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About The National Art Center, Tokyo

Mission

The National Art Center, Tokyo (NACT) was the fifth institution to be established as part of the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art. Our mission is to make a contribution to culture through art in order to achieve mutual understanding and coexistence. While we do not have a permanent collection, since opening in 2007, we have constantly worked to become an art center that enables people from various regions and countries to experience a wide range of artistic expressions, acquire knowledge, and encounter diverse values. Moreover, in addition to hosting a broad spectrum of exhibitions in the facility’s 14,000-meter-square space (one of the largest of display areas in Japan), the Center works to collect, present, and provide access to art-related information and resources, initiate educational programs, and facilitate cross-cultural exchanges.

Our Core Activities

1. Exhibitions
―The NACT showcases and offers new perspectives on a wealth of artistic expression.

  • We provide artist associations from around the country with a place in which to present and promote their activities.
  • With a focus on contemporary art, we showcase new expression in various genres such as design, fashion, architecture, manga, and anime, while endeavoring to generate interest in art of the present day.
  • We exhibit art from a variety of countries, regions, and eras based on issues and insights which are in keeping with the times.

2. Collecting and Disseminating Information and Resources
―We connect people with art by collecting and sharing information and resources.

  • For our Art Library, we collect and catalog materials with a focus on exhibition catalogs from the second half of the 20th century onward.
  • Via our website, we collect and store information relating to exhibitions in Japan.
  • We collect, arrange, and provide access to various resources that assist with research into modern and contemporary art in Japan.

3. Educational Activities
―We provide opportunities for participation, interaction, and creativity.

  • We regularly hold lectures, symposiums, and gallery talks.
  • We provide places in which members of the public can enjoy and discuss art through artist workshops and talks.
  • We organize programs that provide a more in-depth experience of art appreciation, and tours for learning about the NACT building’s architectural design.
  • By organizing internships and volunteer programs, we strive to develop future human resources through art and culture.

4 International Partnerships
—The NACT is open to and communicating with the world.

  • We are developing a variety of programs through our partnerships with museums, universities, artists, and corporations worldwide.
  • We are building a global network by cooperating with international organizations and embassies in various countries.
  • We are disseminating the activities of the NACT around the world.

History

The National Art Center, Tokyo mainly traces its origins to 1978, when the Japanese artistic community issued a call for the construction of a new art center that could fill the need for a venue in Tokyo to hold exhibitions by artist associations. Since its founding in 2007, the NACT has been operated and administered by the National Museum of Art, an Independent Administrative Institution that was established in 2001 and also oversees the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the National Crafts Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, the National Film Archive of Japan, the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, and the National Museum of Art, Osaka.

1999
The Agency for Cultural Affairs forms the "Committee for the Preparation of the National Art Exhibition Center (working name)."
2000
The Ministry of Education and Science commissions Kurokawa Kisho and Nihon Sekkei, Inc. to design the new art center.
2003
An office for overseeing construction preparations is established. Following a public call for name suggestions, the art center is officially dubbed the National Art Center, Tokyo.
2006
Construction is completed. The NACT is formally established as an organization under the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art.
2007
The NACT opens its doors to the public on January 21.

Director General (past & present)

HAYASHIDA Hideki
July 2006- December 2011
AOKI Tamotsu
January 2012 - March 2019
OSAKA Eriko
October 2019 - present

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