TORIGOYA Project is an artist-in-residence programme run by the Hirono Town in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Its aim is to promote Hirono’s recovery from the disaster through the power of contemporary art. A particular focus of the TORIGOYA Project is to increase the number of people visiting and living in Hirono Town.
The artist-in-residence programme will be based on the theme of the ‘TORIGOYA (rooster hut)’, a traditional local new year event, to add new value to the ‘TORIGOYA’ through contemporary art, thereby communicating Hirono Town’s attractions to the world.
Invited artists will stay in Hirono Town for a total of 30 days between 11 December 2023 – 15 January 2024 to research the history, climate, culture or some other factor of Hirono Town and create their own site-specific artworks in collaboration with town residents, especially youth and children as socially engaged art. Artists should also create an artwork about the process of building his/her/their site-specific artwork in some form of media till the end of February. There are no restrictions on the media. It can be a photograph or video, painting, 3D works, media art, literary work such as poem, novel or play, or musical work.
Site-specific works created during the residency will be burned (or dismantled if they cannot be burned) in the same manner as traditional TORIGOYA during the ‘Dondoyaki’ on 8 January.
100,000 yen (~635 EUR) will be provided as a provisional payment upon arrival in Hirono for various activities during the stay. The committee will cover the actual cost of materials, tools and for production up to 100,000 yen (~635 EUR). The cost of transportation from the artist’s current address to Hirono Town will be paid up to 100,000 yen (~635 EUR). Two round trips within this amount are acceptable. Accommodation is provided.
