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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1993 > CHAPTER 2 �1 2 (1)

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Chapter 2. Towards the Enrichment and Spread of Culture
�1 New Creative Heights for Art and Culture
2. Support for Creative Artistic Activities
(1) Support for artistic activities in the private sector


The promotion of fine art lies basically in the free, creative artistic activities and expressions of artists and art organizations. While respecting the artists' individuality, it is also necessary that the national and local governments play an important role by providing sites for their artistic activities, by recognizing their achievements, by offering training opportunities for young artists and by promoting other favorable conditions. The main sources of income for the performing arts are admission fees and other sources of business income; however, except for some special cases it is often difficult to secure the necessary operating expenses from there venues raised solely by public performances. In order to promote the cause of improving Japanese art by reinforcing its financial foundations, there is a great need for the provision of public support and the introduction of private contributions.

As was mentioned before, the Japan Arts Fund which was founded with governmental funds and private contributions started, in fiscal 1990. Financial support for various artistic and cultural activities.


1) Grants for Arts Organizations

"Grants for Arts Organizations" aims to support periodic and/ or regular public performances of orchestras. Operas, ballet groups and so on, that are sponsored by private art organizations which play central roles in maintaining and raising the level of Japanese art and culture. It also works to catalogue materials relating to art activities.

In fiscal 1992, subsidies were granted to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra Inc., the Niki-kai Opera Foundation, the Association of Japanese Theatre Companies, the Contemporary Dance Association of Japan and 53other organizations.


2) Incentive Fund for Excellent Arts Activities

Since 1988, the Agency for Cultural Affairs has been, along with the active cooperation of the private sector, subsidizing performing arts activities that make great impacts on the performing arts in Japan and contribute to their notable elevation. These subsidies include those for participation in public performances at overseas festivals and large scale domestic public performances. The number of cases of subsidized participation of public performances in overseas festivals in fiscal 1992 was increased, and included for example, the sending of the Osaka Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra to the Japan Festival in Berlin (Germany). Domestically, subsidized public performances included "War Requiem" (orchestra), "The Power of Destiny"(opera), "Love in a Warring Country" (ballet) and "I Give You My Bird"(drama). The further enrichment of this type of subsidy is planned for the future.


3) Encouragement of excellent performing arts

The following programs have been implemented to promote a wide range of creative activities in the area of performing arts: the "Assistance Program for Distinguished Performance", which encourages repeat performances of richly creative, excellent works in the fields of music, dance and drama and the "Japan-U.S. Performing Arts Program", which sends Japanese modern performing artists to the United States for the purpose of raising their professional standards and contributing to increased mutual understanding.

In 1992, the opera "Kijimuna Toki wo Kakeru", the drama "Paradise Always in the Bag" and nine other performances took place with the help of the Assistance Program for Distinguished Performance. The drama "Dionysus", "DAH-DAH-SKO-DAM-DAH" (modern dance) and two other performances were presented under the Japan-U.5. Performing Arts Program.


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