[Event Report] Japan Creator Support Fund Special Symposium, “Presence & Resonance: The Future of Theatres” @YPAM (Part I: Presentation)
One program within the Japan Creator Support Fund is the Support Program for Cultural Facilities Function Enhancement (hereafter referred to as the “support for cultural facilities”). This program aims to contribute to the development of culture and the arts by strengthening the functions of cultural facilities through multi-year support for performances, creation, and dissemination activities in Japan and overseas that come from these facilities. This is designed to help Japanese creators expand their activities to other countries and regions.
The Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting (YPAM) is Japan’s premier international platform for performing arts organizations and professionals, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. In Yokohama, performances, symposiums, presentations bring together people from all over the world, fostering opportunities for exchange.
This special symposium, held within YPAM 2025 Meeting Point, focused on the theme of “The Future of Theatres,” featuring presentations by the project core members of the three selected cultural facilities and overseas theatre director, as well as a discussion with special guests. This report on the symposium, which was attended by about 100 people, is divided into Part I (Presentation) and Part II (Discussion).
Basic Information
Japan Creator Support Fund Special Symposium
— Presence & Resonance: The Future of Theatres
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025 | 10:00–12:00
Venue: Gender Equality Center Yokohama South (Forum Minamiota), 3F Auditorium
Speakers:
[Panelist]
Ken Takiguchi (General Manager, Setagaya Public Theatre)
Akiko Takeshita (Performing Arts Producer, Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM])
Masayoshi Yahagi (Director of Project Planning Division, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre)
[Guest speaker]
Hiromi Maruoka (President, Japan Center, Pacific Basin Arts Communication / Director, Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting)
Faith Tan (Director, Programming (Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts & Int’l Dev), Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore)
[Moderator]
Masahiko Yokobori (Associate Professor, Faculty of Management, Atomi University / Dramaturg / Advisor, Japan Creator Support Fund）
★Lunch Gathering: 12:00–13:00 (following the symposium)
Organized by Japan Arts Council, in cooperation with Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting Executive Committee.
After an overview of the Japan Creator Support Fund and the support program for cultural facilities, the first half of the symposium began with presentations by the core members of the three selected organizations and Faith Tan of Singapore-based Esplanade Theatres on the Bay (“Esplanade”). The organizations introduced case studies, and Faith Tan gave a presentation on Esplanade’s talent development and international programs.
◆ Setagaya Public Theatre: Case Study
Ken Takiguchi (General Manager, Setagaya Public Theatre)
・Since its opening, the theatre has been actively collaborating with foreign productions, including Red Demon and The Elephant Vanishes. This collaborative effort has maintained into recent years, revealing that collaborative productions are etched in the DNA of Setagaya Public Theatre.
・ Speaking from personal experience, I spent time in Malaysia and Singapore from 1999 to 2016 and realized that the strong networks built through collaborative productions are likely to have long-lasting impact. In particular, collaborations in Southeast Asia Setagaya Public Theatre organised from 2002 to2005 dramatically transformed the topography of theatre in Southeast Asia, and the interpersonal network “Rohan Journey” that was formed there has continued to have an impact long afterwards.
・As part of this cultural facility support initiative, we participated in an art festival held in Indonesia to observe how new forms of collaboration are progressing, making important preparations as a theatre.
・ In our collaborative work with South Korea, we aim to foster mutual exchange by working together with local theatres, theatre companies, and producers. We introduced works by young creators and held two reading performances this summer (August 2025).
・ Workshops and other events are planned to be held also in the U.K., with the aim of staging collaborative productions.
◆ Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre: Case Study
Masayoshi Yahagi (Director of Project Planning Division, Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre)
・ In the 35 years since its opening, the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre has been active in a diverse range of international joint productions and general international projects. The new TMT Gear – The Creator Support Project is a project to create new productions with the next generation of creators in order to open up the future of performing arts and music. One of the unique features of this project is that it trains not only the performance and music department’s artistic creators, but also accompanying members: four visual media team members and six theatre staffs (the theatre’s producers and stage technical staffs).
・ For this presentation, we would like to particularly introduce our activities in the field of video production. This project aims to enhance the value of performing arts through video media and establish itself as a hub for domestic and international outreach. It systematizes video production around three pillars—“Promotion,” “Documentation,” and “Archiving”—and seeks to build a new model for utilizing video in performing arts through digital transformation (DX).
・ As part of this activity, participants accompanied overseas performance conducted under a separate project to record and film the performances, produced promotional videos for the subsequent performances in Japan, and conducted training sessions and hands-on practical exercises on 8K fixed-point video recording for the Japan performances.
