The Shigaraki Ceramic Culture Park

Application Guideline

Focus Area(s)
Contemporary Ceramics, Sculputure, Craft and Traditional Ceramis
Residency Period / Application Period

  • Residency Period
  • Guest artists (invited artists): from 2 weeks to 2 months
  • Studio artists: from 1 month to 1 year (average 4 months)
  • Application Period
Accepts application until the end of November for FY2013 or on vacancy. Number of Resident Artists
  • Guest artists: 5 individuals per year
  • Studio artists: 20 individuals per year
Conditions / Provisions
  1. The artist must be pursuing a career to become a professional ceramic artists and have basic knowledge and experience in ceramic art, and their age must be 20 years or older at the time of application.
    * The artist must be able to pay tuition and room charge for accommodation. Extra fee for using kilns, etc., is expected to incur.
  2. Guest artists are accepted by invitation by the organizer or by open call.

Provisions
[For guest artists]

  1. Traveling expense: Available (economy class airline ticket / with limits outlined by the program regulations. )
  2. Production fee: Available (¥100,000)
    [For studio artists and guest artists]
  3. Studio: Available
  4. Accommodation: Available
  5. Professional and staff support: Available
  6. Opportunities for presentations/ exhibitions: Available
    (possibility of such occasions will be considered each time)


Application Procedure
Submission of application documents (application form, essay) and visual images or data of artworks
* For studio artists and open call guest artists only
Screening Process
Selection committee
* For studio artists and open call guest artists only

Facilities Information

Program Name
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Artist-In-Residence Program
Administrative Organization
The Foundation of Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park
Administrative Body
Institute of Ceramic Studies, the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, New Industry Promotion Division, Department of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Labor, Shiga Prefecture
Partner(s)
–
Facility Name
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Institute of Ceramic Studies Facility Address
2188-7 Chokushi, Shigaraki, Koka, Shiga Prefecture
Facility Description
Total floor space: 2,852 sq. m. (a single-storied ferroconcrete building with parts that are two-storied)
  • Administrative Building: office (General Affairs Section), director’s office, manager’s office, reception room, building manager’s office, storeroom, library, audiovisual room (capacity: 46 individuals)
  • Kilns: gas kiln, electric kiln, amagama, climbing kiln
  • Training Building: instructor’s room (Creativity Training Section), 2 communal workshops, clay storeroom, drying room, gypsum room, glazing room, storeroom
  • Residential Building: 3 guest rooms, 10 single rooms, Japanese tatami room, dining room, kitchen, salon, and laundry room.

Surrounding Environment
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park is located on a hill with a view of downtown Shigaraki. Surrounded by mountains, the area is scenic with seasonal changes. The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park is one of the premier tourist spots in Shigaraki, where visitors appreciate ceramics and enjoy walking in nature.
Access

  • By train:
    From JR “Kusatsu” Station, take the Kusatsu Line to “Kisegawa” station; transfer to the Shigaraki Kogen Railway; get off at “Shigaraki” station. The Ceramic Cultural Park is a 20-minute walk from the station
  • By bus:
    From JR” Ishiyama” station, take the Teisan Bus bound for “Togei-no-Mori” and get off at the “Togei-no-Mori” bus stop

History
Initiated under the prefectural public policy of New Public Recreation Prefecture Concept, the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park was built and opened to the public in June 1990.　The operation started in July 1991, and the Artist-in-Residence project at the Institute of Ceramic Studies in July 1992.
Equipped with facilities to produce, train, and exhibit ceramic wares, the programs of the Park was inaugurated for two objectives: first, to promote the local industry and creating new culture through exchange of person, objects, and information; second, for Shiga prefecture to become the point of reference for new and innovative ideas.
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park is administered by the Foundation of Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park.
Year of (Program) Commencement
1992
Program Objectives
The program aims to support the next generation by providing young, promising ceramic artists from Japan and abroad with space and facilities suitable for producing their works.
Shigaraki is a town known for its particular style of ceramic wares, with a history of 1250 years. With its provision of fully-equipped facility, the program encourages production and artistic exploration of ceramic art, and aims to contribute to the development of art, culture, and industry, by providing a fully-equipped facility
Program Activities
The creative training program provides those who aspire to be ceramic artists with access to necessary resources and facilities for practice. It also invites prominent ceramic artists, artists with other practices, and art critics for lectures and exchange. Without a set of fixed curriculum, the program encourages visiting artists, art critics, and studio artists to get inspiration from each other.
The program includes

  • Residency of studio artists
  • Residency of renowned ceramic artists and other art professionals
  • Promotion of exchange and cooperation with the local ceramics industry
  • Rentals service of kilns
  • Research and study on ceramic art, and provision of information on ceramic art
  • Matching local manufacturers with product designers overseas, and development of new products
  • Lectures, workshops, and short-term seminars

Outcomes
By the end of 2011 fiscal year, The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park has accepted 869 ceramic artists from 47 countries. Art critics and researchers have visited the Center to give lectures. The facility is regularly occupied by more or less 7 studio artists and guest artists.

Public lecture by guest artists

June 28, 2009: lecture by Pekka Paikkaari
September 13, 2009: lecture and workshop by Shoichi Ikeda
November 29.2009: lecture and workshop by Daniel Pontoreau + Mitsuo Shoji
February 27-28, 2010: Takashi Nakazato (short-term training)
May 21, 2011: Lecture and Workshop by Sadashi INUZUKA
July 17, 2011: lecture by Lu,Yen-yu and KATO, Kiyoji
August 20, 2011: Artist’s talk by Endang Lestari
September 19, 2011: Lecture and Workshop by YAMADA, Akira
November 13, 2011: Lecture and Workshop by Adil Writer
December 3, 2011: Artist’s talk by Adil Writer
February 18, 2012: Lecture and Workshop by YOSHIMURA, Toshiharu
March 18, 2012: Lecture and Workshop by Gwyn Hanssen Pigotto
Past Residents
Adil Writer, Daniel Pontoreau, Gwyn Hanssen Pigotto, Kato Kiyoji, Mitsuo Syoji, Pekka Paikkaari, Sadashi Inuzuka, Syoichi Ikeda, Takashi Nakazato, Yamada Akira, Yoshimura Toshiharu
Inquiry
The Foundation of Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park
The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, 2188-7 Chokushi, Shigaraki-cho, Koka City, Shiga 529-1804 Japan
E-mail: studioartist(at)sccp.or.jp
Website: http://sccp.main.jp/
Contact Person: Minori KURODA
Last modified
September 6, 2012