Overview
Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS) is a premier contemporary arts center dedicated to the creation, promotion, and international exchange of contemporary artistic expression. Acting as a critical incubator within Asia’s art ecosystem, TOKAS supports a wide spectrum of creative activities, including interdisciplinary, cross-genre, and highly experimental projects. By operating dual-track initiatives that feature both presentation spaces and dedicated residency hubs, TOKAS serves as an essential bridge connecting local Japanese creators with the global art community.
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Established: 2001
Managed by: Arts Program and Residency Division of the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (under the Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)
Website: tokyoartsandspace.jp
History
The organization was originally established in December 2001 under the name Tokyo Wonder Site (TWS) in Hongo, serving as an initiative by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to support and nurture young, emerging talent. Over the years, it expanded its operations to include international artist-in-residence infrastructure. In 2017, following an organizational restructuring that integrated it more closely with the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT), the institution was officially renamed Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS) to better reflect its expansive, borderless mission.
Core Missions & Key Programs
1. Ongoing Support for Emerging and Mid-Career Artists
TOKAS fosters talent from the grassroots level up to established careers.
- TOKAS-Emerging: An open-call exhibition program specifically designed to give creators aged 35 or younger an opportunity to showcase solo exhibitions.
- ACT (Artists Contemporary TOKAS): A group exhibition platform that invites alumni of prior TOKAS programs back to showcase their evolving practices.
- Tokyo Contemporary Art Award (TCAA): Established in 2018 in collaboration with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, this major award provides substantial multi-year support, international travel opportunities, and a dedicated exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo for exceptional mid-career artists.
2. Promoting Creative International Cultural Exchange
Through its robust Artist-in-Residence (AIR) network, TOKAS welcomes international practitioners while sending Japanese creators abroad.
- International Creator & Research Residencies: Highly competitive open-call initiatives that bring international artists, curators, architects, and designers to Tokyo for fully supported blocks of research and creation.
- Exchange Residency Program: Partnerships with cultural institutions worldwide to foster bilateral creative exchange.
- Open Studio & Public Programs: Regular public-facing events that open up the studio spaces, inviting audiences and local art professionals to engage directly with work-in-progress research.
3. Supporting Cutting-Edge and Experimental Projects
TOKAS actively fights institutional rigidness by creating a safe platform for multidisciplinary, high-risk experimentation.
- OPEN SITE: An open-call initiative that invites boundary-pushing projects across various disciplines—such as performance art, sound installations, curation, and tech-driven creations—to take over its facilities.
- TOKAS Project: Curation-led international exhibitions hosted in cooperation with global curators and institutional partners.
Venues & Facilities
TOKAS operates through two key locations in Tokyo, each serving distinct functional purposes for visiting and local creators:
- TOKAS Hongo * Purpose: The main presentation and exhibition hub.
- The Facility: Located in Bunkyo-ku, this venue is housed inside a historic, character-filled building originally constructed in 1928. It spans three floors and features dedicated gallery spaces, a lounge, and presentation rooms for exhibitions, workshops, and experimental performances.
- TOKAS Residency * Purpose: The living, working, and research laboratory.
- The Facility: Located in Tatekawa, Sumida-ku, this facility acts as the core base for the Artist-in-Residence programs. It is equipped with 12 private guest rooms, multi-purpose creator studios, a cultural library, and shared communal lounges designed to encourage spontaneous cross-disciplinary dialogue between international residents.
Significance for the Artinfoland Community
For the global audience of artists, researchers, and curators on Artinfoland, TOKAS represents one of the most reliable and influential public cultural institutions in Japan. Its recurring international open calls—particularly its Research and International Creator Residencies—are widely recognized as premium opportunities to gain institutional backing, establish professional networks in East Asia, and deeply investigate the cultural fabric of Tokyo.
