Art holds great potential for showcasing talent, even in the face of disabilities.
Proving this is the rental art business initiated by Yuki Sawada, the representative of the General Incorporated Association Miroku Yugafu.
Ms. Sawada is striving to promote the talents of artists with disabilities to a broader society, aiming to support their independence. What initiatives is she undertaking to realize this vision?
This article delves into the activities of the General Incorporated Association Miroku Yugafu and Yuki Sawada, exploring the future they envision.
1. What is the General Incorporated Association Miroku Yugafu?
The General Incorporated Association Miroku Yugafu operates with the aim of promoting the independence and social participation of people with disabilities by providing a service that rents out their art works.
The name Miroku Yugafu is derived from a collaboration song "Miroku Yugafu" by the Okinawan folk group "Unaigumi" and Ryuichi Sakamoto. They resonated with the worldview of the song, which is based on Miroku belief, and adopted this name.
The logo embodies the image of water, which "changes shape freely and connects everything on Earth."
In addition to the art-based independence support projects for people with disabilities, they also engage in community contribution activities and hold exhibitions showcasing art by people with disabilities.
1-1. What is the charm of art created by people with disabilities?
[Interviewer (Writer): Fukuoka / Interviewee: Sawada]
Fukuoka: How are artworks by people with disabilities created?
Sawada: Many artists simply draw what they love or want to express. Some require assistance when creating their art, so they work together with support staff at facilities.
Art created at social welfare organizations has the charm of being "art born from enjoying time through art, and collaborative work that can only be created in that space."
1-2. Social Contribution Activities through Art
Fukuoka: How do you think the activities of art by people with disabilities contribute to society?
Sawada: We believe that using our rental art service can be one option for companies to contribute to social responsibility and CSR.
Companies are responsible for not only providing services related to their business but also contributing to the community and supporting people with disabilities, in a broader sense of social contribution. However, coming up with ideas for social contribution is not easy for company employees.
We realized from user feedback that the opportunity to learn about local social welfare through art can hold more significance than just displaying art.
This can lead to broadening employees' perspectives, improving imagination and customer service skills.
Learning about and imagining worlds unknown to oneself can provide hints for ideas and planning, leading to enhanced thinking and action, which is something we also discuss.
1-3. How to Use Rental Art
Fukuoka: Specifically, what activities do you undertake to introduce art by people with disabilities to more people?
Sawada: Currently, we mainly offer rental art services to companies. Specifically, we provide art pieces to be displayed in company offices on a monthly subscription basis.
We also offer a full service from coordination to exhibition for events and trade shows for a certain period.
The rental art pieces are provided by artists and social welfare organizations, and out of the monthly fee of 5,500 yen, 1,500 yen is returned to the artists through social welfare organizations.
For special exhibitions, we may create original works based on company orders, and for the monthly subscription, we provide one piece every three months.
Upon request, users can select their preferred pieces from the available options, but generally, we ask them to leave the selection to us to ensure a balanced distribution.
2. Who is Yuki Sawada?
Ms. Sawada has loved drawing since childhood, valuing her sensitivity and imagination. However, she struggled with verbal communication, facing difficulties in social life.
As she deepened her interactions with friends from various fields, she began to realize that relying solely on sensory communication was insufficient to convey her thoughts.
She discovered that expressing herself through her art, in a way that supplements words, is also a form of communication.
Ms. Sawada speaks of the charm of art as the ability to create the scenery she wants to see by combining things that move her heart.
Let's delve into the roots of Ms. Sawada.
2-1. Background and Achievements
[Background]
- Born in Niigata Prefecture, Yuki Sawada
- Studied abroad in Ohio, USA, during her second year of high school
- Graduated from Ritsumeikan University, majoring in International Marketing in the Faculty of Business Administration
- Worked in a trading company related to shipbuilding and plants, and a sealing manufacturer after graduation
- Developed an interest in social activities through NPO work in 2018, becoming the representative of "Miroku Yugafu"
- Engages in activities to learn from the unique sensibilities of art by people with disabilities and deepen relationships between people
- Held the "Borderless Art Exhibition" at Genkichoan Ginza Main Store from April 18 to May 28, 2023
2-2. The Trigger for Turning the Sensibilities and Characteristics of People with Disabilities into Value
Fukuoka: What was the trigger for Ms. Sawada to focus on art by people with disabilities?
Sawada: There are several triggers, but first, when I saw their art, I felt it was very innovative and unexpected. Although some works are on the market, they are recognized and developed only in a limited scope, so I felt potential for the future, which was one of the triggers.
Additionally, I noticed companies that are pioneers in developing rental art services for general artists. Seeing the growth of this business, I wanted to promote the charm of enjoying art by people with disabilities through rental art.
As seen from the fact that admission fees to Japanese art museums are higher compared to overseas, opportunities to engage with art are not as abundant in Japan as in other countries.
Therefore, through the rental art business, we aim to create a society where more people can easily engage with art.
As mentioned earlier, art by people with disabilities has unexpected elements and a freedom that is not taught by anyone. I believe the power to question conventions and existing norms is also a value of art by people with disabilities, and I want to promote these charms as well.
2-3. Supporting Artists' Independence through the Rental Art Business
Fukuoka: How does renting out art pieces support artists?
Sawada: One form of independence support is that the rental fee for each art piece is returned to the artists.
Additionally, for the artists, having their art seen by many people creates opportunities for social interaction and expands their avenues for self-expression, which is another form of activity support.
Depending on the severity of their disabilities, some people receive welfare benefits like social assistance, while others seek social connections but find it challenging to do so alone.
As a future challenge, we aim to prepare a system where the funds obtained from the rental art business can be effectively utilized to respond to various needs, such as independence support or activity support, through the rental art business.
Fukuoka: What impact or change do you hope to bring to artists and society through activity support?
Sawada: Artworks often vividly express the inner world and emotions of the
