Passing on the art

Art has been created and passed on continuously by generations of humans. Art is not a material thing. The COVID pandemic has made many of us realise that art is alive and well. However, no matter how wonderful art is, it will die out if it is not passed on by humans. Art and culture have been handed down from person to person over a long period of time. It is a shared commonality among the world.

Th­e ancient Greek philosopher Socrates had these words to say.
“I am not an Athenian, I am not a Greek, I am a citizen of the world.”

YAMATO – the drummers of Japan ©Masa Ogawa

The future is in the children

Everyone has had the experience of running around the fields and mountains and playing happily with friends as a child. However, the mental oppression and damage caused to children by the restrictions imposed by the Corona disaster, which has lasted for more than a year, is greater than that of adults. ­This is a situation that we need to take more seriously.

We have organised the International Youth Concert in cooperation with the European Capital of Culture every year. In 2020, two European Capitals of Culture invited a choir and brass bands from Japan. The COVID pandemic prevented the event from taking place, but the passion of the people involved on both sides encouraged them to postpone it until they could travel, promising the children that it would happen without cancellation. The knowledge of this added to the enthusiasm of the children’s practice.

If we become passive, the realisation of our “hopes” will always be postponed and hope and resignation will become two sides of the same coin. The dreams and aspirations of children can become concrete goals. In order to achieve these goals, it is essential that we, as adults, have the power and the responsibility to push them forward. ­The future is in our children’s hands.

We would like to work in solidarity and cooperation with as many people as possible to support the activities of artists and children who will lead the future.
We would be grateful for your support and endorsement! 

Through this crowdfunding campaign, we would like to let everyone know about the collaborative efforts between the European Capital of Culture (ECoC) and Japanese artists and youth.　 

In addition to the projects to be held in the three ECoCs this year, we would like to support continued, developed, derived, and preparation projects for the past and future ECoC. We would like to provide more generous financial support for a wide range of activities that will expand. We hope to support artists from Japan who aim to play an active role in a wide range of activities around the world, and to increase opportunities for European and Japanese youth to connect globally.

Artist Yayoi Kusama installation in the Marseille-Provence 2013 (France)  ©YAYOI KUSAMA

Top row from left: Czech Children’s Kyogen in Kyoto (2019), Tokorozawa Feny Boys and Girls Choir members (International Youth Concert in Plovdiv 2019/Bulgaria), International Youth Concert in Ise (2019), Bottom row from left: Children in friendship (International Youth Concert in Plovdiv 2019/Bulgaria) International Youth Meeting “World Heritage and Future” (Graz 2003/Austria), International Youth Concert in Plovdiv 2019 (Bulgaria), San-in Boys and Girls Choir Little Phoenix (International Youth Concert in Plovdiv 2019/Bulgaria)

https://www.eu-japanfest.org/projectsupport/program2021/?lang=jp
＊Additional projects to be announced in late October 2021

We have set our goal at 30 million yen. The funds will be used to cover a portion of the expenses for each project of the 29th EU-Japan Fest to further support Japan-related initiatives!

With one million yen, we can send about 10 artists and children to the European Capitals of Culture !

• Appropriated for a part of the project expenses to support the 29th EU-Japan Fest :
  Airfare, accommodation, local transportation, food, artist fees, venue fees, equipment costs, technical staff fees (sound, lighting, etc.), exhibition/removal work fees, publicity and advertising fees, translation costs, management staff fees, communication and contact costs, online distribution costs, recording costs, venue quarantine related expenses, etc.
• Commission to the crowd-funding platform
• Sending costs of rewards

*To support our crowd-funding campaign, please choose the pledge, then visit this page:
https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/470432.  

*For the 10,000 yen course and above, you will receive a thank you e-mail and a newsletter (delivered on the 10th of every month) in addition to the following rewards.

[1,000Yen]
・Small support! Distribution of EU-Japan Fest newsletter “MeetUpNews”  (delivered on the 10th of every month) 

[3,000Yen]
・Simple support! Thank you e-mail

[5,000Yen]
・Thank you e-mail
・Distribution of EU-Japan Fest newsletter “MeetUpNews”  (delivered on the 10th of every month) 

[10,000Yen]
・European Capital of Culture promotional items (Set of three items from among the following goods: pens, notebooks, magnets, pencils, eco-bags, and leaflets introducing each city’s activities)
     *T-shirts are excluded. 

