theantonym to “social exclusion.”
In Europe, the term “normalisation” spread in the 1970s for theidea that people with disabilities, historically excluded fromsociety, should be able to fully participate in social life. Although
it might seem fair to treat people with disabilities in the same
way as everyone else, in practical terms it results in exclusion.
This is where social inclusion came onto the scene. It is the ideathat people with disabilities should not be forced to conform tosome “general” standard based on social norms, but rather that
we should build a society which accepts and includes
people who are different, respecting and making room forthese differences. The targets of social inclusion include not
only people with disabilities but also other marginalised groups,
such as those affected by poverty, migrants and refugees,
senior citizens, LGBT people, people who are ill, and disastervictims.
In Japan, the concept was taken up by the Ministry of Health,Labour and Welfare in 2000 and was first addressed by the
Agency for Cultural Affairs in the “Third Basic Policy on the
Promotion of Culture and the Arts” in 2011.

22

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

4

A society which includes minorities in the
majority society

A society which encompasses the diversityof each individualThis is because the agency was impressed by the successes ofsocial inclusion arts projects in Japan in building self-esteem,
self-efficacy, and mutually respectful relationships among diverse
groups.
In Japan today, there are many social inclusion projects that simply
increase the participation of marginalised groups in dominant arts
activities. People are sometimes satisfied with merely giving
members of minority groups an opportunity for involvement in thearts or having them participate in activities usually reserved for the
majority. In these cases, the empowerment of the minority groupand the deepening of mutually respectful relationships between
diverse groups is unlikely.

23

Defining social inclusion

In general, social inclusion means building a society whoseme mbe r s s up p ort o n e a n ot he r, rat h er t han ex clud ing or
isolating people who are marginalised in society. Now, how do
we translate this vision of an ideal society into concrete goals?
In terms of relationships, social inclusion involves diverse
people building relationships which accept and celebrate
difference. Social inclusion initiatives work towards theempowerment of marginalised groups, which on an individuallevel translates into greater self-esteem and self-efficacy. Butsocial change will not occur without members of dominantgroups learning about and empathising with marginalised
groups, and working to understand why people are divided
into dominant and marginalised groups in the first place.
In other words, to carry out arts for social inclusion, set goals
which empower members of marginalised groups to voice
their truths and change the perceptions of the majority inorder to build authentic relationships and respect fordifferences.

24

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

5

Social inclusion
VisionMembers of society support one another, rather
than excluding or isolating people based onmarkers of status.

In terms of relationships…
Diverse people build relationships which
acknowledge and accept difference.

In terms of individual change…
Members of minority groups are empowered;those of the majority change their perceptions.

25

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

6

Arts activities for social inclusion

How, then, can we achieve such goals? First, it is essential to
avoid setting up relationships which place one group in as u p e r i o r p o s i t i o n . I n c re a s i n g m i n o r i t y p a r t i c i p a t i o n i nmainstream activities is valuable, but as long as the dominantgroup is seen as the norm, members of marginalised groups willcontinue to be excluded. If diverse people are working together
for a common goal, we must carefully consider the best ways fortrue inclusion.
An important aspect of arts for social inclusion is ① to create
opportunities for direct dialogue between parties. It is said
that the biggest reason why minority groups are excluded is thatmajority group members have no direct knowledge of minorities.
Given opportunities for dialogue, changes occur on both sides.
T h e b e s t re s u l t s w i l l c o m e i f m e m b e r s o f m i n o r i t y a n dmajority groups can carry out the project through authentic
communication. If dialogue is difficult, simply creating or
performing something together may be good enough. In andof itself, sharing a novel experience can change the relationship.

Once the activity is underway, there is a tendency to prioritise thecomp letion of a wor k which “ looks good. ” This alone ismeaningless. Questions like the following are the ones thatdemand the greatest creativity: What are best ways to makediverse participants really come alive? What kind of creative
adjustments do we need to motivate and inspire all members of
the project?
Finally, innovation is needed ③ to make ingenious adjustments to
exhibition or performance methods. We see things through ourown particular filters. If we want viewers to see through different
filters than usual, we must create some kind of device to allow
them to see or experience in a new way. This is critical tocreating the opportunity to appreciate the work. Creating theopportunity for exhibition or performance is, in itself, a kindof expression. Giving birth to a new exhibition or performance
method that is not bound by tradition or custom can open thedoor to social inclusion.

Another crucial point is ② to be flexible to change in working
towards a goal. The goal is “to empower members of marginalised
groups and deepen the understanding of members of dominantgroups, facilitating mutually respectful relationships between
diverse groups.” To achieve this, flexibility is essential to adapt tochanging circumstances when carrying out creative activities.

26

27

How can the arts facilitate social inclusion?

Summary“Don’t we have to pay some attention to the quality of theart?” This question is raised whenever we talk about social
inclusion arts activities, but it contains a misconception.
Various genres of art have existed throughout modern
history, and arguments about their relative merit havelasted just as long. Although the standards of each genre
are important to the artists within that genre, they are
generally meaningless to others. What we should be talking
about instead is, “What do the people involved see as
valuable?” If specialists and non-specialists in a particulargenre are to engage in a particular activity together, what
is most important is how to enhance the quality of art
according to the group's values and standards.
Understanding art as a process rather than a productbroadens its potential. This is because art uses ingenuity tochange how we see the world; art can bring people toquestion or celebrate the emergence of new values andways of thinking.
To implement social inclusion arts programming, we must
address how social inclusion works in concrete terms, anddetermine processes for understanding what participantsvalue about their art in order to enhance its quality on theirterms. No matter the outcome, this process ofcommunication, trial and error fosters a culture of inclusion,working towards a society of unity in diversity.

28

What are the potential
outcomes?
Now that we have looked at the fundamental
ideas on social inclusion and the arts, whatkinds of projects can be implemented, andwhat are the potential outcomes? In thischapter, we explore the benefits of bringing
together diverse groups through arts
activities, looking at the stages of creation,
performance, appreciation, exchange, andpersonnel development.

29

The process of creation, whether alone or in a group, holds thepotential for participants to discover new sides of themselves,
deepen mutual relationships, and become empowered. Thec r e ative p r o c e s s c a n a l s o c e ntr a li s e p a r ti c ip a nt s’ s o c i a lb a c kg r o u n d s a n d l i f e h i s to r i e s , h i s to r i e s t h a t a r e r a r e l yconsidered.

