Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL | Public Call for Project ProposalsTokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL | Public Call for Project Proposals

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Q&A

General

Q. What is the aim of the Public Call for Project Proposals?
A. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture) are carrying out the “Tokyo Cultural Program” in order to cause big waves to achieve a society based on arts and culture towards 2020 and hand it over to future generations. Innovative and creative plans and ideas that allow more people to participate are welcomed. The aim is to create projects that play a central role of the “Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL” to be initiated in April 2020, make the Tokyo Cultural Program memorable, and enhance Tokyo to be a more creative cultural city in 2020 onward.

Credit

Q. Can my name be included in the credits listing the project’s organizers, supporters, planners, or producers? If my proposal is accepted, can my name be listed as the originator of the project? Can my name be included in the project title?
A. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo are the project organizers. We plan to include applicant names in the credits as “Planner (Project Originator)” or “Producer.” In addition, we will make individual arrangements with applicants who are able to contribute personal funding or sponsorship funding to their project, and may credit them as “Co-organizer.” However, it is not possible for the applicant’s name to be included in the project title.

Application

Q. How many projects may one applicant (individual or organization) propose?
A. There is no limit on the number of project proposals per applicant.
Q. Can an executive committee, an unincorporated association, propose a project?
A. Yes.
Q. With regard to projects proposed by executive committees, does it matter if one individual or group is associated with multiple organizations?
A. It is acceptable to be associated with multiple organizations.
Q. Do applicants who have received previous support from Arts Council Tokyo or who have co-organized a project with the Council meet the application requirements?
A. Yes, as long as the project idea is not the same.
Q. Will project proposals that are not based on completely novel concepts be rejected?
What about projects implemented on a yearly basis, but whose theme has been adapted to the present Call for Project Proposals?
A. Based on the goals of this Public Call for Project Proposals, the organizers are seeking creative, ambitious projects that will make the best use of this opportunity. Projects that do not fit that description can be also proposed, but they may receive lower priority during the selection process.
Q. Does the subject or motif of the proposed project have to be Tokyo?
A. Not necessarily.
Q. Is it necessary to include music or images with my application?
A. The submission of music and images is optional, and if submitted they should be in the form of reference data. When not including any reference data, please write “none” in the appropriate space on the application forms.
Q. How do I indicate the point I intend to emphasize most through the project?
A. Please check the appropriate box on the application forms.
Q. When I send in my application, can I include multiple proposals in one envelope?
A. For organizational purposes, please enclose each proposal in a separate envelope.
Q. When foreign artists propose a project, do they need a partner or host organization in Japan?
A. It is not necessary to have a partner or host organization at the time of application. As planning for selected projects proceeds, arrangements for production will be made in conjunction with the secretariat. However, the contract will be between the organizers and an organization located in Japan.
Q. When applying as an executive committee, which member organization(s) should include their information on the forms?
A. Please enter information about the organization(s) that comprise the core of the executive committee.
Q. What types of project proposals are not eligible?
A. Project proposals whose purpose is religious or political propaganda or advocacy, or whose main goal is to sell items displayed or produced by the project are not eligible. For details, Please see the Application terms and Conditions.
Q. Will content be adjusted after the first round of selections?
A. It is possible that content will be adjusted after this stage.
Q. Is the target location for regional revitalization or creating a legacy all of Japan, or just Tokyo?
A. Tokyo should be included.
Q. Many applicants will likely submit their proposals immediately before the deadline. What should I do if the website becomes overloaded and I am not able to submit my application as a result?
A. We plan to improve our server, but we do not plan to extend the deadline due to difficulties in applying via the website immediately before the deadline. Please leave adequate time to submit your application.
Q. Regarding the point I plan to “emphasize most,” is it necessary for projects to address all three (“impactful creation,” “involvement of any and all people,” and “expansion of the potential of the arts”)?
A. It is enough to address just one of these points. Please note that when indicating your choice, you should check the relevant box.
Q. When filling out the box on the application form that asks for “expected major cooperating organizations, groups, companies, etc.” at the application stage is it possible to include groups whose participation I have not yet confirmed?
A. It is possible to fill out the form based on your expectations.
Q. How should I fill out the box on the application form that asks for “what to achieve in the project”?
A. Please write down your reason for implementing the proposed project, such as “development of young artists” or “defining Tokyo’s identity.”

