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Celebrating Art: WACCA ART Award 2025 and 2026

The WACCA Art Award stands as a beacon for artistic innovation in the heart of Ikebukuro, Tokyo—an area rich in culture and connection. The upcoming WACCA ART Award 2025 Grand Prize Exhibition, featuring work by architect Hidaka Erika, is set to take place from November 15th to November 30th, 2025. With its compelling theme of “Curtains Talk to the City,” this exhibition aims to bridge the physical space of WACCA with the vibrant narrative of the urban landscape.

Hidaka, born in Hiroshima in 1976, seeks to explore the interplay between existing environments and architectural function. Her previous experience with SANAA, a notable architectural firm, has greatly influenced her vision, pushing boundaries to redefine communal and commercial spaces. The exhibition aims to expand on the building’s design philosophy of connection, inviting visitors to consider how art can speak to the community and how spaces can enhance interactions within the urban fabric.

About the WACCA ART Award

WACCA Ikebukuro, which opened in 2014, inherits the legacy of the historic Nikkan cinema from 1937. It serves as a flexible commercial facility underpinned by the theme of connecting people and spaces. The WACCA ART project reflects this ethos, focusing on the co-creation of art that generates new experiences and discoveries for both the facility and the region.

The WACCA ART Award fields artist submissions that resonate with the themes of “place” and “community.” This annual award nurtures diverse communication between art and viewers, continuously broadening the scope of art within commercial settings. The 2026 call for entries opens from October 23rd to December 31st, 2025, with multiple stages of assessment and an anticipated public showcase slated for mid to late November 2026.

A Theme that Speaks Volumes

This year’s theme of “The Waters Edge between Commercial Facilities and Art” invites artists to creatively reinterpret the relationship between commercial spaces and artistry. While challenges exist in showcasing art—due to the diverse clientele and safety considerations—WACCA believes that these challenges also present an opportunity for meaningful artistic engagement within the bustling Ikebukuro area.

Prizes and Evaluation

The WACCA ART AWARD Grand Prize comes with a cash prize of 200,000 yen and an exhibition production subsidy of 300,000 yen. A panel of distinguished judges, including Eiichiro Hata, CEO of Eishin Co., and celebrated curator Akira Aoki, will evaluate submissions to ensure the most innovative proposals are recognized.

Engage with Art and Community

Through this initiative, WACCA hopes to function as a nexus for artists and audiences, fostering encounters that enrich community engagement. Art is not just an aesthetic journey but a medium for dialogue and discovery, and the biennial WACCA ART Award underscores this belief.

With previous exhibitions setting a high bar, including the 2024 Grand Prize by Masaya Mizuta, the anticipation surrounding the 2025 exhibition is keenly felt throughout Tokyo’s artistic community. As WACCA Ikebukuro continues to innovate, it remains committed to supporting artists and providing spaces for creativity to flourish.

Conclusion

Mark your calendars for the WACCA ART Award 2025 Grand Prize Exhibition from November 15th to 30th, and stay tuned for the forthcoming WACCA ART Award 2026 call for entries. This initiative underscores the vital role art plays in connecting people while breathing new life into commercial spaces, making WACCA a pivotal player in the Tokyo art scene.

For more information, please visit WACCA Tokyo Official Site.