In areas with large migrant populations, public cultural facilities
are running participatory programmes for both Japanese andmigrant participants. Through some projects, participants havecreated theatre pieces, sharing about their lives prior to Japanand their everyday challenges. Through others, they introduce
their home cultures to each other.

When diverse groups are involved, it is essential to use a range ofcreative methods and ideas. Some will emerge spontaneously
through the collective process if we avoid rigidly sticking to apar ticular genre’s methods. This approach of ten results infascinating forms of expression which would not emerge throughconventional ways of creating art.
Re ce ntly, dive r se a r ts activitie s
including art, crafts, music, theatre,and dance are taking place at social
welfare facilities for people withd i s a b i l i ti e s . T h e s e p r o j e c t s a r edeveloping in diverse ways: someworks are re ceiving praise fromoverseas, while many handicrafts
are retailed, raising awareness andimproving project sustainabilit y.
People with disabilities are also
beginning to direct the productionof artistic works.

30

What are the potential outcomes?

What are the potential outcomes?

Creation

Key points
Creative processes offer opportunities to not only
share more conventional artistic methods with diverse
groups, but to potentially develop new methods.
Staff members and other supporters must understandthe creation in terms of both the finished art productas well as the creative process that is unique to theproject's time and place.

31With exhibition and performance, people can find inspiration in
novel experiences, leading to the desire to participate in creative
a c t i v i t i e s . T h e r e a r e m a ny o p p o r tu n i t i e s fo r c o m m u n i t ym e m b e r s to ex p re s s th e m s e lve s th r o u g h ex hib i ti o n a n d
performance. One of the most meaningful aspects of these
activities is the development of new connections between
people of diverse groups who would not otherwise meet.
Venues for community arts exhibition and performance are now
numerous. In recent years, people with disabilities, seniorcitizens, migrants, homeless people, and many others haveunited with artists to build relationships and develop works
based on their everyday lives, joys and challenges.
For example, various drama projects
fo r s e ni o r c i tize n s t a ke p l a c e i ntheatre companies or public cultural
facilities. Professional directors areinvited to facilitate skills training,and senior citizens do not simply act
out existing plays, but create
powe r ful works expre s sing theircollective joys and sorrows.

32

What are the potential outcomes?

What are the potential outcomes?

Exhibition and Performance

Other cutting-edge examples include
music or drama workshops for young
people facing challenges, led by local
orchestras or theatre companies.
Pa r ti c ip a nt s c o ll a b o r a te o n n ew
works regardless of expertise. Suchcollaboration and per formance
processes pose exciting newchallenges for ar ts professionals
as well.

Key points
Performing alone or exhibiting in an art class canboost individual self-esteem or sense of purpose. If we
can go further by creating exhibition or performance
opportunities that bring together diverse groups,
cultural venues can provide new spaces for conversationand connection among community members.

33Interactive art appreciation activities and post-performance
discussions are examples of recent attempts to diversify how
we appreciate art. These offer opportunities to learn aboutperspectives on the works which are different from our own, andabout how such diverse perspectives can deepen our
understanding of a single work.
To truly broaden our perspectives, we must learn about the barriers
to participation to increase access for diverse audiences. Sometimes,
these barriers are physical and can be removed by adapting
facilities or equipment. Sometimes they are linguistic or lessconcrete, and can be removed with sign language interpretation,for example. Exploring the needs of a particular area in terms ofcultural resources, migrant communities, and so on is essential.
Many local initiatives have enriched their artistic environments
through various means according to their particular contexts.
So the ways we broaden art appreciation opportunities must be
specific to the community to be effective. For people with hearing
impairments to experience theatre, for example, accessibilitym e a sures such as projecting
subtitles, using electromagnetic
induction loops, or lending out
scripts in advance are available.
Subtitles ﬂow..
One appreciation activity paired aperson with a visual impairment toa person without to experience art
together creates fresh exchangethat went beyond dichotomies of“sighted” and “non-sighted.”

34

What are the potential outcomes?

What are the potential outcomes?

AppreciationA c r o s s t h e c o u n t r y, f i l m f e s t i v a l s
focusing on topics such as migrant orLGBT rights provide opportunities to tellpeople about the lived experiences andstruggles of marginalised people. These
venues can also serve as a safe spacefor members of these communities toconnect with each other. Often, a film
screening is followed by a panel on arelated theme or a forum for a particularcommunity.

Key points
Using ingenuity and adaptability to broaden
opportunities for artistic appreciation will enhance theengagement of marginalised people. Government
funders tend to support artistic appreciation oraccessibility measures for specific groups, such as
people with disabilities. However, it may be importantto find creative ways in which everyone can appreciateart. Designing an environment for art appreciation foreveryone is a creative work in itself.

35Personnel development

The arts can catalyse exchange across disciplines or nationalboundaries. They can also inspire new connections throughforms of physical expression, which can be so different fromspoken communication. Artist visits to elementary or special
needs schools and overseas exhibits of art by people withdisabilities open up new channels for genuine exchange.
Arts workshops in elementary ands p e c i a l n e e d s s c h o o l s o ff e r m a n yopportunities for unique and novelcommunication between artists andchildren. Teachers are often surprised
to see “quiet” students participate
enthusiastically in these workshops,
prompting them to reconsider theireveryday interactions with them. Suchworkshops also stimulate a r t i s t s t odeepen their own creativity.

Key points Local government programmes havealready led to many cultural exchanges
involving people with disabilities, senior citizens,children, and migrants. Genuine communication andexchange between people of diverse groups is certainly apositive outcome of social inclusion art. It is also key forparticipants to be able to support each other and act on
the variety of social issues that affect them.

36

What are the potential outcomes?

What are the potential outcomes?

Exchange

In arts organisations, supporting the development not only ofc re a t o r s b u t o f a r t s m a n a g e r s i s k e y. A r t s m a n a g e r s a reresponsible for connecting organisational activities with broader
society. Many practical training programmes have been held for
personnel working on site, such as curators or stage directors.
Arts managers who work with diverse groups must understandthe arts as well as fields such as social welfare and education,acting as a bridge between various fields of knowledge.
M a n y u n i v e r s i t i e s a n d w e l f a refacilities are today implementing
personnel development projects.
There are programmes in which
participants learn on site throughhands-on internships, or undertakepractical training in nursing careinstitutions in order to understandprofessional performance throughwork experience.

Arts management supports the creationand performance of art from behind thescenes. It is extremely creative work, setting the direction
for project plans, connecting people in diverse positions,and coordinating their contributions throughout theprocess, as well as creating opportunities to inventively
FLUFXODWHWKHSURMHFW·VSRVLWLYHRXWFRPHVWKURXJKRXW
society.

