About the International Art Festival in Tokyo

On February 21, the Odaiba Triennale Organizing Committee  (Secretariat: Fuji Television Network, Inc. ) notified us they will not continue preparations for the Tokyo Odaiba Triennale 2025  art festival.
 
Consequently, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) will respond as follows:

As outlined in our basic plan and Tokyo Cultural Strategy, the TMG has set an agenda to create opportunities for everyone to appreciate art and promote Tokyo’s art and culture to the global audience. In line with this aim, we planned to host an international art festival.

Odaiba area is the historical site, where Japan under shogunate rule, encountered new culture in the late Edo period. It was also the venue for SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024, which showcased urban models of the future to the world. As the joint organizers, the TMG and the Odaiba Triennale Organizing Committee had been working together to hold "Tokyo Odaiba Triennale 2025" at this befitting location. 

Recently, the Odaiba Triennale Organizing Committee notified us that, under current circumstances, as the organizer, it cannot gain the understanding of the stakeholders nor secure sponsors, making it difficult to continue preparations for the Tokyo Odaiba Triennale 2025.

Under the current framework, it is difficult to hold the event as scheduled.

The TMG has been long committed to the promotion of art and culture, deemed as an indispensable social infrastructure, and have supported artists even during the COVID-19 pandemic. By offering subsidies and studios, we have further encouraged young creators in Tokyo. Hosting international art festivals is essential for Tokyo, as it provides a global stage for them to showcase their work, while also letting Tokyoites and many others appreciate art.

Instead of holding the event within the current framework, we will review the organization committee’s constituent. The accumulated efforts thus far will be put to good use, in our aim to hold an international art festival appropriate for Tokyo in a new form that can gain widespread understanding.

We will plan the new event upon establishing a stable and smooth organizing structure, so that artists and other participants can take part without concern, and everyone can enjoy art to their heart's content.

We appreciate the help of artists and other art supporters to make the event even better.

Junya Yamamine, one of the artistic directors of the Tokyo Odaiba Triennale 2025, passed away this January. We offer our deepest condolences. Yamamine began his career as a curator at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum . He has directed many art events for the TMG, including "Playground Becomes Dark Slowly" in Hibiya Park, showcasing the new potential of Tokyo through the power of art.  We thank Yamamine for his past contributions and will continue towards a new art festival where every artist, staff member, and Tokyoite are treated with respect.