・ Practical initiatives are gaining momentum, including the filming of work-in-progress documentaries by artists under development, support for the production of video works, and the creation of promotional videos.
・ Through video production, awareness of multilingualization is being fostered, and promotion is being expanded utilizing social media, which has demonstrated contribution to overseas expansion.
・ Future challenges include further examination of the positioning of video archives and how to build up expertise, with a focus on how these can be utilized for value creation in performing arts and talent development.
◆ Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM]: Case Study
Akiko Takeshita (Performing Arts Producer, Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM])
・ The Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM], located in Yamaguchi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, has produced performances in diverse genres and presented original works in 36 countries and regions over the more than 20 years since its opening.
・ In addition to the production and presentation of works for children, the Support Program for Cultural Facilities Function Enhancement also fosters creators within the center. One such project is “Generative Sensei,” a participatory performance themed on generative AI, designed for fourth graders and above.
・ YCAM aims not only to deploy “Generative Sensei” overseas, but also to tour it to elementary and junior high schools within Yamaguchi City. It is specifically produced as an entry point to performance for children who do not have many opportunities to see stage productions. In Yamaguchi City, opportunities to see stage performances are significantly fewer compared to the Tokyo metropolitan area. Therefore, YCAM believes an outreach approach—where cultural facilities bring performances directly to children—is essential. Production is currently in progress with the cooperation of educational institutions within the city.
・ Research and networking were conducted in Taiwan and South Korea for production aimed towards overseas expansion. These case studies will be introduced in this section.
・ Taiwan: With the cooperation of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), a national research institute developing technologies for industry, presentations and discussions were held at C-Lab (a hub for cultural experimentation and creation that crosses art, society, and technology) and theatres. With an eye on activities overseas, research visits were conducted to Taoyuan Municipal Happy Elementary School and Dayong Elementary School, through an introduction from ITRI.
・ Korea: Together with Neji Pijin (a member of the development program), YCAM participated in the Dance × Technology Open Week organized by the Korea National Contemporary Dance Company (KNCDC). Lectures and workshops on dance and technology were held to build networks for overseas expansion.
◆ Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Faith Tan (Director, Programming (Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts & Int’l Dev), Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore)
・ Esplanade is a theatre that opened in 2002 and serves as the largest presenter in Southeast Asia. Alongside maintaining an objective perspective on what to present to audiences, Esplanade develops programmes with a strong focus on cultural development, audience cultivation, and the nurturing of artistic creation.
・ In developing these programmes, Esplanade operates within the context of Singapore’s multicultural society. To introduce arts and culture from a broader social perspective, it is necessary to remain conscious of and sensitive to historical and political dimensions.
・ The theatre conducts over 30 projects annually. Programme development is carefully structured to promote, disseminate, and create audiences for culture and the arts through a sustainable ecosystem, while actively incorporating residencies, labs, and mentoring programs. It also regularly engages in co-productions.
・ Through programmes shaped by these perspectives, the theatre functions as a cultural space where people from diverse backgrounds can engage on equal footing. It fosters dialogue, opens itself more fully to society, and promotes social development driven by creativity.
・Esplanade also carries out co-productions and talent development projects with Asian artists, finding great value in encounters with new generations. At the same time, when presenting works overseas, we realize the importance of supporting artists by providing knowledge of local cultural contexts and economic conditions in order to help navigate diverse audiences.
・ The following are two distinctive programs that have begun in recent years.
(1) Contemporary Performing Arts Research Residency
Initiated several years ago as a residency program supporting the creation of original works, this program has attracted over 300 applications. The programme not only provides funding for artists, but the residency emphasises long-term research periods, interdisciplinary collaboration, and critical feedback from research institutions and specialists. These elements encourage the development of more rigorous and substantial works. The programme has also served as a valuable opportunity for theatre staff to broaden their perspectives and accumulate knowledge.
(2) International Presenters Visit Programme:
Designed to facilitate the circulation of knowledge, this programme brings together Asian contemporary artists and directors through networking and learning opportunities. In addition to structured learning sessions, participants attend international festivals together and share a wide range of information and perspectives. By maintaining a relatively small group size, the programme enables dense and effective communication, providing a valuable opportunity to reassess the current landscape of contemporary performing arts in Asia.
Following presentations highlighting the distinctive initiatives of each theatre, the latter half of the session was devoted to discussion. The second part of this report will feature these discussions.