About Sapporo International Art Festival
Sapporo International Art Festival (SIAF) is a triennial art event to encounter defining artworks in the world. It was launched in 2014 and the second edition was held in 2017. The third edition SIAF2020 was cancelled, however upon cancellation, we launched the special program “SIAF2020 Plans and Ideas” that ran during the original festival dates to share through the various media the detailed plans developed for SIAF2020.
In 2024, SIAF2024 was held as the very first winter edition with diverse exhibitions and projects presented at mainly six main venues.
History of SIAF
| 2006 |
Sapporo declared itself “Sapporo Ideas City,”* encouraging the cultivation of creativity in the city through art and culture.
* This declaration states the goal of Creative City Sapporo: a city where the wisdom of citizens, along with domestic and international exchanges, cultivates new industry and culture and constantly generates new information and things. |
|---|---|
| 2010 | The Sapporo Pre-Biennale Executive Committee was established by private citizens, aiming to hold an international exhibition in 2014. |
| 2011 | The Sapporo Pre-Biennale Contemporary Art Exhibition 2011 was held at Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art and the Sapporo Art Park. |
| 2012 | The Basic Concept of Sapporo International Art Festival was established, aiming for a triennial art festival in Sapporo. |
| 2013 |
The City of Sapporo was designated as the world’s second and Asia’s first City of Media Arts of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network*.
*The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to support international cooperation and exchange among cities that look for revitalization through cultivation and reinforcement of the creative and cultural industries. Fourteen cities have been designated as the City of Media Arts and Sapporo is the only one in Japan (as of October, 2017) . |
| 2014 | Sapporo International Art Festival 2014 (July 19 - September 28) |
| 2015 | SIAFLounge ・ Project Room were opened at Shiryokan (Former Sapporo Court of Appeal) SIAF Lab was established. |
| 2017 | Sapporo International Art Festival 2017 (August 6 - October 1) |
| 2018 | SIAF-bu was established. |
| 2020 | The cancellation of Sapporo International Art Festival 2020 was announced on July 22. SIAF Lounge Online Sapporo International Art Festival 2020 Plans and Ideas took place during December 19–February 14. |
| 2021 | SIAF Art Mediation Research |
| 2022 | SIAF Director's Lounge(Podcast） |
| 2023 | SIAF School |
| 2024 | Sapporo International Art Festival 2024 (January 20–February 25) |