Key points

37

What are the potential outcomes?

Summary
We have considered the potential benefits of diverse social
inclusion arts activities from different perspectives.
Of course, there are infinite positive outcomes possible,
making it difficult to sum up the question succinctly. But
there are some recurring key themes.
One theme is how social inclusion arts practices ask us to
explore the nature of arts and culture, and to broaden arts
concepts and practices further.
Another theme is how running projects for a specific group
actually benefits larger communities through greater
exchange and awareness.
Art for social inclusion asks us to question traditional, fixedideas, offering opportunities to create in new ways.

Nine examples
So far, we have looked at the definitions
and potential benefits of social inclusion
arts activities. Now, what is actually
happening on the ground? Here are nine
examples from across the country.
/HW·VWDNHDORRNDWZKRLVLQYROYHGDQG
how they are sharing and developing
unique forms of expression.

38

39

sendai mediatheque

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Nine examples

Putting our ideas into practice“Center for Remembering 3.11”(YJOP]PUN[OL.YLH[,HZ[1HWHU,HY[OX\HRL

MHJ[VYZZ\JOHZ[HYNL[NYV\WZHWWYVHJOLZHUKNLUYLZ7SLHZL\ZL[OLZLMHJ[VYZ[VMPUKL_HTWSLZMVYN\PKHUJLHIV\[^OH[PZULLKLKVUZP[L

Reading guide
Organisation/Groupººººººººº“ºººººººººººººº”

Project nameºººººººººººººººººº;OL¸(YJOP]LOPJSL¹HIVV[OMVY[OLWLYTHULU[KPZWSH`VMYLJVYKZ

PHOTO;OL¸*LU[LYMVY9LTLTILYPUNYLJVYKLY¹SH\UJOLKPU4H`HZH
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Project outlineººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº
Music

Dance

Neighbourhood

Drama

Literature Philosophy

People involved
Creation

Performance Appreciation

Exchange

Prefecture-VV[HNLVMYLJVUZ[Y\J[PVU^VYRZZOV[I`JVUZ[Y\J[PVUJVTWHU`WLYZVUULS"
WOV[VNYHWOZJHW[\YPUNWLVWSL»ZKHPS`SP]LZHM[LY[OLKPZHZ[LY"UV[LZVUKPYLJ[L_WLYPLUJLZVM[OLKPZHZ[LYI`WLVWSLVMKP]LYZLZL_\HSP[PLZ¯0UHKKP[PVU[V[OLZLYLJVYKZHZWHJLMVYKPHSVN\LOHZILLULZ[HISPZOLKWYVTW[PUN]PZP[VYZ[V[OPUR
HIV\[SPZ[LU[VHUK[HSR[VLHJOV[OLYHIV\[[OLKPZHZ[LYIHZLKVU[OLTLZZ\JO
HZ¸>OVHYL[OLJVUJLYULKWHY[PLZVM[OLKPZHZ[LY¹/LYLSVJHSYLZPKLU[ZJHUNL[PU]VS]LK^P[O[OLLU[PYLWYVJLZZMYVTYLJVYKPUN[VKPZZLTPUH[PVUPU]HYPV\Z^H`ZPUHUL_LTWSHY`TVKLS[OH[HPTZ[VWHZZVU[OL
TLTVYPLZHUKYLJVYKZVM[OLKPZHZ[LYMVY[OLH^HYLULZZHUKYLMSLJ[PVUVMM\[\YL
NLULYH[PVUZ

Keywords and tags related to the projects have been grouped into the following four categories:
arts, music, dance, literature, etc.

Genre
Type of activity
Venue

type of facility: community centre, cultural facility, etc.

Location

location of the facility, or location in which the main activities take place
http://****URLs are accurate as of February 201940

7LVWSLPU]VS]LK!JP[`YLZPKLU[ZL_WLY[ZHY[PZ[Z576ZL[J

creation, performance, appreciation, exchange, and personnel development (see Chapter 2)
Film

Photography

Text

Creation Performance Appreciation Public facility

ZLUKHPTLKPH[OLX\L*LU[LYMVY9LTLTILYPUN

Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture

O[[WZ!^^^ZT[QW
O[[WZ!YLJVYKLYZT[QW41

Owlspot Theatre

4\ZPJHUKKHUJLJYLH[LKI`HY[PZ[ZHUKYLZPKLU[ZVMHUPU[LUZP]LJHYLOVTLMVYZLUPVYJP[PaLUZ*YLH[PVUZ^P[OHKLHMKHUJLJOVYLVNYHWOLY

Forest of Expression“Gaishi Ishizaka & Zakuro Yamaga with Kiyomizu no Kai, Eimei”“Sound of Light: Sound of Shadow– Are They for Hearing by Ears Alone?”(Z[HNLWLYMVYTHUJL0RLNHTP5HV`H(ZLZZPVUPU^OPJOLSKLYS`YLZPKLU[ZVM,PTLP^LYLPU]P[LK[V[OL(Y[Z4HLIHZOPNHSSLY`2PN\YL:OPU`H(Y[Z4HLIHZOPOHZILLU^VYRPUN^P[OHY[PZ[ZMHJPSP[PLZHUKNYV\WZPU4HLIHZOP
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PU[LUZP]LJHYLOVTLMVYZLUPVYJP[PaLUZ
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Music

Dance

Creation

Performance

Nursing care facility for senior citizens

Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture

O[[WZ!^^^HY[ZTHLIHZOPQW-V,WYVQLJ[ZWYVQLJ[Nine examples

Nine examples

Arts Maebashi

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Art gallery

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Dance

Creation Performance

Appreciation

Exchange

Public theatre

Toshima City, TokyoO[[WZ!^^^V^SZWV[QW

42

43The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto*VTT\UPJH[PVU^VYRZOVWZMVYJOPSKYLU^OVYLM\ZL[VNV[VZJOVVS*YLH[PVUVMUL^MVYTZVMHY[HWWYLJPH[PVU[VNL[OLY^P[OWLVWSL^P[O]PZ\HSPTWHPYTLU[Z“Smiling Workshop”– ala Cheerful Town Project“Opening the Senses – Project to Promote Innovative Art
Appreciation Programmes”

Dialogue between artists and audiences
Participants appreciate “Aerial Being,” made of vinyl (Yasuhiro Suzuki, 2016), through touch>VYRZOVW^P[OHY[PZ[ZHUKJOPSKYLU

