Center AiR 2026
Features
StudiosAvailable
AccommodationsAvailable
Presentation(exhibition, performance, and open studio)Available
Grants and subsidies for travel expensesNot available
Grants and other financial supports/ Support by coordinators and art professionalsAvailable
Art genresVisual arts/ Fine arts , Performing arts , Craft / Applied arts , Film / Video , Others
RegionsKanto
| Program | |
|---|---|
| Application period | May. 1, 2026 (Fri.) - Mar. 31, 2027 (Wed.) |
| Description | Center is an artist-run space with hostel in Kanuma, Tochigi, Japan. It aims to be a place for artistic expression outside of established genres, centred on experimental film and music, and a unique place in the world where a new culture can be fostered. By working and creating within environment of Center, this residency program aims to deepen artists’ modes of expression and ways of thinking, thereby opening up new possibilities for artistic creation. In addition, we hope that participating artists will discover new regional attractions from an external perspective. The program also seeks to foster sustainable and alternative networks, enabling people and communities from around the world to meet and connect organically. |
| Residency location | Center (Kanuma city, Tochigi, Japan) |
| Residency period | from Mid-May 2026 to March 2027 Minimum 20 nights or more *Depending on timing, we may ask you to move to another room. |
| Qualification | ・Artists and researchers in art, music, moving image, design and crafts, etc. ・People who can communicate in English or Japanese. ・It is possible to stay with more than one person, e.g. with a partner or in a collective. ・Families with children are welcome. ・Please contact us for more than 10 people. |
| Pay by artists / Support for artists | We do not offer any financial support such as transport, production or meals. If you need an invitation letter for a grant application, we can prepare it for you. Please pay the following for accommodation. *The price is lower than our general room charge. Example of Price per night for 1person Room B=5,000JPY with shared shower and toilet Room A=8,000JPY with private bath and toilet Utilities and Tax included Bath towels and shampoos are free Washing and drying machines are free Child 6 years or less per adult will be free of charge for co-sleeping We provide detailed support for production and research, event organization, promotions, and more. |
| Selection process | Please apply via the application form after checking the link below at least three months prior to your stay. https://center-kanuma.net/center-air/ We will notify you the results within one week. If you have any questions or other requests regarding the conditions, please feel free to contact us. |
| Contact | Inqury info@center-kanuma.net for more detail info https://center-kanuma.net/center-air/ |
| Advantages | ・Support for projects from the artist’s point of view and providing information (available in Japanese and English). ・A town with a long history as a post town and woodworking, with lots of materials for creation and research. ・About 70% of the area of Kanuma is forest and nature, and there are hot springs to refresh your stay. ・Accommodation floors are new, clean, and quiet, you can concentrate on your work. ・Conveniently located 1.5 hour by direct express train from Tokyo (Asakusa) and about 30 min by train to the World Heritage Site of Nikko. |
| Notes | ・There is a review process for residency. ・New works are not mandatory. ・During the stay, please hold an event once such as an exhibition/ screening/ performance/ workshop/ talk. ・The accommodation is open as a hostel and may be shared with other guests. ・Center is a family-run business, so depending on the date and time, there may be small children. ・The studio is a former garage, so it is cold in winter and hot in summer. ・Please be aware that staff will take photos for documentation. These photos will be shared. ・No smoking throughout the building. |
| Tips for research | ・A post town where the officers travelled from the Imperial Court to Nikko Toshogu Shrine, where Shougun Ieyasu was enshrined. ・The origins of the old town centred on Imamiya Shrine and the Autumn Festival (artistry of sculpture stalls and musical performances). ・Many streams and rivers flow into the city from the mountains in the north-west. ・Summer is one of the most thunderous in the country due to the Nikko Mountains. ・The Mae Nikko area in the north-west (1,300 m altitude) has wetlands and pastures where about 400 plant species grow wild. ・Stones unique to the region can be found. ・Kanuma has a thriving forestry and woodworking. Kumiko, with its geometric patterns, is particularly well-known. ・Awano area is the No. 1 production area of hemp in Japan, which is used for Shinto rituals and other processed products. ・Native buckwheat and konjac potatoes are produced here. Strawberries and chives are widely produced. ・Covered waterways run through the city. ・Many atmospheric old houses and buildings remain. |