KIAC

Application guidelines

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Application details

■Intended program period
1st April 2026 - 31st March 2027
*Excluding one month of September 2026

■Eligible projects
Any of the following activities that feasibility is ensured*.
(1) Performing arts (theater, dance, music, performance, etc.)
(2) Research-based art projects
(3) Study groups, symposiums, lectures, etc. by art professionals
*This refers to activities for which the past performance, production/implementation system, budget plan, scale of activity, schedule, and method of progress management are judged to be appropriate.

**The selection process does not depend on whether or not there is a plan to present or perform the results of the residency or the project after the residency. Residency for research and work-in-progress is also acceptable.
***Invalid projects:
- Projects that do not have a creative purpose (with the exception of lectures and symposiums).
- Projects whose main goal is to raise donations for charity organizations.
- Projects that are aimed to be shared to a strictly restricted audience such as a specific group or organization.

■Support
Kinosaki International Arts Center will support the artists with providing space for creation and accommodation and, staff as follows:
1.) Free use of Kinosaki International Arts Center hall and studios.
2.) Free use of the residence of up to 7 rooms.
3.) Technical staff and coordinators will support the creation and research.
*As a general rule, personnel expenses for all the staff involved in the production, transportation to Kinosaki, etc. must be covered by the applicant.
*Artists must pay 400 yen per person per day to Toyooka City for utilities.

■Application Requirements
1.) Individual artists or groups of artists can stay at Kinosaki International Arts Center for their artistic activities for a minimum of 7 days to a maximum of three months.
2.) Artists are required to be able to speak and understand basic Japanese or English.
If they don’t, artists should hire an interpreter at their own expense.
3.) Artists are required to be independent and capable of working and living on their own doing their laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc.
4.) Artists are expected to be willing to communicate with the locals and tourists through the Community Exchange Program. (See details below)
5.) Artists must follow the rules and regulations of Kinosaki International Arts Center. In case of any violation, artists will have to pay a penalty.
6.) Artists must cover all travel and living expenses and all production costs.

■Expectations upon acceptance
1.) Artists must pay 400 yen per person per day to Toyooka City for utilities.
(ex: A group of 5 components staying for 9 nights = 400 JPY x 5 people x 10 days = total : 20,000 JPY)
2.) During their stay, artists must be involved in the Community Exchange Program(*) by organizing activities that will encourage creative exchange with the locals and tourists.
3.) When presenting a piece of work that has been created at KIAC, artists must credit Kinosaki International Arts Center (Toyooka City) by printing the facility name and its logo on all promotional material.
4.) Artists must agree to help promote Kinosaki International Arts Center by sharing photos, videos and information. (However, all rights related to the work created during their stay belong to the artists involved).

*About the Community Exchange Program
Artists are asked to introduce their work and its creative process to the locals and tourists through events such as presentations of the finished work, rehearsal performances, open studios, workshops, talk shows, etc. in order to create opportunities to exchange together.

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Application

■How to apply
Applicants are required to download the application form from the link below. Please fill out the form and submit it to air2026@kiac.jp with the subject “Application for the 2026 AIR program”

Download Application Form

*As a general rule, all applications must be sent by email.
*We will send an email to confirm we have received your application. If you do not receive this email within 2 days of sending your application, please contact Kinosaki International Arts Center.

■Application deadline
17:00 Japan Standard Time on Friday, 27th June 2025.
*This deadline is final. Late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

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Screening

■Screening process
The Selection Committee (staff of Kinosaki International Arts Center) will screen all applicants.
If needed, we may contact some of the applicants for an interview during the screening process.

■Selection Committee
Satoko Ichihara (Artistic Director of KIAC, Playwright, Director, Novelist, Leader of Theater Company Q) *Chairperson of Selection Committee
Reiko Shiga (Director of KIAC)
Yuichiro Yoshida (Program Director of KIAC)
Maki Hashimoto (Community Collaboration Manager of KIAC)

■Selection Criteria
Artists and projects with a high level of awareness in the points of "Response to Society," "Critical Creativity" and “Creation of Exchanges” will be evaluated.
≪ Response to Society ≫　Is the artist or project responding in some way to the current society and environment in which we live through their artistic activities?
≪ Critical Creativity ≫　Does the project have the potential to critically examine existing values and common sense, and to update them in terms of art?
≪ Creation of Exchanges ≫　Does the project demonstrate the will and potential to create new exchanges before-during-after the residency?
Based on the selection criteria above, the Selection Committee will evaluate the proposed projects to select the successful applicants.

■Notification of Application results
The end of October 2025.
*All applicants will be notified whether they have been selected or not

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Address for applications and enquiries

Kinosaki International Arts Center
1062 Yushima, Kinosaki-cho, Toyooka-shi, Hyogo 669-6101, Japan
TEL +81 796-32-3888 (9am-5pm / closed on Tuesdays)
E-mail：air2026@kiac.jp