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Dance

Drama

Creation

Performance

Exchange

O[[WZ!^^^RWHJVYQWTHJOPNLURP

Public theatre

Kani City, Gifu Prefecture

Nine examples

Nine examples

Kani Public Arts Centre – ala;OL5H[PVUHS4\ZL\TVM4VKLYU(Y[2`V[VOHZWYVNYHTTLKHY[HWWYLJPH[PVU
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Art

Appreciation

Exchange

Art gallery

Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture

O[[WZ!^^^TVTHRNVQWZLUZLZ

44

45

Toyonaka City

*YLH[PUNHWSHJLMVYWLVWSL[VL_WYLZZ[OLPYMLLSPUNZPU2HTHNHZHRP(\UPX\LVYJOLZ[YH^OPJOKVLZUV[YLX\PYLHU`T\ZPJHSL_WLYPLUJL“Kamagasaki University of the Arts”“Shonai World Music Festival”>VYRZOVWWHY[PJPWHU[ZWYHJ[PJLMVYHWLYMVYTHUJL(ZJLULMYVT¸2HTHNHZHRP6WLYH¹JYLH[LKHUKWLYMVYTLKI`[OLZ[\KLU[ZVM¸2(4(.,0¹*VJVYVVTY\UZHN\LZ[OV\ZLJHMtHUKULPNOIV\YOVVKOLHS[OYVVTHUK
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MYVTHYV\UK[OL^VYSKYLZ\S[PUNPUT\ZPJHUKWLYMVYTHUJLZPU^OPJOKP]LYZLJ\S[\YLZPU[LYTPUNSL(UVYJOLZ[YHPZUV[HMVYTVMT\ZPJHSVYNHUPZH[PVUI\[ZVTL[OPUN^OPJOKL]LSVWZ[OYV\NO[OLPKLHZHUKZ\NNLZ[PVUZMYVTKP]LYZLWLVWSLJYLH[PUNT\ZPJPU^OPJO[OL`JVL_PZ[WVS`WOVU`HUKOHYTVUPZLZ`TWOVU`

7LVWSLPU]VS]LK!WOPSVZVWOLYZWVL[ZJVUK\J[VYZJOVYLVNYHWOLYZYLZLHYJOLYZHYJOP[LJ[ZL[J:WLJPHSJVSSHIVYH[VYZ!)YP[PZO*V\UJPS.VL[OL0UZ[P[\[*VSSHIVYH[VYZ!6ZHRH<UP]LYZP[`6ZHRH*P[`<UP]LYZP[`5762HTHNHZHRP:\WWVY[-V\UKH[PVU:HU[VR\Y`V

6YNHUPZLY!;V`VUHRH*P[`*VVYNHUPZLYZ!1HWHU*LU[\Y`:`TWOVU`6YJOLZ[YHKLZPNUH[LKHKTPUPZ[YH[VYVM
;V`VUHRH7LYMVYTPUN(Y[Z*LU[YL*VSSHIVYH[VYZ!6ZHRH*VSSLNLVM4\ZPJ:OVUHP9,2Music Dance

Drama Literature Philosophy

Neighbourhood

Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Creation

Performance

Appreciation Exchange

Nine examples

Nine examples

The Room Full of Voice, Words, and Hearts “Cocoroom” (NPO)Music Dance Drama Creation Performance Appreciation

Public theatre Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture

O[[WZ!^^^JP[`[V`VUHRHVZHRHQWQPURLUFNHR\ZO\I\URHL]LU[L]FT\ZPJVUNHR\ZHPO[TS

http://cocoroom.org/

46

47

Wakasa Community Centre, Naha City,UJV\U[LYHUKHJJLW[LHJOV[OLYHJYVZZIHYYPLYZ(UL^Z[`SLVMJVTT\UP[`JLU[YLV\[YLHJOPUN[V[OLSVJHSJVTT\UP[`“Lifemap”“Parlour Community Centre”

7HYSV\Y*VTT\UP[`*LU[YLZL[\WPUHWHYR¸:`UKYVTL¶3PMLTHW¹WLYMVYTHUJL9VHK0a\TP`HTH;OL5764HY\PZHUVYNHUPZH[PVUHJ[P]LPU[^VTHPUHYLHZ!Y\UUPUN¸4HY\>VYRZOVW¹H^LSMHYLMHJPSP[`H[^OPJOWLVWSL^P[OKPZHIPSP[PLZWHY[PJPWH[LPU
L_WYLZZP]LHJ[P]P[PLZHUKJYLH[LOHUKPJYHM[ZHUKPTWSLTLU[PUNHJYLH[P]L
JVTT\UPJH[PVUZWYVQLJ[[VNVIL`VUK[OLJH[LNVYPLZVMKPZHIPSP[`HUK^LSMHYL[V
I\PSKJVUULJ[PVUZ^P[OWLVWSLMYVTKPMMLYLU[MPLSKZ

.H[OLYPUNSLHYUPUNJVUULJ[PUN;OLZLHYLZHPK[VIL[OLTVZ[IHZPJHUK
PTWVY[HU[M\UJ[PVUZVMHJVTT\UP[`JLU[YL5L]LY[OLSLZZ[OLYLHYLTHU`HYLHZPU^OPJOYLZPKLU[ZKVUV[OH]LHJVTT\UP[`JLU[YLPU[OLZWOLYLVM[OLPYL]LY`KH`SP]LZHUKZVJHUUV[LHZPS`NL[[VNL[OLYHUKJVUULJ[^P[OWLVWSLHUKVYNHUPZH[PVUZ^OPSLSLHYUPUNMYVTLHJOV[OLYHIV\[[OL[OPUNZ[OH[PU[LYLZ[[OLT:PUJL4HY\OHZILLUPTWSLTLU[PUN[OL¸3PMLTHW¹WYVQLJ[[VNL[OLY^P[O-\R\VRH*P[`-V\UKH[PVUMVY(Y[ZHUK*\S[\YHS7YVTV[PVU;OLWYVQLJ[HPTZ[V
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I`WLVWSL^P[OKPZHIPSP[PLZ6]LY[OLWHZ[[LU`LHYZ[OLWYVQLJ[OHZ^VYRLKVUL_OPIP[PVUZHY[HWWYLJPH[PVU^VYRZOVWZZ[HNLWLYMVYTHUJLZHUKTVYL;OLJP[`JLU[YL]LU\LZPUJS\KPUNHY[NHSSLYPLZHUKJVTTLYJPHSMHJPSP[PLZOH]LWYV]PKLKYHYLZWHJLZMVYSVJHSYLZPKLU[Z[VPU[LYHJ[^P[OHY[PZ[ZHUKHJ[VYZ^P[OKPZHIPSP[PLZHUKLUJV\U[LY[OLPY^VYRZ

