TAAP トーキョー・アーティスト・アクセラレーター・プログラム

Tokyo Artist Accelerator Program (TAAP) English Page

Tokyo Artist Accelerator Program (TAAP) is a program that supports young artists in the fields of fine arts or visual arts who aspire to be successful in the art market.

TAAP focuses on the presentation of the artwork by the artists themselves, supporting them to both improve their ability to speak about their works and strengthen their concepts.

About “TAAP Live 2024”

Taking the opportunity of the art event to be held in Tokyo, November 2024, TAAP will create a stage for the supported artists to talk about their works by themselves to audience including gallerists, curators, and collectors in Japan and abroad.

About TAAP Supported Artists

Detail information on the supported artists is available from the following link.

There are accelerator programs for young entrepreneurs in industry.

This is a program of development support in which supporters, called accelerators, provide a variety of resources and assistances, and work in close partnership to validate and examine ideas and new business projects.

While contemporary art is drawing a great amount of attention, there has been no accompanying development support program for young artists who aspire to be successful in the art market as part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s support measures. To be successful as an artist, it is important not only to produce meaningful artworks, but also to be able to clearly communicate their own position in art history and the concept of their works.

Tokyo Artist Accelerator Program (TAAP) is a completely new form of support that focuses on presentations by artists, helping them both improve their storytelling skills and strengthen their concepts.

From Tokyo to the world. We will support the talents who will venture into the international art market with all our resources.

Eligible Artists

・The applicant must be an individual who resides in Japan and aspires to be successful in the Tokyo art market.

・The applicant must be able to participate in the exchange meetings, interim report meetings, presentation and mentoring processes which lead up to the opportunity to present at TAAP Live to be held during the next fiscal year.

・The applicant must be able to communicate in Japanese. (JLPT: N1 or equivalent)

・The applicant must have been engaged in activities to exhibit his/her work in the subject field* for the first time within 3 years to less than 10 years in Tokyo. Or the applicant must have exhibited their work in Tokyo at least 5 but no more than 10 times. *Fine arts or visual arts

Features of Tokyo Artist Accelerator Program (TAAP)

TAAP focuses on the verbalization of works by young artists themselves and support their success in the art market and their international breakthrough.

Selected by Presentation

We are calling for young artists in the field of fine arts or visual arts who aspire to be successful in the art market. Artists who pass the application screening will be invited to speak about their works in their own words to the selection committee composed of specialists in the field of contemporary art. The selection committee will then select around 15 artists to be supported.

Production Support Grant

In order to improve the ability to speak about their works and to strengthen their concepts, the supported artists will receive a production support fund (495,000yen) that can be freely used for creation, research, and other purposes.

Mentoring Program Focused on Presentations

There will be continuous communication opportunities with selection committee members and mentors, consisting of specialists in contemporary art from diverse backgrounds, including gallerists, artists, collectors, and curators. The program encourages the development of supported artists by improving their ability to speak about their works and strengthening their concepts through the repeated process of “Presentation ⇨ Advising ⇨ Mentoring ⇨ Presentation” over the 8-months period, focusing on the presentations.

Creating Presentation Stage “TAAP Live”

Taking the opportunity of the art event in Tokyo, TAAP will create a stage for the supported artists to talk about their works by themselves to audience including gallerists, curators, and collectors in Japan and abroad.

Selection Committee


Anna Ueda

Curator, Artizon Museum, Ishibashi Foundation

Ryudai Takano

Photographer/
Professor, Tokyo Zokei University

Miwa Taguchi

Co-Founder, Taguchi Art Collection/
Member of International Advisory Board, Bienal de São Paulo

Masako Hosoi

Gallery Director, TARO NASU

Eiichi Yamaguchi

Representative Director Art Powers Japan Association/
Chairperson, Japan Association of Corporate Executives, Sports-and-Art-Driven Community Revitalization Committee


Mentors


Taro Amano

Chief Curator, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery

Daisuke Awata

Art Critic

Kyoko Ebata

Artist

Mahiko Kobayashi

Director, biscuit gallery

Yukiko Fujimoto

Representative Director, Bookend Publishing Co., Ltd./
Director, Nonprofit Organization Art & Society Research Center