[30,000Yen]
・T-shirts of European Capital of Culture (for adult, unisex, sizes-S, M, L /*Size cannot be selected.) 
・The 29th EU-Japan Fest Official Report Book  (shipping: May 2022) 

[50,000Yen]
・European Capital of Culture promotional items (3-piece set including T-shirts)
      *T-shirt: for adult, unisex, sizes-S, M, L/size cannot be selected.
・The 29th and 30th EU-Japan Fest Official Report Book 
       *shipping: the 29th Report- May 2022, the 30th-May 2023
・Invitations to presentations & networking event by European festival representatives and artists (scheduled to be held in Tokyo after January 2022) [*1]

[100,000Yen (Limited to 5 people)] 
・European Capital of Culture promotional items (3-piece set including T-shirts)
      *T-shirt: for adult, unisex, sizes-S, M, L/size cannot be selected.
・The 29th – 31st EU-Japan Fest Official Report Book 
      *shipping: the 29th Report- May 2022, the 30th-May 2023, the 31st-2024
・Your name will be listed in the Official Report Book
       *Please write your name for exposure in the blank of “notes” when you choose this pledge in the Campfire webpage. 
・Pair invitation to the reception hosted by the Embassy of European counties to Japan 
       *to be held in Tokyo after January 2022 [*2]

[200,000Yen (Limited to 5 people)]
・European Capital of Culture promotional items (3-piece set including T-shirts)
      *T-shirt: for adult, unisex, sizes-S, M, L/size cannot be selected.
・The 29th – 31st EU-Japan Fest Official Report Book
     *shipping: the 29th Report- May 2022, the 30th-May 2023, the 31st-2024
・Your name will be listed in the Official Report Book
       *Please write your name for exposure in the blank of “notes” when you choose this pledge in the Campfire webpage. 
・Invitation to the “Art Program for Supporters” project in the fiscal year of 2022
       *Limited to 2 programs/to be announced after April 2022 [*3]
・Pair invitation to the reception hosted by the Embassy of European counties to Japan
       *to be held in Tokyo after January 2022  [*2]

[500,000Yen (Limited to 5 people)]

・European Capital of Culture promotional items (3-piece set including T-shirts)
      *T-shirt: for adult, unisex, sizes-S, M, L/size cannot be selected.
・The 29th – 31st EU-Japan Fest Official Report Book 
      *shipping: the 29th Report- May 2022, the 30th-May 2023, the 31st-2024
・Your name will be listed in the Official Report Book
       *Please write your name for exposure in the blank of “notes” when you choose this pledge in the Campfire webpage. 
・Invitation to the “Art Program for Supporters” project in the fiscal year of 2022
       *Limited to 3 programs/to be announced after April 2022 [*3]
・Pair invitation to the reception hosted by the Embassy of European counties to Japan 
       *to be held in Tokyo after January 2022  [*2]

[1,000,000Yen (Limited to 5 people)]
・European Capital of Culture promotional items (3-piece set including T-shirts)
      *T-shirt: for adult, unisex, sizes-S, M, L/size cannot be selected.
・The 29th – 31st EU-Japan Fest Official Report Book 
     *shipping: the 29th Report-May 2022, the 30th-May 2023, the 31st-2024
・Your name will be listed in the Official Report Book
     *Please write your name for exposure in the blank of “notes” when you choose this pledge in the Campfire webpage. 
・Invitation to the “Art Program for Supporters” project in the fiscal year of 2022
      *All 2022 programs of your choice/to be announced after April 2022 [*3]
・Pair invitation to the reception hosted by the Embassy of European counties to Japan 
      *to be held in Tokyo after January 2022 [*2]

*1: On the occasion of the ECoCs, local art festivals, and project organizers’ visits to Japan, we hold “Presentation & Networking event” to disseminate their activities to a wide audience. This is a valuable opportunity to learn about the characteristics and initiatives of the ECoC and each city, and to communicate directly with the local representatives!

*2: The reception will be held with the cooperation of the European Ambassador to Japan, who is a member of our committee. We will invite ambassadors of various countries to Japan, artists, people in the field of arts and culture, and top executives of supporting companies to enjoy a party that transcends countries and genres! On the day of the event, the secretariat staff will introduce you to various people and help you have a good time!

*3: In order to make art more accessible to a wider range of people, we continue to implement the “Art Program for Supporters” project, which invites corporate supporters to attend theater, dance, film and other programs by artists with whom they have a relationship through the ECoCs, as well as outstanding art exhibitions in the countries hosting the ECoCs. The program for FY2022 will be announced as soon as it is decided!

—January 2021 – March 2024  “The 29th EU-Japan Fest ” is going on now — 
*Each project is held accordingly.
https://www.eu-japanfest.org/projectsupport/program2021/index.php

——–
<Schedule of crowd-funding campaign> 
September 24, 2021: starting the crowd-funding campaign
December 15, 2021: closing the campaign 
Latter half of December 2021:  starting to send rewards to each supporter 　　
——–

January 13, 2022: Official opening of European Capital of Culture Novi Sad 2021-2022 (Serbia) 
Beginning of 2023: Official opening of European Capital of Culture Timisoara 2021-2023 (Romania), Eleusis 2021-2023 (Greece) 

＜The way of campaign＞
This campaign will be carried out on an “All-In” basis.
Even if we do not reach our goal, we will carry out our plans and deliver the rewards.

To support our crowd-funding campaign, please visit:
https://camp-fire.jp/projects/view/470432

Please note that a crowdfunding page may be translated into English either automatically or manually, by your device own or browser.