Project Locations

Q. Can the project be implemented anywhere?
A. As a rule, we are seeking projects that will be implemented within Tokyo metropolitan district. However, projects may include locations outside the city as long as the plan is appropriate for a project implemented by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo, for instance if implementing the project simultaneously inside and outside of the city will achieve synergistic effects.
Q. I am considering holding my project at an event hall, but since I am still at the application stage, is it acceptable to simply propose (not reserve etc.) the venue? If I am not able to reserve the hall, can the organizers provide assistance in searching for an outdoor venue or other site?
A. A proposed location is acceptable. After passing the first round of the selection process, applicants will discuss the feasibility of their projects (available locations, times, ways of using the location, alternate plans, etc.) with the secretariat and will arrange for a location together. The same process will apply for projects proposing to use government buildings, parks, event halls, or other city-owned property.
Q. Can the project be implemented at a national government or municipal facility?
A. Yes.
Q. I understand that projects whose purpose is religious or political propaganda or advocacy are not eligible, but are proposals that use religious facilities such as shrines as a site for presenting art also not eligible?
A. Projects whose message has a religious bias or whose primary goal is missionary in nature are not eligible, however it is possible to use religious facilities as presentation sites.
Q. Are projects implemented outside of Japan with the goal of promoting Tokyo’s cultural image eligible?
A. As a rule, only projects implemented in Tokyo are eligible, so projects implemented abroad are not eligible. However, it is acceptable for a project to include implementation sites outside of Tokyo provided the project is appropriate for implementation by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo, such as a project implemented simultaneously both in Tokyo and in another country with the goal of achieving synergistic effects.
Q. Are projects implemented entirely online eligible?
A. They are eligible provided the concept is appropriate for a project implemented by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo.

Implementation and Eligibility

Q. If an artist included in the project at the planning stage later becomes unable to participate for some reason, what will happen to the project?
A. Because concepts and ideas are emphasized at the application stage, detailed arrangements will be made after the first round of selections or the final selection.
Q. Can I apply even if I am not part of an organization that is working with a government body?
A. In general, any individual, group, organization, or corporation (e.g. NPO, executive committee, or company) may apply. Domestic and foreign governments and local public bodies may not apply, although they may be members of applying executive committees. When municipal governments apply, they should do so as individuals or members of an executive committee. When applying as an executive committee, please make a private-sector organization the representative. As a rule, we will not sign a commission contract with a public-sector organization.
Q. Can universities apply?
A. Yes.

Budget

Q. What is the expected scale of the budget (project commission fee) for selected projects?
A. Project commission fees will range from several million yen to an upper limit of 200 million yen. However, the total budget for any given project, including sponsorships and the applicant’s own resources, is not limited to this figure.
Q. How many projects do you plan to select? What is the total expected budget for this Public Call for Project Proposals?
A. Approximately 20 to 30 projects will be selected. The total budget is expected to be approximately 1.5 billion yen (based on the FY2018 budget request).
Q. When commissioning a third party to produce the project, can the commission fee be included in the project fee?
A. Yes.
Q. When accepting a commission, can I receive a certain portion of the fee in advance?
A. We are currently making arrangements for advance payment.
Q. In some cases, will selected projects be funded at a lower level than the amount anticipated at the proposal stage?
A. We may discuss the budget with the commissioned party, but as a rule we will not lower the funding amount when accepting the project.
Q. I plan to begin producing the proposed idea in April 2018. In this type of case, what happens with the budget?
A. The budget will apply to expenses incurred after the contract is signed.
Q. When raising funds, do contributors need to be official sponsors of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games?
A. No.
Q. Will advertising funds be included in the individual commissioned project fees?
A. Commissioned project fees will include expenses for PR to attract participants and similar purposes. However, we are also arranging separate funding to advertise the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL as a whole.
Q. If I invite artists to participate in the project, will their fee be included in the project expenses?
A. Yes.
Q. Are there standards for calculating personnel expenses or rates?
A. No. The applicant should calculate these.
Q. How carefully should I verify the budget before submitting it?
A. The budget submitted in February will be used to determine the scale of your project, so a projected total budget is adequate. If your project passes the first round of selections, you will be required to submit a more detailed budget.

