The Relationship Between Spectators & Participants

Two types of supporterTwo types of supporter

The “Hmm... Project,” a support activity for サイアフ2024, was launched as part of the “Hmm... Series” サイアフ Art Mediation Research initiated amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a new framework for building a new relationship between サイアフ and residents based on the achievements and challenges of the past editions of the festival.
There are two classifications for supporters “Hmm...Supporters,” who welcome visitors and guide them around the venue and the specially-trained “Hmm...Guides,” who build bridges between visitors and the artwork through guided tour programs at venues. As for the latter, in particular, instead of simply copying other established art appreciation methods, guides encourage guests to casually familiarize themselves with the artwork first. They then encourage them to share their own discoveries of what, where, and how things are arranged in the exhibition space.The “Hmm... Project,” a support activity for SIAF2024, was launched as part of the “Hmm... Series” (SIAF Art Mediation Research) initiated amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a new framework for building a new relationship between SIAF and residents based on the achievements and challenges of the past editions of the festival.
There are two classifications for supporters: “Hmm...Supporters,” who welcome visitors and guide them around the venue; and the specially-trained “Hmm...Guides,” who build bridges between visitors and the artwork through guided tour programs at venues. As for the latter, in particular, instead of simply copying other established art appreciation methods, guides encourage guests to casually familiarize themselves with the artwork first. They then encourage them to share their own discoveries of what, where, and how things are arranged in the exhibition space.

Three characteristics aiding support activitiesThree characteristics aiding support activities

There were three core pillars that contributed to サイアフ2024’s support activities.
Firstly, the festival achieved collaboration with a non-profit organization with a proven track record of operating civic activities. They contributed to establishing a registration process for support activities, determining the content and frequency of briefings and training sessions and developing a flexible system to meet the needs of interested parties. By virtue of their efforts, サイアフ was able to connect with various organizations that previously had little connection with the festival, leading to a large number of supporters taking interest.
Secondly, support activities were introduced as part of the サイアフ School in order to expand the learning process for participants. The サイアフ School lecture series and the refinement of training content conducted by the “サイアフ-bu,” a group of サイアフ co-creators active since 2018, contributed to enhancing the quality of support activities. The number of certified guides ultimately reached 42, demonstrating a level of interest that exceeded expectations.
Thirdly, exclusively at the Future Theater the base of activities for サイアフ2024 supporters were encouraged to explore artwork descriptions, venue themes, and associated stories in a deeply committed way. Many registered guides voluntarily visited the venue several times from the very first day of the festival to familiarize themselves with the atmosphere of the venue and prepare for the program. Driven by the needs of visitors, the program was so successful that the number of times it was scheduled was increased.
In these ways, サイアフ2024’s support activities surely embodied the medium- to long-term significance of サイアフ.


“サイアフ-bu” is a program that started in 2018 with the aim of discovering supporters of art and culture and nurturing their skills. In サイアフ2024, members of the program worked together with the Secretariat to carry out the “Hmm...Supporters” program.There were three core pillars that contributed to SIAF2024’s support activities.
Firstly, the festival achieved collaboration with a non-profit organization with a proven track record of operating civic activities. They contributed to establishing a registration process for support activities, determining the content and frequency of briefings and training sessions and developing a flexible system to meet the needs of interested parties. By virtue of their efforts, SIAF was able to connect with various organizations that previously had little connection with the festival, leading to a large number of supporters taking interest.
Secondly, support activities were introduced as part of the SIAF School in order to expand the learning process for participants. The SIAF School lecture series and the refinement of training content conducted by the “SIAF-bu,” a group of SIAF co-creators active since 2018, contributed to enhancing the quality of support activities. The number of certified guides ultimately reached 42, demonstrating a level of interest that exceeded expectations.
Thirdly, exclusively at the Future Theater — the base of activities for SIAF2024 — supporters were encouraged to explore artwork descriptions, venue themes, and associated stories in a deeply committed way. Many registered guides voluntarily visited the venue several times from the very first day of the festival to familiarize themselves with the atmosphere of the venue and prepare for the program. Driven by the needs of visitors, the program was so successful that the number of times it was scheduled was increased.
In these ways, SIAF2024’s support activities surely embodied the medium- to long-term significance of SIAF.


* “SIAF-bu” is a program that started in 2018 with the aim of discovering supporters of art and culture and nurturing their skills. In SIAF2024, members of the program worked together with the Secretariat to carry out the “Hmm...Supporters” program.