Organizer Information
Organized by ZA-KOENJI Public Theatre and operated by syuz'gen LLC, ZA-Party is an international platform designed to foster long-term solidarity, dialogue, and collaboration among performing arts practitioners across Asia. Hosted in the Suginami City district of Tokyo within a iconic venue designed by Toyo Ito, ZA-KOENJI serves as an experimental hub for international co-productions and community engagement. The program collaborates closely with the Art Translators Collective as its Communication Design Team to ensure accessible, non-hierarchical, and equitable cross-cultural communication.
Title & Description
Performing Arts Camp in Koenji 2026 (PACK): "Specters of ____"
ZA-KOENJI Public Theatre invites young, Asia-based performing arts practitioners to participate in the inaugural edition of the Performing Arts Camp in Koenji (PACK). Running from December 5 to December 21, 2026, in Tokyo, PACK is a two-week residential laboratory where artists share practices, conduct neighborhood-based research, engage in lectures and workshops, and collaboratively curate a public presentation event called the "Party" on December 19, 2026.
Facilitated by Mizuho Watanabe (scenographer/architect) and Kyle Yamada (theater maker/dramaturg), the 2026 camp operates under the theme “Specters of ____”. The theme asks creators to pause and reencounter what has been left behind, overlooked, or unheard amidst civilizational progress, using the theater and the unique neighborhood of Koenji as living fields of inquiry.
Categories
The call accepts practitioners across Performing Arts, Theater, Contemporary Dance, Scenography, Dramaturgy, Translation, Architecture, and Interdisciplinary Live Performance.
Eligibility
- Geographic Scope: Applicants of any origin or nationality who are currently based in Asia.
- Age Limit: Must be aged 35 or younger as of the application deadline (August 24, 2026).
- Availability: Must be able to attend the entire program in Tokyo from December 5 to December 21, 2026.
- Format: Strictly individual submissions (one application per person).
- Language Requirements: Program activities are conducted in English and Japanese. High English fluency is not required for selection; applicants are encouraged to use translation tools or interpreters during interviews.
Program Benefits & Support
Selected participants (approximately 5 creators) receive a comprehensive funding and logistical package:
- Travel Support: Round-trip international flight tickets to Haneda/Narita Airport (including airport shuttle transfers in Tokyo), or round-trip domestic transit for Japan-based participants outside Kanto.
- Accommodation: Full accommodation provided in Koenji for the duration of the camp (December 5–21).
- Per Diem Allowance:2,400 JPY per day (tax included) for 15 days.
- Production & Research Budget: Up to 15,000 JPY (tax included) for individual research and presentation materials.
- Insurance & Visa Assistance: Event insurance provided; official administrative documentation for Japanese visa applications.
- Communication Support: Dedicated language interpretation/translation support provided by Art Translators Collective.
Application Fee
Participation in the application process is 100% free of charge.
How to Apply
Submit completed applications via the official digital form.
- Official Entry Application Form:PACK 2026 Online Application Portal
- Inquiries Email:zaparty@syuzgen.com
Key Dates
- Application Submission Deadline: Monday, August 24, 2026, at 4:00 PM JST (16:00 JST)
- First Screening Announcement: By Wednesday, September 2, 2026
- Second Screening (Zoom Interviews): September 7 – September 10, 2026
- Final Selection Announcement: Around Thursday, September 17, 2026
- On-Site Residency Window: December 5 – December 21, 2026
- Public "Party" Presentation Event: Saturday, December 19, 2026
Location
Physical camp activities, research, and public presentation take place live in Japan at:
- ZA-KOENJI Public Theatre (Rehearsal Room 1 & ZA-KOENJI 1), Suginami City, Tokyo, Japan