;OL(RLIVUVKPZ[YPJ[VM5HOH*P[`PZZ\JOHUHYLH"P[[HRLZHUOV\Y[V^HSR[V[OL
ULHYLZ[JVTT\UP[`JLU[YL0U[OPZJVU[L_[>HRHZH*VTT\UP[`*LU[YL»Z7HYSV\Y*VTT\UP[`*LU[YLPZH¸TVIPSLV\[KVVYJVTT\UP[`JLU[YL¹PU^OPJOWHYHZVSZHUK[YLZ[SL[HISLZHYLIYV\NO[[VHWHYR[\YUPUNHUV\[KVVYZWHJLPU[VH]LU\L
MVYHY[^VYRZOVWZL]LU[ZHUKJVU]LYZH[PVU(\UPX\LMVY\TMVYYLZPKLU[ZHUK
HY[PZ[Z[VTLL[HUKJVUULJ[^P[OUL^]HS\LZPZILPUNJYLH[LK^P[OV\[YLS`PUNVUWO`ZPJHSPUMYHZ[Y\J[\YL

6YNHUPZLYZ!4HY\576-\R\VRH*P[`-V\UKH[PVUMVY(Y[ZHUK*\S[\YHS7YVTV[PVU-\R\VRH*P[`
Art

Drama

Neighbourhood

Creation

Performance Appreciation

4HY\576
THY\SHI3PMLTHW

48

Exchange

Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

O[[W!THY\^VYRZVYN
O[[W!THY\SHIVYN

Nine examples

Nine examples

Maru (NPO)

Welfare facility for people with disabilities/VZ[!5LPNOIV\YOVVK:\WWVY[>HRHZH
576PU>HRHZH*VTT\UP[`*LU[YL5HOH*P[`+LZPNUHUKZ\WLY]PZPVU!;VY\2V`HTHKH
7YVK\J[PVU!/PNO;PTLZ<LUVPKH*VSSHIVYH[VYZ!(RLIVUV,SLTLU[HY`:JOVVS*VTT\UP[`)\PSKPUN*V\UJPS-\UKLYZ!6RPUH^H7YLMLJ[\YL6RPUH^H7YLMLJ[\YL*\S[\YHS7YVTV[PVU*V\UJPS
Music

Film

Photography

Community centre

Creation

Neighbourhood

Performance Appreciation

Exchange

Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture

O[[W!JZ^HRHZHJVTRV\TPURHUPUKL_O[TS49

Nine examples

Summary
These are just a few of the examples of social inclusion arts
practice taking place across the country. We hope, though,that we have been able to convey some of the many
compelling opportunities for creation, exchange, andappreciation have already been generated through the will
and ingenuity of the people involved.
Some of you may say, “There’s no way we could do projects
like these!” Perhaps you do not have links with artists
through your organisation or area, or there are budget
limitations. But not all of these examples went smoothly
from the start. They developed into open and dynamic
spaces as a result of encounters between diverse people
and processes of trial and error.
Please seek out the details of activities in your area and theones that have captured your interest, and go to see them inaction. You are sure to encounter much guidance by doing so.

Collaboration between
the government andarts organisations
We have looked so far at the fundamentals ofsocial inclusion arts projects, the potential
benefits of these activities, and some examples
IURPDFURVVWKHFRXQWU\1RZZH·OOH[SORUHVRPH
of the practicalities of project implementation. The
success of these projects depends on effective
collaboration between the government and arts
organisations. Both must work to understand theRWKHU ·VSRVLWLRQDQGSHUVSHFWLYHWRIDFLOLWDWH
effective communications, which will lead to evenmore impactful programming.

50

51

Communications during project management“You don’ t understand what's happening on site.” Governments t a ff s o m e t i m e s h e a r t h i s f ro m a r t s o rg a n i s a t i o n s . A r t sorganisations running projects with public funding can often feelthat they are talking at cross-purposes with gover nment
employees. These perception gaps are often apparent when theymust collaborate to implement a project. How do these gaps
arise? Working to understand each other’s positions andperspectives is an ongoing process that can create smoothercommunications throughout the project.

The focus of this chapter is government funded or contracted
projects implemented by arts organisations, rather than culturalprojects led by government bodies. We will explore some of theperception gaps between the government and arts organisations
throughout the four stages of the project management flow. A
programme refers to a broad scheme developed by government fora particular aim. A project refers to a smaller-scale, finite set of
activities usually planned and initiated by an arts organisation. Arts
organisations might apply for funding for a project from a particular
programme of the government’s cultural section.

In this chapter, we address some of the gaps that come up in
four stages of the project management flow (as shown in the
diagram on the right): programme planning, call for applications,p ro j e c t p re p a r a t i o n & i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , a n d p ro g r a m m eevaluation. In discussing these stages, we will highlight some of
the key issues and perspectives of government and of arts
organisations in communicating with each other.
We focus on the relationship between government and arts
organisations, but a range of stakeholders are involved in runninga project, including intermediary support organisations (e.g.,cultural and arts promotion foundations, arts councils), experts(e.g., in arts management or evaluation), staff, participants, andlocal residents.
The following content is based on 23 interviews with government
and arts organisation personnel as well as the staff members ofintermediary support organisations, artists, and researchers.

【Project management flow】

Government

The four stages

・National government ministries and agencies, prefectural andmunicipal local governments
・[Sections involved] Culture, welfare, tourism, community
building, education, international exchange, gender equality,
human rights, etc.

Call forapplications

Programme
planning(grants/commissions)

Programme
planning

Monitoring

Project evaluation(internal and external )Project
Programme→ applications → implementation→ evaluation

Application

Arts
Organisations

52

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Introduction

Call forimplementation

Reporting・Various incorporated bodies(e.g. NPOs, social welfare corporations,incorporated medical
institutions)・Members of marginalised groups and their supporters
Culture-related facilities(e.g. art galleries, museums, libraries, theatres, concert halls)
・Artists, curators, gallery personnel, etc.

53
49

Key points

Here, programmes are developed according to the Basic Plan,
reelvant legislation, and local government regulations. Budgets
are set.

