About WAN
The WAN program supports Japanese media art
creators to step onto the world stage
About Japan Creator Support Fund
With grants from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Japan Creator Support Fund is established within the Japan Arts Council. Starting in FY2024, a talent development program will be launched to support the endeavors of next-generation creators and encourage their growth.
The Creator Support Program in the field of media art will commence as WAN: Art & Tech Creators Global Network, under commission from Japan Arts Council to CG-ARTS.
About the Nickname and Logo
The project’s nickname “WAN” is derived from the internet term “Wide Area Network,” reflecting the program’s aim to support “World”-facing media “Artists” to build a “Network” that will lead them to future global opportunities.
This VI (visual identity) is designed as a graphic that visually represents the program’s central theme of network building.
The ever-dynamically-moving points and the lines connecting the four dots—the connections give birth to a space, a window, offering a glimpse into various images of artists’ works and project activities.
Our Mission
The program aims to foster promising media art creators, including artists and curators, who demonstrate a passionate desire to expand their endeavors internationally through collaborations with overseas art markets, art festivals, industry partners, and research institutions. Under a five-year project plan, the program will carry out initiatives over the course of three years to accomplish the goal.
Creators selected through screening will reside overseas (in New York during the first fiscal year) and participate in this program, which consists of exhibitions, presentations, and networking, to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for their future international careers. The initiative aims to nurture globally active creators and enhance the field’s international presence.
As suggested by the project’s name, Art & Tech Creators Global Network, the field of media art encompasses a wide variety of creators who work with both art and technology. The program aims to build a global network and foster diverse media art creators who will thrive on the world stage.
What We Do
Networking
Presentation
Exhibition
Research
Who we are
WAN is operated as a media-art-focused Creator Support Program, made possible through the Japan Creator Support Fund.
- Title
- WAN: Art & Tech Creators Global Network
- Organized by
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan
Japan Arts Council
CG-ARTS
What People
Say
Meet our partners and their experiences collaborating with us.
We will be working with one of New York’s most edgy and energetic art communities, called NEW INC. I hope the collaboration will set a stage for Japanese media artists to spontaneously and freely spread their wings in the global art scene.
In today’s world, where diverse values and opinions coexist, it is more important than ever for young artists to gain experience abroad. I sincerely look forward to WAN’s continuous development.
Just as with plants, well-structured, assertive artistic expression and real-life engagement with society are supported by the hidden fabric of abundant roots. I hope that WAN will serve as a milestone, and that together we can create opportunities that will nourish such endeavors.
Once you leave Japan, you are a complete newcomer. No matter how much experience or success you’ve had in the past, you must first build local connections to start even the smallest project. WAN supports such essential networking. This is exactly what we wish we had when we first came to New York 10 years ago!
Bringing artists to New York to build a network in this melting pot of countless communities makes perfect sense. Keep the energy you bring from Japan, leave as many impressions, take home as many promising connections as possible, and spark new chemical reactions!
Contact
Feel free to contact us if you
- Want to be introduced to a creator!
- Want to invite a creator to an exhibition or event!
- Want to recommend an artist residence or studio!
- Want to invite a creator to give a lecture or hold a workshop!
- Are interested in their artwork!
