The Tobichi Art Museum 2026_”Baton” Exhibition in a Vacant House_Open Call Program
Features
Studio spaceAvailable
AccommodationAvailable
Presentation spaces (gallery, hall)Available
Travel supportAvailable
Accommodation subsidy / Accommodation providedAvailable
Production budgetAvailable
Program CoodinatorAvailable
Technical staffNot available
Art genresVisual arts/ Fine arts , Performing arts , Craft / Applied arts , Film / Video , Others
RegionsKanto , Hokuriku / Shinetsu , Tokai
| Program | |
|---|---|
| Application period | Sep. 5, 2026 (Sat.) - Sep. 25, 2026 (Fri.) |
| Description | The Tobichi Art Museum 2026 "Baton" Exhibition in a Vacant House We leave a baton in a vacant house. Not to hand it to someone, but to leave it there—quietly. Someone may find it. Someone may pick it up. Someone may reshape it into something else. Or it may remain there, unclaimed, for a while. That is all right. We leave batons in vacant houses. For whoever comes next. For whoever chooses to begin. For a future not yet seen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Program Details This art and culture program features works created during artist residencies and exhibited in vacant houses and storefronts within the shopping district. The program utilizes reclaimed timber and scrap materials sourced from these vacant properties—resources we call "Akiya no Sachi" (Treasures from Vacant Houses)—and provides them to artists free of charge. The selection of exhibition venues begins by showing artists the available vacant houses, storefronts, and "Takarajima" (Treasure Island)—the warehouse where the reclaimed materials are stored—so they can choose the space that best suits their needs. There are no specific requirements from the organizers regarding the type of artwork artists should create. While interaction with the local community is not mandatory, we will provide as much support as possible should an artist wish to engage in such exchanges. Artists are free to develop works that evolve from the location, the materials ("Akiya no Sachi"), the town, and the people they meet—or to challenge themselves with entirely new approaches, methods, and concepts. We hope that the encounter with Tobichi Art Museum becomes an invaluable experience for everyone involved: the artists, visitors, local residents, and the organizing team. Dates October 31 (Sat) – December 27 (Sun), 2026 Location Tatsuno Town, Kamiina District, Nagano Prefecture Exhibition Venue Vacant houses and shops within the Tobichi Shopping District https://goo.gl/maps/gsRdEe32YGpVMLeW8 Accommodation KOUTEN https://goo.gl/maps/X7mdB9b8VcRz3YYx5 Recruitment Categories ・Open Call Artist (A.I.R. Competition): 2 positions ・Part-time Artist (A.I.R. Part-time job): 2 positions ・Free Artist (A.I.R. Free): 1 position ・Secretariat Intern (A.I.R. Intern): 2 positions Please apply via the form below https://forms.gle/vA1XLUKBgEgUoN9H6 Supported by Tatsuno Town; Tatsuno Town Society of Commerce and Industry; Tatsuno Town Tourism Association; Tatsuno Town Board of Education; Tatsuno Art Museum; Shinano Mainichi Newspaper; Nagano Nippo Newspaper; Chunichi Newspaper; Shimin Times Newspaper; Shimin Newspaper Group; SBC Shin-etsu Broadcasting TV; NBS Nagano Broadcasting Systems TV; Nagano Asahi Broadcasting TV; LCV Corporation TV; TSB Television Shinshu TV; NHK Nagano Station TV; Shinshu Arts Council; EU-Japan Fest Japan Committee Website https://tobichi.jp/information/%E3%83%88%E3%83%93%E3%83%81%E7%BE%8E%E8%A1%93%E9%A4%A82026-%E5%85%AC%E5%8B%9F%E3%82%A2%E3%83%BC%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E5%8B%9F%E9%9B%86%E9%96%8B%E5%A7%8B%EF%BC%81/ https://www.instagram.com/tobichi_art/ |
| Residency location | Tobichi Shoutensya KOUTEN |
| Residency period | General Information for Artists ・Open Call Artists (A.I.R. Competition) ・Part-time Job Artists (A.I.R. Part-time job) ・Independent Artists (A.I.R. Free) Residency period: Between October 5, 2026, and December 31, 2025 (duration: 2 weeks to 2 months). Note: Residency during the "core period" (November 21–29) is mandatory. ・Secretariat Interns (A.I.R. Intern) Up to two individuals per term. Residency duration: 1 to 4 months. |
| Qualification | ・Those who resonate with the concept of the Tobichi Art Museum Please apply via the form below: https://forms.gle/vA1XLUKBgEgUoN9H6 |
| Pay by artists / Support for artists | ・Open Call Artist (A.I.R. Competition) Honorarium: ・Grand Prize 200,000 JPY ・Special Prize 50,000 JPY Travel expenses: Up to 50,000 JPY (reimbursed at cost) Accommodation: Provided free of charge (private room at Tobichi Shotensha KOUTEN) Workspace & tools: Provided free of charge (existing tools available for use) Exhibition venue: Provided free of charge (vacant house or shop) "Vacant House Treasures" (reclaimed timber and vintage items found in vacant properties), accommodation, local transportation (car or bicycle), and access to part-time work opportunities are provided. ・Part-time Job Artist (A.I.R. Part-time job) Honorarium: None Travel expenses: None Accommodation: Provided free of charge (private room at Tobichi Shotensha KOUTEN) Workspace & tools: Provided free of charge (existing tools available for use) Exhibition venue: Provided free of charge (vacant house or shop) "Vacant House Treasures" (reclaimed timber and vintage items found in vacant properties), accommodation, local transportation (car or bicycle), and a part-time job placement are provided. ・Independent Artist (A.I.R. Free) Honorarium: None Travel expenses: Not covered Accommodation costs: Paid by artist (Private room: ¥60,000/month; Dormitory: ¥30,000/month) at Tobichi Shotensha KOUTEN Workspace & tools: Provided free of charge (existing tools available for use) Exhibition venue: Provided free of charge (vacant house or storefront) Includes access to "Akiya no Sachi" (reclaimed timber and vintage items from vacant houses), accommodation, local transportation (car or bicycle), and part-time work opportunities. ・Secretariat Intern (A.I.R. Intern) Honorarium: None Travel expenses: Not covered Accommodation costs: Provided free of charge (Dormitory at Tobichi Shotensha KOUTEN) Includes accommodation, meals, and local transportation (car or bicycle). |
| Selection process | Selection will be made by a panel of judges. The judging sessions are scheduled for September 26 (Sat) and 27 (Sun), 2026. Please apply via the form below: https://forms.gle/vA1XLUKBgEgUoN9H6 *Please limit your portfolio to a maximum of three A4-sized pages. (Submitting four or more pages will result in a point deduction.) Open Call Artist Judges Mishio Mochida Jacques (Grand Prize Artist, Tobichi Art Museum 2025) Adolfo Serra (Special Jury Prize Artist, Tobichi Art Museum 2025) Nobuo Hashimoto (Former General Manager of Design Center / Current Fellow, Nikon) Hisashi Miura (Folk Singer / Translator) Shu Kawashima (Curator, Tatsuno Art Museum) |
| Contact | 1705-1 Tatsuno, Tatsuno-machi, Kamiina-gun, Nagano 399-0421 Maruto Editorial Inc. (General Incorporated Association) revision@maruto.or.jp Tel: 0266-88-9198 Mobile: 090-7193-3589 (Representative: Akabane) |