Government

Programme
planning

What’s the meaning of the government doing this work?

If people learn about what social
inclusion arts and culture is, they
will understand why government
funding is justified.

Programme planning

Arts
Organizations

54

People think culture is leisure…
How do I explain to people why
we’ re spending their tax moneyon culture?

Some local governments run training
to motivate staff members, introducing
case studies that celebrate thepositive impacts of these projects on
local residents.

The government representative has
no idea what happens on site.
The last one understood us muchbetter…

All stakeholders (government, arts organisations, andothers) need to come together and share their ideas aboutt h e c o m m u n i t y a n d s o c i a l i s s u e s t h a t t h e p ro j e c taddresses, the project approach, the project goals, and soon. All will benefit from adopting a flexible attitude.

I don’ t understand mypredecessor’s handovernotes. I guess I have tothink up a project fromscratch…

Begin on site

First, go to the community tobuild connections with thepeople there and fully grasp theneeds and issues on the ground.

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Programme planning

I have to justify the project with“hard data” to my boss and theƓQDQFHGHSDUWPHQW0D\EH
a project with big participant
numbers is best…

Ideas originating from society

The people responsible need to devise
programmes which allow communities toapply originality and ingenuity to improve thesituation of marginalised people.

When handing over responsibility fora project, a face-to-face meeting
between community stakeholders,outgoing gover nment staff, andincoming staff should be held tobuild on existing relationships.

It’ s important to share project
goals with everyone involved.
There should be a variety offorms and methods to reachthese goals.

Our ideals for our community areat the heart of our project. But it
seems like government staff are
VDWLVƓHGZLWKRQHRIIHYHQWV55

Key points

At this stage, the government calls for applicants based on the
programme plan, groups submit applications for grants or tenders,and successful groups are selected through a competitive process.

Government

Call for projects(grants/commissions)

Call for applications

I wish the people who are working on site
understood the meaning of carrying out a
SURMHFWXVLQJSXEOLFIXQGVř,WōVGLIƓFXOW
when they just say “We’re doing great
stuff: support us!”

Running a project with public funds
The application must convey the project’s
social meaning and the reasons why it
deserves public funding.
Some local governments organise
forums to explain programme goals
and the application process.
Certain governments include a category
related to social inclusion in their calls
for applications, specifically promoting
projects that connect to social issues.

Project application

Arts
Organizations

56

Gover nment and arts organisations each haveparticular aims in social inclusion arts programming.
Each side needs to understand the other’s aims andbe able to articulate the project’s significance into
simple and accessible language.

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Call for applications

Sometimes we stop funding groups
we’ve supported for a long time
because the social situation changes
and adaptations are needed.

Outreach potential

Many information-sharing andother collaborations between
government, arts organisations,and supporting organisations havesucceeded in reaching people
who need them. Building trusting
re l a t i o n s h i p s b e t w e e n t h e s ediverse stakeholders is essential.

Budget restrictions

In government, those in charge
need to decide how to effectively
allocate limited budgets.
Arts organisations need to be awareo f broader social trends and thedevelopment prospects for their projects.
Then, they can apply ingenuity andadaptability to convey the significance of
their activities in ways that government
personnel can easily understand.

Broaden project frameworks

Something must be wrong if you
can’ t apply because your project
GRHVQōWƓWWKHJRYHUQPHQWōVLGHD“art” even if it has social value.

The information only reaches
groups who already have the skills
to apply. What if the government
reached out to the groups thatreally need support?

We had our funding cut
even though we have been
doing valuable work in thiscommunity for years.

57

Key points

At this stage, arts organisations prepare and implement the project,including the processes of creation, exhibition/performance, and datacollection. Government staff perform checks to ensure that the activities
are in line with project goals.

U n a n t i c i p a t e d d eve l o p m e n t s d u r i n g p r o j e c t
implementation can be more meaningful than the
final deliverables (e.g., the final works of ar t).
Sharing these stories can lead to greater empathy
between government and arts organisations.

It’s not going to plan!
Are things really OK?

Government

Monitoring

I don’ t really understandwhat the cultural section
does...

Clarifying aims, positions, and roles
Government and arts organisations
must share aims when embarking on a
project together. If everyone involved
understands the differences in theirroles, a lot conflict can be avoided.

Project implementation

There is no fundamental differenceb e t w e e n t h e c o o rd i n a t i n g ro l eplayed by the government’ s cultural
section in the field of arts andculture and by other sections in theirrespective fields.

It seems like the project isn’t goingaccording to plan, but if I say this,they think I’m interfering.

Sharing what happens on site

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Project implementation,ƓQDOO\XQGHUVWRRGZKDWZDVgoing on when I visited thesite–I saw people's glowing
expressions and heard fromthem directly. I wish my boss
would come and see, too.

What can interactions inspire?

By going to the project site, government
staff can get a practical sense of
implementation challenges, which are
hard to gather from figures and reports.
Even when the unexpected occurs
and plans change, there is usuallyno problem if the content is in linewith project aims. These incidents
may ultimately lead to thestrengthening of the project.

In creating a space for participants
to explore their capacity andencounter each other in positive
ways, unique interactions anddynamic co-creative approaches
can emerge.
Such interactions are very importantto tackling social problems, creating
empathy and understanding
between participants.

implementation

Arts
Organizations

58

Isn’t it a bit weird forgovernment to try to design orLQŴXHQFHSURMHFWFRQWHQW"

Creating a venue for theunexpected is much morecrucial than sticking to the plan.

The government representatives don’tcome to see what’s happening.
Are they really interested in people withdisabilities and their art?

59

Key points

At this stage, the arts organisation carries out self-evaluation,gathering data and compiling findings and reflections forreporting. Then, the government applies internal and external(third-party) evaluation processes.

Government

Project evaluation(internal and external)

Programme evaluation

In evaluation, numbers (ofvolunteers trained, of audience
members) are objective results,
so they are easy to use inreporting to other government
staff and citizens.

Project evaluation is necessary, but having common
understandings about why it is naecessary is even more
important. In the evaluation process, the idea of creating
something with social value–something to change
society for the better–should be at the forefront.

We need evaluation foraccountability. When I think
about what's easy for myboss and other sections tounderstand, I end up withnumbers...

I understand that results in
WKHDUWVDQGFXOWXUHFDQ̷W
be measured in numbers
alone, but then how I shouldmeasure them?

