Open Call for the International Creator Residency Program 2025
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International Creator Residency Program 2025
For international creators
"International Creator Residency Program" aims to invite distinguished and highly motivated international creators in the field of visual art, film, design, architecture, and to give opportunities to work in Tokyo.
The open-call program "International Creator Residency Program (Theme Projects)" for the period from May to July 2025, invites two international creators who would engage in creative activities based on the theme "Technology and the future of humanity."
Together with two creators of "Local Creator Residency Program," the 4 creators who work on the theme will seek to actively exchange ideas on the cultural differences in thoughts, recognitions, actions and languages, while working independently on their own projects.
The result of their residency will be presented at the OPEN STUDIO and/or Result Exhibition.
Overview
A) Individual Projects
Residency Period: 3 months within the following residency periods
① from the beginning of September to the end of November, 2025
② from the beginning of January to the end of March, 2026
Number of Creators: 4 creators (2 creators per period)
Disciplines: Visual art, film, design, and architecture
What TOKAS Residency offers: Airfare, living expenses (per diem), fee for creative work/project and living space (single room)
Studio/workspace: Shared studio
B) Theme Projects
Based on the theme: "Technology and the future of humanity"
Residency Period: 3 months from the beginning of May to the end of July, 2025
Number of Creators: 2 creators
Disciplines: Visual art, film, design, and architecture
What TOKAS Residency offers: Airfare, living expenses (per diem), fee for creative work/project and living space (single room)
Studio/workspace: Shared studio
Outline/ Application Package
A) Individual Projects (September-November, 2025 / January-March, 2026)
B) Theme Projects (May-July, 2025)
Application Deadline
Deadline for application (documents): July 2 (Tue), 2024, 18:00 (JST)
Deadline for application (materials): July 9 (Tue), 2024, 23:00 (JST)
How to apply
Download the "Outline" and "Application Package" above and send all materials to TOKAS Residency.
*You may apply for "A) Individual Projects" and "B) Theme Projects" at the same time.
*You may apply for "Curator Residency Program" and/or "Research Residency Program" at the same time. (Please check "Eligibility" in each outline). Please fill in each of application forms and send them together.
*If you apply as a duo, please see the FAQ below before you apply.
FAQ
Eligibility
Q1. Is there an age limit for application?
A. No, there is not.
Q2. I have participated in TOKAS residency program before. Can I apply for these residency programs again?
A. You can. However, if you have participated in the International Creator Residency Program or Local Creator Residency Program before, you cannot apply for the same program again.
Q3. I will be finishing my master's degree soon. Am I eligible to apply for your residency?
A. If you are not a student at the time of participation in the program, and if you have 5 years or more of experience in your specialized area of expertise, you are eligible.
Q4. Can I apply for this program as a duo?
A. Yes. Please see also the following FAQ related to "Applying as a Duo."
Application Form
Q5. When I create a document in Adobe Reader, the font size is not adjustable and the text at the end is cut off. What should I do?
A. The application forms have specific settings for font size and number of characters. If you change the settings by yourself, it may cause problems. Please use Adobe Reader to fill in the form so that it fits within the frame of the form.
Letter of Recommendation
Q6. Which contact information should I fill in the form of referees? Contact information of affiliation or his/her personal contact ?
A. Please fill with the contact information of your referee’s affiliation. If your referee works as a freelance, you could put his/her personal contact.
Q7. Is there any format for the letters of recommendation?
A. There is no specific one. Please state the relationship between the applicant and referees, and reasons for recommending the applicant to this program.
Q8. According to the outline, referees should be specialized in the fields of art and culture. Are freelance curators and artists eligible?
A. Yes. Letters of recommendation which state the relationship between the applicant and referees, and reasons for recommending the applicant to this program are valid.
Q9. In case I apply for several residency programs at the same time, do I have to prepare two different letters of recommendation for each program?
A. You can use the same letters for several programs.
Applying as a Duo
Q10. If we apply for these programs as a duo, can we get financial support for each?
A. No. Living expenses and fee for the creative work/project will be offered for one person. Airfare will be provided for both of the duo.
(If either of the duo lives in Japan, TOKAS will provide the cost equivalent to the round-trip travel expenses from the nearest station to his/her home to TOKAS Residency.)
Q11. Can we apply together in one single application since we are working as a duo?
A. Please fill in the Application Forms separately and send the forms together. However, please note that Section "Artist Statement, Purpose of your residency and Activity Plan"- 2) and 3) of the Application Form should be the same.
Q12. Do you accept letters of recommendation provided as a duo? Or should we submit 2 individual letters each?
A. We accept 2 letters of recommendation provided for a duo.
Q13. It will be our first time working as a duo, so there is no one whom we can refer to as witness to our past activities as duo. Would it be acceptable for us to just submit one reference letter each pertaining to our individual practices instead?
A. If you haven’t worked as a duo before, please submit 2 letters of recommendations for each member of duo. (4 letters in total)
Residence Facilities
Q14. What sorts of facilities do you offer to the successful candidates?
A. Please read through Section "TOKAS Residency Facilities" in the Application Outline.
Other questions
Q15. Will there be an opportunity to show my result at TOKAS?
A. Yes, you could participate in a result exhibition in the following fiscal year at TOKAS Hongo.
Q16. I applied for both of the residency periods of A) Individual Projects. Would it be possible to choose the period by myself if I were selected?
A. You are not able to choose a residency period. We will choose and make the decision.
Q17. Is it possible to travel around Japan for my artwork and research, or am I restricted to remain in Tokyo?
A. Artists participating in the program are expected to focus on their new work during the residency period. If you need to stay outside our residency for your work or research, you have to consult in advance.
Q18. Do I have to fund myself for additional accommodation and travel expenses elsewhere in Japan, or is there any help?
A. We will not provide any financial support for additional accommodation and travel expenses elsewhere in Japan.
Q19. Can I bring my family/partner with me?
A. No. We offer accommodations only for the participating creators.
Inquiries
contact_residency2024[at]tokyoartsandspace.jp
*Please change [at] to @
*For inquiries which are not listed in the FAQ part above, please contact us by e-mail by June 11 (Tue), 2024.
We will update the FAQ on this website after June 17 (Mon), 2024.
Please note that in principle, we cannot answer each inquiry individually.