Eligible Projects

Q. What types of projects may be proposed?
A. Music, theatre, dance, visual art, photography, literature, media arts (videos, manga, anime, games, etc.), traditional and contemporary performing arts, cultural practices (tea ceremony, flower arranging, calligraphy, food culture, etc.), fashion, architecture, and multidisciplinary artistic activities not limited to any genre.
Q. Should events be free or could it be paid event? How will this affect the upper limit for the commission fee?
A. Events may charge admission, but projects whose goal is to make a profit are not eligible. Any anticipated income will contribute to the project budget, with the remainder made up by the commission fee. While it is acceptable to increase the project budget through other income, the commission fee will not exceed 200 million yen.
Q. Will I have to submit a report after the project is implemented?
A. Yes, a report will be required.

Schedule

Q. Why does the project period begin in the autumn 2019?
A. We plan to begin building momentum for the Olympic and Paralympic Games starting from the Rugby World Cup in the autumn 2019. However, as long as the project is implemented within the designated period, it does not need to begin in the autumn 2019.
Q. If an applicant wishes to continue the activities described in the application beyond 2020, will there be restrictions on the use of the project name or continuation of the project?
A. Because the commission contract period will be over, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo will no longer be named as the project organizers and will not be financially responsible for it. Because copyrights will revert to the applicant, we do not anticipate that there will be any restrictions on use of the project name, if the applicant continues the project activities independently after the contract period.
Q. When will the production and preparation period begin?
A. We plan for this period to begin after commission contracts are signed.
Q. The project period is fall 2019, but in what month does it start?
A. We anticipate it starting around September.
Q. How will artwork such as sculpture be handled after the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL is over?
A. Copyrights and trademark rights to the artwork will revert to the applicant, but as a rule the right to ownership will revert to the organizers. For more information on copyrights, please see the Application Terms and Conditions. Following the first round of selections, we will make individual arrangements regarding projects anticipated to have artwork such as sculptures remaining after September 2020.

Selection Process

Q. How will proposals be judged?
A. The process is described in the Application Guidelines (excerpted below).
A panel of external experts, etc. will be established to judge the proposals. This panel will review the proposals and make selections.
  • ① Arts Council Tokyo will conduct an initial screening of the submitted applications and attached materials.
  • ② Those that pass the initial screening will be reviewed by the panel of judges during the first round of selections.
  • ③ Applicants whose proposals pass the first round of selections will discuss the feasibility of their project with the secretariat, and will refine their implementation plan in advance of the second round of selections.
  • ④ At the second round of selections, applicants will present their projects and be interviewed. Final selections will then be made. The commission fee and other details of the contract will be decided after projects are selected.
Q. Who will be appointed to the panel of judges? How many external experts from which fields will be included?
A. Information about the panel of judges has not been made public at this time. We are currently considering when to make this information public.
Q. How long should the presentation at the second round of selections be, and how should it be presented?
A. We will share this information with applicants who pass the first round of selections.
Q. Will any financial support be provided for refining the implementation proposal in advance of the second round of selection?
A. We do not plan to make any funding available for the second round of selection.
Q. Will some projects be rejected during the second round of selection?
A. Yes, projects may be rejected.
Q. Has the number of projects to be selected per artistic genre been determined?
A. No.
Q. If a single group submits several project proposals, can more than one be selected?
A. Yes, depending on the content of the proposed projects. Applicants may also be requested to match their project to a large-scale project.

After Selection

Q. If my project is selected, what are the steps in the production process?
A. We are currently determining the steps in the production process.
Q. Once an applicant’s project is selected, what will their standing be?
A. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo will be the organizers, while the applicant will be a commissioned party. In addition, we will make arrangements on an individual basis with applicants who are able to contribute personal funding or sponsorship funding to their project, and may designate them as co-organizers.

Other

Q. Is this program independent from the “Tokyo 2020 Nippon Festival” being organized by the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games?
A. The Public Call for Project Proposals for the Tokyo Tokyo FESTIVAL is being run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Arts Council Tokyo, and is separate from the“Tokyo 2020 Nippon Festival.” Depending on the content of the selected projects, the two programs may work together moving forward.
Q. How will equipment and supplies be managed?
A. We will discuss this on a project-by-project basis after selection.