Evaluation indicators (quantitative and qualitative data)
In recent years, there has been a renewed
awareness of the importance of qualitative data,
although there are issues around how to ensure
objectivity and how to use this data effectively.
New methods are now being considered.
On the other hand, there is a need for arts
organisations to understand the demandfor objective data from government, and tolook for ways to explain project processes
and outcomes in an objective way.

A living archive

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Programme evaluation

What is evaluation?

Keeping an archive of happenings onsite to use in reporting is essential; it
becomes an asset that supports project
development and enhancement.
Some local governments makeeffective use of footage or images
showing participants’ expressions,or of anecdotes and narratives, inreports and presentations.

The short-term evaluation ofcultural projects is difficult. Useevaluation for the long-term
improvement of policies andprojects working towards anequitable and diverse society.

ReportingArts
Organizations

60“Evaluation” feels likesomeone is judging
the project as simply
good or bad. I feel very
resistant to it.

I know that the funders
QHHGWKHPEXW,GRQ̷W
like that our activities are
judged based on numbers
alone.

I wish they valued that
we’re nurturing creative
opportunities, instead of
MXVWƓQDOUHVXOWV0DMRUQRQTXDQWLƓDEOH
things happen in theprocess, but I don’ t know
how to convey them...

Isn’t the most important
outcome to discuss andUHŴHFWRQZKDWKDSSHQHG"
0RVWSURMHFWVGRQōWJHW
this far...But is this goodenough?

61

Interviewees

Social inclusion arts activities can act as a catalyst fors o c i a l p ro g re s s t o w a rd s d i v e r s i t y, c re a t i v i t y, a n dabundance. There is no template for these activities;
depending on the values and contexts of the people
involved, they may not seem like art at first glance. As astart, government and arts organisations must share theirvisions of the society they are working towards throughthese activities. That way, even if plans change or
problems arise, everyone is anchored by the fundamental
objectives and can respond to the situation flexibly.

The interviews were carried out between July and October 2018 with thecooperation of the following people. Please note that affiliations and job
titles were those at time of the interview.

In this chapter, we looked at some of the perception gaps
between government and arts organisations at eachstage of project management. The perspectives of eachs ide a re i nh e re n tl y d i ff e re nt , an d call on everyone
involved to understand each other’s positions andexercise adaptability in communications. We hope that
this chapter has provided some concrete ideas on how to
do so.
Communicating and collaborating across current divides
is sure to lead to exciting new ideas and discoveries
about social relations and the nature of the arts.

Mikio Sugiura

Programme Director, Arts Council Niigata, Niigata City
Art & Culture Promotion Foundation

Kaoru Ouchi

Programme Officer, Arts Council Niigata, Niigata City
Art & Culture Promotion Foundation

Chika Ochiai

Chief Operating Officer, K-three Inc.

Junko Kurashina

Actor, theatrical producer

Risei Sato

Programme Officer, Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundationfor History and Culture

Sadanori Yoshihara

Unit Chief, Office for Cultural Activities Promotion, Arts and Culture Division,
Cultural Affairs Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan.

Kazuhiro Oniki

Director for Facilities Culture Promotion Division（chief researcher）,
Culture and Tourism Bureau, City of Yokohama

Kisei Ei

Director and Theatre General Manager, Kani Public Arts Centre “ala”

Yuji Sakazaki

Section Head, Customer Communications Office,Kani Public Arts Centre “ala”

Yoshirou Kagohashi

Superintendent of Education, Kani City Board of Education

Satsuki Yoshino

Professor, Media Arts Major, Contemporary Culture Course,
Faculty of Letters, Aichi University

Motohiko Kimura

Deputy Director, The Museum of Modern Art, Shiga

Jinkuro Mino

Planning Unit, The Beauty of Shiga, Cultural Promotion Division,
Department of Citizens' Affairs, Shiga Prefecture

Miho Yoshimura

Planning Unit, The Beauty of Shiga, Cultural Promotion Division,
Department of Citizens' Affairs, Shiga Prefecture

Masato Yamashita

Atelier Yamanami, Yamanami Group Social Welfare Corporation

Makoto Nomura

ComposerNobumasa Kushino

Superintendent of Kushino Terrace, outsider curator

Hiroo Agata

Planning Director, Cultural Promotion Section,
Human Resources Development and Citizens Affairs Division, Fukuoka Prefecture

Tsukuru Kurata

Cultural Promotion Unit Chief, Cultural Promotion Section,
Cultural Promotion Department, Economy, Tourism & Culture Bureau,
Fukuoka City Government
Cultural Promotion Unit, Cultural Promotion Section,
Cultural Promotion Department, Economy, Tourism & Culture Bureau,
Fukuoka City Government

Kana Shimokawa

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Collaboration between the government and arts organisations

Summary

In addition, one member of staff of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japanand two members of staff of the Fukuoka City Foundation for Arts andCultural Promotion were also interviewed.

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63

Bibliography
Please note that URLs are accurate as of February 2019.

ÀChapter 1ÀChapter 2①Mia Nakamura, “Opening up Music: a Trilogy of Art, Care, and Culture”,⑥Yuichiro Nagatsu, “People with Disabilities on Stage – Expression Born out of

Suiseisha, 2013 [Japanese]

An elucidation of how music as activity empowers people and brings about changes torelationships, focusing on two examples of initiatives involving LGBT communities. It
approaches these through case studies and theories of cognition and care.
② Kyushu University Social Art Lab, ed., “Social Art Lab: Opening up Local
Communities and Society”, Suiyosha Publishing, 2018 [Japanese]

Discussions and essays by 18 highly engaged researchers and artists on topics including

Limitations”, Kyushu University Press, 2018 [Japanese]
Depicts the process of how expression is born, based on fieldwork of theatrical activities
by people with disabilities. Particular attention is paid to “complicity,” in which not merely
those with disabilities, but also others, struggle together to create forms of expression.
⑦The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, “First Basic Plan on the Promotion of Culture
and the Arts – Utilizing the ‘Diverse Values’ of Culture and the Arts to Build the Future”(http://www.bunka.go.jp/seisaku/bunka_gyosei/hoshin/pdf/r1389480_01.pdf) [Japanese]

the arts (Yuichiro Nagatsu).

The Basic Plan promulgated a revised “Basic Act on Culture and the Arts” in 2017. As well
as explicitly listing, among six themes, “The cultivation of social value through theformation of diverse values and the promotion of inclusive environments,” there are manyreferences to social inclusion.

