The Art for Social Inclusion Program

Creating an Inclusive Society through Artistic Activities

The Social Art Lab aims to develop the design skills and evaluation methods for artistic activities fostering “true” social inclusion, in which relations between the minority and the majority are merged and transformed.

Initiatives from the 2018 Academic Year

Physical and financial support is crucial in the aftermath of disasters, but psychological support is also vital. Art can help the affected people recover from their trauma and reconstruct their memories.

Courses on Practice (three projects)
Through these three practices, the Social Art Lab will provide model cases for artistic activities that foster social inclusion.

Art’s value is not restricted to the real-world economy. Art can nullify inequality in daily life between persons with and without disabilities, providing a different environmental setting. Awareness that disability is a social construct changes the relationship between the two groups.

Many regions in Japan are struggling with the problem of depopulation. Whereas no art project can provide a fundamental solution, it may offer new ways of viewing and utilizing the regions.

Overview: Participants take part in "Reconstruction Garden" production, scheduled for completion in 2020, and learn about methods for planning and management of post-disaster art projects while taking part in research on disaster-affected area and planning workshops with local residents.

[Kurogawa, Takagi District, City of Asakura]

Overview: Modalities for communication with people who have handicaps by means of workshops and internships. Comprehensive study extends to on-site care during practice of arts and processes of stage performance.

[City of Fukuoka]

Overview: By cooperation with artists in residence on the theme of "half-agriculture, half-art" and with an international work camp, learn about the connection between art and agriculture in a depopulated town.

[Kasahara, Kurogi Town, City of Yame]

photo: Akiko Tominaga

photo: Akiko Tominaga

photo: Satoshi Nagano

The Inclusive Arts Project: Why is co-creation important for those who have disabilities? The Regional Revitalization Project:

What can art offer in a depopulating region?

The Restoration Support Project: How can art contribute to the disaster recovery?
Conduct public seminar "Art and Social Inclusiveness"
Educational Resource Development

Collaboration with Agency for Cultural Affairs Joint Research Projects with Universities and Research Institutions, Etc.

Current Circumstances and Features: Inviting guest speakers from outside of Fukuoka Prefecture, lectures are held with the participation of an audience that is diverse in occupations and perspectives. Provide an occasion for thinking about the multi-layered aspects of social inclusiveness.

[Fukuoka Prefecture]

Public Seminar
Survey Research
Through this research, the Social Art Lab will offer guidelines for designing and evaluating artistic activities that foster social inclusion.

Overview: Develop educational resources while collecting knowledge and know-how needed for human resource development.

photo: Satoshi Nagano

The Research Project: How can we carry out artistic activities for social inclusion?
These programs are supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs: 2018 Academic Year Program for the Promotion of Culture and Art by Utilizing University "Creation of Human Resource Development Programs and Design of Co-Creative Art Activities Contributing to Social Inclusiveness"
Targets for Development: In light of recent social circumstances and the employment situation around Fukuoka, this is aimed not only at people in culture and arts-related work, but also public administration and NPO employees active in social welfare fields and regional community development, and so on. 1.

Background and Significance: Co-creative artistic activities conducted in awareness of social inclusiveness have become widespread, but understanding and know-how regarding essential aspects are inadequate and human resource development methods are also unclear.

→ Approaching by means of human resource development, actual practice, and research, propose a model for development of human resources for arts management.

2.
Substance: Conduct courses on practice, public seminars, and survey research in a give-and-take manner, and establish human resource development methods for arts management personnel who will drive competitive art activities in society from 2020 on. 3.
Initiatives from the 2018 Academic Year 4.
Courses on Practice (three projects)
The Restoration Support Project
The Inclusive Arts Project
The Regional Revitalization Project
Human Resource Development: Widespread knowledge and dissemination plus networking
Survey Research
Systematization of knowledge acquired through survey research → Educational resource development

1) Systematization of knowledge and know-how relating to design of co-creative art activities contributing to social inclusiveness

2) Produce art management personnel capable of autonomously developing co-creative art activities in a local community regardless of whether or not they are culture and art specialists

Human Resource Development: Provision of practical educational opportunities → Modeling know-how
Objective and Prospects 5.
Public Seminar
Contributing to Realization of a Co-Creative Society

Social Art Lab   Kyushu University Graduate School of design

4-9-1 Shiobaru, Minami-Ku, Fukuoka, Japan  815-8540

Tel: (+81)92-553-4552

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