International Arts Initiative General Incorporated Association
We aim to build a sustainable and autonomous cultural ecosystem
in which creation, expression, appreciation, and support for the arts
are organically connected and mutually reinforcing.
In this system, diverse actors—
including artists, audiences, businesses, governments, educators, and the media
—interact and collaborate to form a dynamic and evolving cultural cycle.
Artists are not passive recipients of support,
but driving forces who shape culture through their creativity and intent,
contributing meaningfully to both society and the economy.
We believe that the arts are not luxuries or entertainment,
but essential forces capable of reshaping the future of our societies and economies.
Culture is both a vital resource and an invisible form of capital:
it strengthens cultural presence, enhances global competitiveness,
and above all,
fosters mutual understanding and the relationships we need to live together in trust
—as citizens of one world.
Our mission is to cultivate this value across society
and to build a structure in which culture circulates, flourishes, and endures.
Reconstructing impact and responsibility of the arts and culture.
hat is the impact of the arts in today’s society, and what responsibilities do they carry?
This is a question I have continued to ask myself—and live with—since returning to Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Japan, the belief that art and culture should be supported is widely accepted; however, this support sometimes becomes an end in itself, overshadowing its intended impact. The question of what supported art should contribute to society—and how that impact should manifest—is often overlooked.
Art carries many forms of impact and responsibility.
It fosters imagination and inquiry through education, moves the heart through emotional resonance, and becomes a cultural legacy passed down through generations—each of these is an irreplaceable asset to society.
Moreover, the dialogue and empathy generated by the arts not only connect individuals, but also cultivate the imagination and flexibility of society as a whole. This capacity functions as an "invisible form of capital" that underpins key systems such as education, welfare, diplomacy, and the economy—demonstrating the structural significance of the arts. As seen in the salons of the Belle Époque or the tea rooms of Sengoku-era Japan, art has long served as a universal language that brings together people from opposing backgrounds.
In times of national instability, art and culture are often among the first to be suppressed.
History shows that in moments of political unrest, freedom of expression is restricted and artistic voices are silenced. This reflects the fact that art has the power to question society, spark transformation through empathy, and generate dialogue and mutual understanding. It is precisely because of this impact—as an "invisible form of capital" that empowers collective imagination and cohesion—that those who seek to control through division and fear often see art as a threat and move to suppress it.
Even if the world continues accelerating toward division and conflict,
art bears the responsibility to guide not toward division, but toward balance; not toward confrontation, but toward synthesis. We are committed to building a cultural ecosystem that fulfills that responsibility.