Talk & Networking Event “Dialogue on the Intersection of Art and Work – Are Diverse Working Styles Possible for Art Workers?” to be held at Umekoji ACWA on Wednesday, September 17th
Tsukurie Co., Ltd. Press Release: September 4, 2025 Talk & Networking Event “Dialogue on the Intersection of Art and Work – Are Diverse Working Styles Possible for Art Workers?” will be held at Umekoji ACWA on Wednesday, September 17th. Art x Business Co-creation Hub “Utsuwa” Tsukurie Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) As part of the Kyoto City Art x Business Promotion Project, which has been commissioned by Kyoto City Arts and Culture Foundation, Tsukurie (CEO: Hideki Suzuki, hereinafter referred to as “Tsukurie”), a public interest incorporated foundation, has established the “Art x Business Co-creation Hub ‘Utsuwa'” within the Kyoto Art Center, and is developing a variety of initiatives to promote interaction and matching between people involved in the arts and companies. A talk session on the intersection of art and business from the perspectives of “work” and “employment,” entitled “Dialogue on the Intersection of Art and Work – Is Diverse Work Styles for Art Workers Possible?” will be held at Umekoji ACWA on Wednesday, September 17th. We welcome the participation of not only art workers and those involved in employment and human resource development in the business field, but also anyone interested in diverse work styles. ▼Event application
https://forms.gle/BU753pk7TCM25sto6
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/33548/429/33548-429-db879e744f25594e48fe3ae61f4af8de-2300×1125.jpg How can art workers “live without giving up on what they want to do”? Are there any opportunities where art workers’ skills can be put to good use? Expression and life, freedom and anxiety, systems and practice. While torn between these two, many art workers consider and choose their own way of working and living. Meanwhile, the labor shortage caused by the declining birthrate and aging population is a social issue. Therefore, this time, at Umekoji ACWA, which just opened this spring, we will create a space to explore the intersection of art and business from the perspectives of “work” and “employment.” Umekoji ACWA practices a community-based work-sharing system that brings people together and creates connections through “work.” It’s a facility where anyone can come and work at any time (or even if they don’t). We’ll be joined by Toru Saito of Aguti Co., Ltd., which runs this event and is currently working to create jobs that will provide a livelihood for creative artists. We’ll also be joined by Kentaro Takayama of artness Co., Ltd., which is hosting Japan’s first art-focused job fair, the “ART JOB FAIR.” They’ll discuss their efforts to realize diverse work styles. There should be more options that don’t fit into stereotypes or terms like “employment,” “side hustle,” “freelance,” or “full-time employee.” How can we create a society that accepts diverse work styles and role models? We’ll also be discussing working environments, employment practices, and job matching. ■Event overview Date and Time: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Format: On-site Venue: Umekoji ACWA (98 Suzaku Hozo-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto 600-8846) ・Access: 5-minute walk from Umekoji Kyoto-nishi Station on the Sagano Line ・Participation Fee: Free ・Capacity: 30 people ・Organizer: Kyoto City (Art x Business Co-creation Hub “Utsuwa”) Planning and Management: Kyoto City Arts and Culture Association, Public Interest Incorporated Foundation How to Apply: Please apply in advance via the URL below. URL:
https://forms.gle/BU753pk7TCM25sto6 ・Application deadline: Until 23:59 on Friday, September 12, 2025 ■Program ・7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Talk Session ・8:30 PM – 9:00 PM: Networking Event ■Childcare Services Childcare services will be provided at “Childcare Village: Lykke” within “Umekoji ACWA” at this event. (The talk venue is on the 1st floor.) https://www.instagram.com/shutchohoiku_kyoto/ ・Fee: Free – Daycare Hours: Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 6:45 PM – 9:00 PM – Target Ages: 3 months to 12 years old (6th grade elementary school students) *Children aged 12 and over are also welcome. (They can wait at “Childcare Village: Lykke.”) ・Capacity: Approximately 5 people (first come, first served) ■Guest
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/33548/429/33548-429-a2a4cdc37fa43523690ff3e2cbd78c39-3900×3900.jpg Toru Saito, Representative Director, Aguti Co., Ltd. At the age of 19, he joined Aroma Create Co., Ltd. (now Aguti), which was founded by his uncle. At age 25, he became a director of Aguti, and at age 35, he became its CEO. At age 36, he founded the NPO Blue Stage and became its chairman. At age 45, he retired as chairman of the NPO Blue Stage and became a director, and founded Dekaiutsuwa Co., Ltd. with his colleagues. He is currently 47 years old. His family consists of his wife and two sons, ages 25 and 15. Following the founder’s vision, he uses the company as a tool and business as a means to promote initiatives that are uniquely his, ensuring the happiness and prosperity of his coworkers. Furthermore, through co-creation and alliances with many companies and organizations, he develops initiatives that create social value while cherishing his intuition and seeking out new things. Aguti Co., Ltd. https://agt-kk.co.jp/ Umekoji ACWA https://www.instagram.com/umekoji_acwa/
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/33548/429/33548-429-8c19003a22df5bcc6431589f94c61f11-480×480.jpg Kentaro Takayama, Representative Director, artness Inc./Organizer of ART JOB FAIR Born in Osaka in 1982. Joined the Fukutake Foundation in 2004. Until 2011, he was involved in the establishment of art museums and art projects in Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima. In 2013, he helped found the cultural business company Noechika as director, and for eight years he was involved in the establishment of craft fairs and art festivals that are part of Ishikawa Prefecture’s regional culture, such as “KOGEI Art Fair Kanazawa” and “KUTANism.” In April 2021, he founded the art business company artness Inc. His main projects include the launch of “ART JOB FAIR,” Japan’s first job fair specializing in the arts and culture world, and the curation of “GO FOR KOGEI,” a festival of Hokuriku crafts. artness Co., Ltd. https://artness.co.jp/ ART JOB FAIR https://artjobfair.jp ■ Progress
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/33548/429/33548-429-1391c858c715e43a41039334a12f9e8d-639×531.png Presenter: Reiko Takasaka (Director, Utsuwa, Art and Business Co-creation Hub) She has been involved in the operation of cultural facilities, coordination and management of art festivals and art projects, and operation of cultural and artistic consultation centers, mainly in Osaka and Kyoto. Since 2023, she has been the coordinator of Utsuwa, the art and business co-creation hub, and since 2025, she has been its director, matching art with business. She is also involved in the management of the NPO Be Creative as a director. ■What is “Utsuwa,” the Art and Business Co-Creation Hub? Based at the Kyoto Art Center, we rent out part of the facility as offices for companies and entrepreneurs, including startups and social businesses. We also utilize the diverse creative power of the Kyoto Art Center to hold networking events, seminars, workshops, and matching projects, aiming to combine art and business. URL: https://utsuwa-kyoto.com/ ■What is Tsukurie? Let’s go on the startup side TSUKURIE is a company focused on providing professional entrepreneurial support services to support those creating businesses, and creative creation services to support creators who create value. We support entrepreneurs and those aiming to start their own businesses by planning events, providing consultations, and developing acceleration programs, as well as collaborating with entrepreneurs, developing products, and producing products. URL: https://tsucrea.com/
■Inquiries regarding this release Tsukurie Co., Ltd. Kyoto Office Contact: Kasajima Email: kasajima@tsucrea.com