③ Kani Public Arts Centre, “The Director’s Office: Essays”⑧Tadashi Hattori, ed., “Creative Activities for People with Disabilities – From thethe terminology used to describe art and society (Mia Nakamura), the relationship between
art and cultural policy (Torao Osawa), and a critical account of the utilitarian approach to(https://www.kpac.or.jp/kantyou/essay-all.html) [Japanese]

Essays written by Kisei Ei, Director of Kani Public Arts Centre, including “On ‘social
inclusion’ and ‘the function of social inclusion’ – new concepts which will become key forthe future of arts and culture” and “The thoughtlessness of saying ‘Social inclusion is atrendy phrase.’”④ Parliament of Australia, “Social Inclusion and Social Citizenship: Towards a Truly
Inclusive Society”, 2009(https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp0910/10rp08)

A research report from the Australian parliament discussing earlier European social
inclusion policies and laying out an ideal vision.
⑤ Creative Scotland, “Equalities and Diversity”(https://www.creativescotland.com/what-we-do/the-10-year-plan/connecting-themes/equalities-and-diversity)

The Scottish arts council, Creative Scotland, features an approach integrating “equality,
diversity, and inclusion.” Their website includes policy documents, statistics, case studies,and a practical toolkit.

64

Frontlines of Practice”, Airi Publication, 2016 [Japanese]
A collection of studies by practitioners and researchers on the theme of expression bypeople with disabilities, covering fields including art, music, and physical expression. It
addresses the significance of creative activities, job seeking support for people withdisabilities, evaluation, and the management of creative venues.
⑨ NPO Theatre Accessibility Network, “Theatregoing Support Guidebook– Vision and Hearing-impaired Edition”, 2018 [Japanese](http://ta-net.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/guidebook.pdf)

The Theatre Accessibility Network has surveyed many people with disabilities todisseminate their ideas on how to make theatres barrier-free and accessible. It contains adiversity of perspectives and expertise on theatregoing by people with vision and hearing
impairments.

ÀChapter 4⑩Tsukasa Muraya, “Research into the Creation of Indicators for Creative Activities
for People with Disabilities”, Kyushu University PhD dissertation, 2018(https://catalog.lib.kyushu-u.ac.jp/opac_download_md/1931925/design0233.pdf) [Japanese]

Through interviews with experts, this dissertation surveys the various opinions andapproaches to creative activities for people with disabilities, laying out a platform formoving ahead with shared practice and debate.

65

Closing Remarks

Research teamThis handbook was created as a result of the joint research “Social Inclusion
through Culture and the Arts” carried out by the Agency for Cultural Affairs ofJapan and Kyushu University from January 2018 (as part of the “Project for
Joint Research between the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Universities/
Research Institutes etc.”), in collaboration with the Agency for Cultural
Affairs’ “Project to Promote Culture and the Arts at Universities.”

The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan & Kyushu University
Joint Research Team Members (2018-2019)

Yuki Asakura

Research Officer, Policy Coordination and policy Research Group,
Headquarters for Vitalizing Regional Cultures, Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan

In order to create this handbook, our research team studied policies andexamples of best practice from within Japan and abroad, and conducted
extensive interviews between July and October 2018 to set out the issues
and gather ideas. In addition, interim results were presented on various
occasions, including at a symposium held during the AGM of the Japan
Association for Cultural Policy Research and at a public research meeting in
Osaka, where valuable advice was obtained from many people. Furthermore,members of each group introduced in chapter 3 willingly produced theirmanuscripts. I would like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to
all of these people here.

Masaru Aoshiba

Group Sub-leader, Policy Coordination and Policy Research Group,
Headquarters for Vitalizing Regional Cultures, Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan

Hideto Shiota

Chief, Policy Coordination and Policy Research Group,
Headquarters for Vitalizing Regional Cultures, Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan

Hiromi Nonaka

Staff, Policy Coordination and Policy Research Group,
Headquarters for Vitalizing Regional Cultures, Agency for Cultural Affairs of JapanThe research team constantly discussed the contents of this handbook basedon the above findings. There were extensive debates about how to translate
concepts such as “social inclusion,” which conceives of society from atranscendent viewpoint, or “art,” which is generally understood to be a
specialist idea, into terms used in practice on site, as well as about how toarticulate what happens in art activities in a systematic manner. I believe that
we did our utmost within the limited time available, but am also sure that
there are many points which still require improvement, and would welcome
your frank opinions.
We plan to issue a handbook focusing on the evaluation of projects andpolicies in the fiscal year of 2019, and would be grateful for your continued
support.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan

Kyushu University Social Art Lab

Mia Nakamura

Associate Professor, Kyushu University Faculty of Design(Lead researcher, author of Chapter 1)

Yuichiro Nagatsu

Assistant Professor, Kyushu University Faculty of Design(Author of Chapter 2)

Tsukasa Muraya

Research Fellow, Kyushu University Faculty of Design(Author of Chapter 4)

Satoshi Miyamoto

Technical staff, Kyushu University Faculty of Design

Advisers

Torao Osawa

Lead researcher, Arts and Culture Projects Office, NLI Research InstituteYutaka Yamauchi

Representative Director, donner le mot (NPO)

Satoshi Miyata

Office Manager, donner le mot (NPO) (Author and editor of Chapter 3)

Secretariat

Kana Sakurai

Staff, donner le mot (NPO) (Author and editor of Chapter 3)

Mia Nakamura

Lead Researcher, the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan & Kyushu University Joint Research Team
Associate Professor, Faculty of Design at Kyushu University

66

67

Social Inclusion throughCulture and the Arts:

A Handbook for Beginners
Building a society of unity in diversity

Date of issue:

23 March 2021 (Original Japanese edition: 29 March 2019)

Compiled by:

The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan & Kyushu University Joint Research Team
(lead researcher: Mia Nakamura)

Authors:

Mia Nakamura, Yuichiro Nagatsu, Tsukasa Muraya, donner le mot (NPO)English translation:

Emma Parker Supervising

English editing:

Yaya Yao, Mia Nakamura

Editing:

donner le mot (NPO)

Design:Kaori Nagasue

Co-sponsors:

Fukuoka City Foundation for Arts and Cultural Promotion

Supported by:

Japan Association for Arts Management, Kyushu BranchWith the assistance of:

FY2018 Project to Promote the Arts and Culture at Universities,
the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan

Issued by:Social Art Lab, affiliated with the Faculty of Design, Kyushu University
4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minami Ward, Fukuoka, 815-8540, Japan
http://www.sal.design.kyushu-u.ac.jp/

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© 2021 The Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan & Kyushu University Joint Research Team