Yokogawa International Art Charity Festival

For the 3rd time the Yokogawa Art Charity Festival will be held on April 28th at Seed Art Laboratory, close to Yokogawa JR Station.  This Art Festival is part of the annual Fushigi-Ichi Matsuri which is not only remarkable because of its cosplay parade, but also for its 5 live stages, extraordinary cheap food/drinks prices and for its all in all nonbiri (easygoing, relaxed) atmosphere.

After the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami catastrophe in Japan in 2011, a foreign national living in Hiroshima created this festival to help the victims in the Tohoku area. The idea for this festival is to have artists, designers, photographers, and other people in the arts community to come together and support the people of the Tohoku region of Japan by donating their artworks to this art festival. Fortunately the owners of SEED-Art-Laboratory, a local art school, offer their space for free in which to hold the event each year.

In a one-day exhibition visitors can not only come and view the exhibition, consisting of very different kind of genres and techniques, but also they can purchase these donated artworks for a very reasonable price, between ¥1000 and ¥10,000 Yen. Although 2 years have now passed since the 3/11 distaster, there´s still great feedback from the artistic community. This year over 50 artists from 11 countries have donated work to support the restoration and people of the Tohoku region, who are still confronted with many different kinds of problems, especially in their daily life with increased radiation levels. This is the reason why all the proceeds from the 3rd Yokogwaw Art-Charity-Festival this year will be donated to a newly founded NPO The World Network for Saving Children From Radiation.

Furthermore, artists this year also donated artworks addressing the Fukushima, nuclear energy and radiation problem.

So, if you would like to spend a fun day with your friends or family at an unique matsuri, interested in art and want to support the people of Tohoku Japan, please come to Yokogawa on April 28.

You’ll surely find a niece piece of art for your living room, business or the next birthday present for your beloved ones, while at the same time helping the people of Tohoku Japan with your donation.

Please check the official website www.yokogawa-art.com for more details, information and pictures from the past two events in 2011 and 2012.

Official website of the Fushigi-Ichi-Matsuri (Japanese): http://wondercarnival.web.fc2.com/fushigi/indexf.html