SIAF “Participants”

Does this word make sense to youDoes this word make sense to you?

The proofreading standards of the Secretariat have been getting stricter year by year. Even the most trivial of sentences gets an unexpected red scribble, and frequently used phrases are corrected without mercy.

This is not because some ruthless team of grammar police have suddenly appeared. This is the result of simply asking ourselves about the type of participants of サイアフ over the repeated editions.

For example, the phrase, “The Sapporo International Art Festival is a triennial art festival held in Sapporo” was used as a brief description of サイアフ for years. Alas, when commencing preparations for サイアフ2024, we were met with penetrating comments from a senior staff member regarding this familiar phrase, such as, “I wonder if people will actually get what an ‘art festival’ is. The [Japanese] term is a little abstract and I don’t think it will be understood by the first-timers we’re trying to attract.”The proofreading standards of the Secretariat have been getting stricter year by year. Even the most trivial of sentences gets an unexpected red scribble, and frequently used phrases are corrected without mercy.

This is not because some ruthless team of grammar police have suddenly appeared. This is the result of simply asking ourselves about the type of participants of SIAF over the repeated editions.

For example, the phrase, “The Sapporo International Art Festival is a triennial art festival held in Sapporo” was used as a brief description of SIAF for years. Alas, when commencing preparations for SIAF2024, we were met with penetrating comments from a senior staff member regarding this familiar phrase, such as, “I wonder if people will actually get what an ‘art festival’ is. The [Japanese] term is a little abstract and I don’t think it will be understood by the first-timers we’re trying to attract.”

The many types of participantThe many types of participant

When the Secretariat envisions visitor profiles, we often distinguish between those who know about international art festivals and those who do not, classifying them separately as “specialists/ art fans” and “residents of Sapporo.” The former refers to those who are involved in culture and arts and enjoy art festivals and exhibitions in Japan and abroad on a regular basis. On the other hand, “residents of Sapporo” comprise people from diverse backgrounds.

There are local “specialists/art fans,” of course, but based on the annual Cultural Awareness Survey conducted by the City of Sapporo and my personal observations as a resident of Sapporo, the majority of people in the city that is, サイアフ’s target audience don’t know what an art festival is or have never participated in one.

Although the festival is expected to provide content that will fulfill the needs of the many professionals and art fans visiting サイアフ from within and outside of the city, the history of サイアフ forged by successive directors and the programs that the Secretariat painstakingly created during the transitional period clearly indicate that residents of Sapporo are the primary visitors.When the Secretariat envisions visitor profiles, we often distinguish between those who know about international art festivals and those who do not, classifying them separately as “specialists/ art fans” and “residents of Sapporo.” The former refers to those who are involved in culture and arts and enjoy art festivals and exhibitions in Japan and abroad on a regular basis. On the other hand, “residents of Sapporo” comprise people from diverse backgrounds.

There are local “specialists/art fans,” of course, but based on the annual Cultural Awareness Survey conducted by the City of Sapporo and my personal observations as a resident of Sapporo, the majority of people in the city (that is, SIAF’s target audience) don’t know what an art festival is or have never participated in one.

Although the festival is expected to provide content that will fulfill the needs of the many professionals and art fans visiting SIAF from within and outside of the city, the history of SIAF forged by successive directors and the programs that the Secretariat painstakingly created during the transitional period clearly indicate that residents of Sapporo are the primary visitors.

Questioning ourselvesQuestioning ourselves

What kind of information should be conveyed to first-time visitors to the festival, and how could the words be put Is this program accessible to those who are not familiar with contemporary art These types of questions are very important.

The idea that the spotlight should be on the participants, not on the artists or the organizers, represents the concept of art mediation adopted at サイアフ2020, though it was unfortunately canceled.

The current Secretariat is the culmination of repeated self-questioning, reflecting the image of “participants of サイアフ” in each piece of information and each program.What kind of information should be conveyed to first-time visitors to the festival, and how could the words be put? Is this program accessible to those who are not familiar with contemporary art? These types of questions are very important.

The idea that the spotlight should be on the participants, not on the artists or the organizers, represents the concept of art mediation adopted at SIAF2020, though it was unfortunately canceled.

The current Secretariat is the culmination of repeated self-questioning, reflecting the image of “participants of SIAF” in each piece of information and each program.