Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1994 > PART II Chapter 9 Section 2 1

Key sources of income for the performing arts include box office receipts. With the exception of a small number of public performances, however, these sources are rarely adequate to cover costs. There is thus a strong need for public-sector subsidies in addition to private-sector funds.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs provides assistance under a variety of systems, including Grants for Arts Organizations, which are available for regular performances and other core activities of Japan's leading private artistic organizations. The Agency also provides subsidies for the Japan-U.S. Performing Arts Program, the Assistance Program for Distinguished Performance, and the Incentive Fund for Excellent Arts Activities. In fiscal 1994 the Incentive Fund for Excellent Arts Activities was expanded into the Program for the Advancement and Dissemination of the Performing Arts. In addition to providing support for highly creative artistic performances and participation in overseas arts festivals, the new system provides assistance for overseas performances by local artistic groups and for emerging artists who wish to participate in performances of overseas performing groups.

The annual National Arts Festival provides the general public with an opportunity to appreciate artistic excellence in drama, music, dance, and other performing arts. The festival also contributes to artistic creation and development by providing artists and artistic groups with opportunities to present their performances with enthusiasm. The festival, held every autumn, enjoys wide public support. The Minister of Education, Science and Culture awards Arts Festival Prizes to the participating artists who are judged to have presented the best performances. In fiscal 1993 a total of 25 artists and artistic groups were so honored.

In addition to venues in Tokyo and Osaka, the National Arts Festival is held each year in a selected prefecture or designated city. Tottori Prefecture was chosen as the fiscal 1994 venue. The fiscal 1995 National Arts Festival will be the fiftieth. The National Arts Festival Discussion Group studied approaches to this event and submitted recommendations in June 1994. The recommendations include

The Agency for Cultural Affairs plans to review the operation of the festival on the basis of these recommendations.

Motion pictures occupy a central position in the world of visual art. They also have considerable potential as an effective medium for helping people around the world understand Japan's culture and lifestyle. There has been continuing concern about the condition of film art in recent times, however, due to various factors affecting the motion picture industry, especially in Japan. Problems include shrinking audiences, a downward trend in the number of films produced, and a decline in the number of movie theaters.

In February 1994 the Agency for Cultural Affairs responded to this situation by establishing the Consultative Committee for Research and Surveys Regarding the Promotion of Film Art, which subsequently recommended measures to stimulate activity in this area. The base facility for film art in Japan is the National Film Center of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, which is Japan's only national research institute in the field of motion pictures. The center is implementing a variety of programs, including the collection of motion pictures from other Asian countries, the operation of a national film appreciation network, the hosting of international motion picture symposiums and other events, and the maintenance of motion pictures. Construction of the Film Center Building (the Kyobashi Annex) was scheduled for completion in October 1994.