Organizer Information
The Nakanojo Biennale is a long-running international contemporary art festival held every two years in Nakanojo Town, located in Gunma Prefecture. The program is deeply embedded in a rural Japanese mountain environment characterized by satoyama landscapes, historic hot spring villages (onsen), Ramsar-designated wetlands, and traditional cultural practices such as sericulture and local folk festivals.
Unlike conventional urban biennales, this initiative emphasizes direct engagement with local communities and dispersed rural sites, including abandoned schools, wooden houses, shopping streets, and heritage buildings. The festival structure transforms the entire town into an exhibition field, encouraging site-specific production and long-term interaction between artists, residents, and regional heritage. Over its previous editions, the Biennale has hosted hundreds of artists and attracted approximately half a million cumulative visitors, establishing itself as a significant rural-based contemporary art platform in Japan.
Title & Description
11th Nakanojo Biennale 2027 – International Open Call for Artists and Artist Groups
The 11th edition of the Nakanojo Biennale invites artists and collectives from Japan and abroad to propose innovative, site-responsive projects across disciplines. Selected participants will live and work in Nakanojo Town, developing works specifically conceived for the festival’s unique rural venues.
The program focuses on production-based engagement rather than pre-existing works, encouraging experimentation in response to the town’s landscapes, architecture, and social environments. Artists are expected to install their works in assigned venues and actively participate in the logistical and conceptual integration of their projects within local contexts.
The festival will run for 37 days, from September 18 to October 24, 2027, activating multiple districts of Nakanojo through exhibitions, installations, performances, and community-oriented artistic interventions.
Categories
- Visual Art (painting, drawing, sculpture)
- Installation Art
- Photography
- Video Art / Media Art
- Performance Art
- Site-specific and environmental art
- Interdisciplinary and experimental practices
- Collaborative and collective projects
Eligibility
- Open to international and Japanese artists
- Individual artists and artist collectives/groups may apply
- No explicit age restrictions stated
- Both emerging and established practitioners are eligible
- First-time applicants are welcome
- Priority may be given to artists able to stay in Nakanojo for production and research during the preparation phase
- Applicants must not be affiliated with antisocial or criminal organizations
Program Benefits & Awards
- A production grant (amount not specified in the call)
- No application fee, exhibition fee, or residency fee
- Access to designated venues across Nakanojo Town
- Opportunity to exhibit in a large-scale international biennale environment
- Potential residency accommodation starting from April 2027 in selected areas
- Institutional and technical support from the Biennale office during planning and coordination
Note:
- Travel, food, installation, transportation, and production costs are generally the responsibility of the artist
- Limited rental car access is available due to remote venue distribution
- Insurance support may be partially subsidized, but artists are responsible for coverage of their works
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Completed online application form or mailed application
- Artist CV (Curriculum Vitae)
- Portfolio (PDF or website link)
- Individuals: up to 30 pages
- Groups: up to 40 pages
- Image Sheet (mandatory) including:
- Concept description (200–250 words per proposal)
- Sketches, visuals, or reference images
- Multiple project proposals are allowed
- Contact information and basic personal details
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 12 July 2026
- Selection Notification: Mid-August 2026
- Online Orientation (selected artists): 5 September 2026 (Zoom)
- Venue Viewing Period: September 6 – October 5, 2026
- Submission of Venue Request & Work Plan: by October 8, 2026
- Final Venue Confirmation: Late December 2026
- Residency Availability Begins: From April 2027 (gradual rollout)
- Festival Period: September 18 – October 24, 2027 (37 days)
Location
The festival takes place across five rural districts of Nakanojo Town in Gunma Prefecture, Japan:
- Nakanojo Town Center
- Isama
- Shima Onsen
- Sawatari Kuresaka
- Kuni
Additional Details
- Artists are expected to install and de-install their works independently
- Some venues are remote with limited public transport access
- Vehicle rental or private transportation may be necessary
- Works must comply with safety and legal standards (no fire hazards, loud noise, or hazardous materials)
- Works must not infringe intellectual property rights
- Organizers may reassign venues based on logistical constraints
- No liability is assumed for damage caused by natural disasters; insurance is recommended
- Artists are encouraged to engage respectfully with local communities and cultural environments