No subsidies for international art festivals Artists and protesters in front of the Agency for Cultural Affairs Sep 30
Protests that the Agency for Cultural Affairs decided not to grant a subsidy for the Aichi International Art Festival, where several exhibitions were suspended due to a series of intimidating telephones and other figures that symbolized comfort women For this reason, artists gathered in front of the Agency for Cultural Affairs in Tokyo.
Over 200 people participated in the gathering, including artists gathered through SNS and artists who had participated in the festival.
Regarding the art festival `` Aichi Triennale '' where some exhibitions were canceled due to intimidating telephone calls etc., the Agency for Cultural Affairs decided last week that it would not grant a total of approximately 78 million yen subsidy even if the application procedure was inappropriate .
The rally protested this decision, calling for “I want you to stop bullying art” or “Let's protect the art” and asked to withdraw the decision.
A woman in her thirties said, “I'm getting angry when I hear the news. I want the country to take a second look at the art.”
A male student attending the Tokyo University of the Arts said, “I feel that this decision is an indirect censorship.
The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology stated that “the exhibition as requested by the Agency for Cultural Affairs has not been realized” and that the Agency for Cultural Affairs is not involved in the contents of the exhibition. The
About the canceled exhibition, Aichi Prefecture will take necessary measures and aim to restart from 6th at the earliest or 8th at the latest.