What Makes Art Collaboration Kyoto Different From Every Other Art Fair

Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) is a leading Japanese contemporary art fair that prioritizes partnerships over traditional models. Unlike the standard concept of galleries operating in isolation, ACK is built on collaboration through two main categories: Gallery Collaborations, where a Japan-based “host” gallery shares its booth with an international “guest” gallery for a unified exhibition; and Kyoto Meetings, acurated section featuring artists and works with direct cultural or historical connections to Kyoto. Its last iteration—held  from November 14–16, 2025 at the Kyoto International Conference Center—was named “2050 — Gaze Toward the Future,” focusing on resilience, sustainability, and long-term thinking, welcoming 72 galleries from 19 countries and 28 cities. It was the fair’s largest presentation to date.

ACK’s Program Director, Yukako Yamashita, who has led the fair since 2022 and recently stepped down from her role, shared with Whitewall how an array of public programs, off-site exhibitions, and residency partnerships with institutions such as Bangkok Kunsthalle form its identity. 

Inside Art Collaboration Kyoto

WHITEWALL: Art Collaboration Kyoto was conceived around a “collaboration-first” model—a rarity among international art fairs. How has this structure reshaped the relationships between Japanese galleries and international ones?

YUKAKO YAMASHITA: From the beginning, collaboration at ACK was never about collaboration for its own sake. I believe everything must begin with purpose. When a sense of purpose is shared, relationships become healthier and more sustainable. Simply placing galleries side by side does not create meaning. What matters is intentional collaboration—collaboration that exists for a clear, positive reason.

When collaboration is purposeful, it does not dilute identity; it amplifies it in a natural and constructive way. Each gallery becomes more legible through the presence of the other, and rather than being constrained, both practices gain clarity and strength. This belief has guided the “collaboration-first” structure of ACK from the very beginning.

By asking galleries to share space, responsibility, and dialogue, the fair encourages a shift away from competition and toward open, generative understanding. This process of cultural translation—learning how different histories, value systems, and exhibition practices operate—is essential to building relationships that are not only international, but also healthy and enduring. Without this, exchange risks remaining superficial.

This kind of mutual understanding is what enables long-term support for artists. When galleries understand one another deeply, they can move beyond short-term transactions and work together in ways that sustain artistic practices over time. In this sense, collaboration at ACK functions not as a format, but as an infrastructure—one that supports continuity, trust, and a sustainable art ecosystem.

Art That Looks to the Future

WW: Last year’s edition’s theme was “2050 — Gaze Toward the Future,” highlighting long-term thinking, sustainability, and resilience. How did those ideas influence programming decisions?

YY: It was not conceived as a prediction, but as an invitation to pause and reflect. Contemporary art, for me, is a mirror of the time we are living in, and the theme emerged from a desire to make our present moment more visible—socially, emotionally, and culturally.

One layer of the theme was rooted in the present: the realities and uncertainties of 2025, from climate and economic shifts to changes in how we live and connect. Another layer was deeply connected to Kyoto, which is not only ACK’s location, but also one of its defining identities. Kyoto is a city that has long held past, present, and future in quiet coexistence. By setting our gaze toward 2050, we wanted to encourage a future that feels close and imaginable, rather than abstract or distant.

Gallery pairings were considered in terms of long-term compatibility rather than immediate impact. Artist selection prioritized practices that engage with time—whether materially, socially, or conceptually. Sustainability, for us, was not limited to environmental concerns, but extended to human relationships, knowledge transfer, and the durability of artistic ecosystems.

Kyoto itself played a central role. The city embodies a way of thinking that values continuity over acceleration. Works that engaged with Kyoto meaningfully were those that understood place not as a backdrop, but as a collaborator with its own agency and memory.

Another reason the year 2050 felt significant is its sense of rhythm. From the year 2000 to 2025 marks a quarter century—a moment that naturally invites reflection on what kind of era we have lived through, and how that experience might inform the next twenty-five years. In Kyoto, where family businesses and cultural practices often shift generations around similar time spans, this sense of cyclical renewal feels especially tangible. I see similar transitions beginning within the art world today, and the theme became a way to gently acknowledge that moment of change.

Ultimately, I hoped the theme would allow art to function as a lens—one through which we can better see the complexity of our present, and from there, begin to imagine the future with a little more clarity, openness, and care.

Contemporary Art, Historic City

WW: Kyoto Meetings has become one of ACK’s most distinct sections, grounding the fair in the city’s cultural DNA. How do you balance and honor Kyoto’s history while supporting contemporary artists?

YY: For me, Kyoto’s history is not something external; it is a living system. I grew up in a family that has sustained cultural practices centered on the tea ceremony in Kyoto for nearly two centuries. As a result, tradition was never something fixed or nostalgic. It was always something adjusted, interpreted, and continually re-evaluated.

Kyoto Meetings was conceived from this sensibility. Rather than asking artists to simply “respond” to Kyoto, the program encourages contemporary artists to enter into an equal relationship with the city—its rhythms, materials, and social codes. In this context, history is not an obstacle to contemporary practice; it becomes a framework that sharpens artistic intention.

I hope that, as in Olafur Eliasson’s solo presentation within Kyoto Meetings, the sensibilities and aesthetic values that have endured in Kyoto over time can enter into a kind of chemical reaction with an artist’s unique identity. When that happens, the city can offer new inspiration and insight—not only for individual works, but for an artist’s practice as a whole.

To support contemporary artists, in my view, is to entrust them with the weight of history while also granting them the freedom to challenge it. It is precisely this productive tension that keeps Kyoto a living city rather than a preserved one.

Exhibitions in Unexpected Places

WW: ACK’s off-site exhibitions—many in temples, machiya, and historic villas—extend the fair beyond the convention center and into urban space. Are there any recent or upcoming off-site projects that you feel capture ACK’s curatorial ambitions?

YY: Many of ACK’s off-site exhibitions remind me of how I first encountered art—embedded in everyday life rather than confined within institutional settings. I believe that when both historical and contemporary works share a high level of quality, they can coexist without being divided by time. Instead, they offer one another new perspectives, strengthening the value of both. What matters most is a universal sense of quality that transcends nation, era, or category.

Some of the historic buildings we use in Kyoto are spaces that are normally not open to the public. I believe that art and culture should be accessible to everyone. In this sense, presenting art during ACK in these otherwise closed cultural sites allows us to open their doors—through the power of art—and share their beauty with a wider public. This approach resonates deeply with ACK’s overall program and curatorial philosophy.

These spaces are never neutral. They contain memory, patterns of use, and accumulated time. When contemporary works enter them successfully, they do not compete with history; rather, they recalibrate our attention. They allow us to experience past and present simultaneously, without hierarchy.

It is precisely this dialogue across centuries that embodies ACK’s curatorial ambition: to create conditions in which multiple temporalities—local and global, historical and future-oriented—can coexist with dignity.

WW: With initiatives like ACK Talks, ACK Kids’ Programs, and the launch of the Bangkok Collaborate Kyoto Fellowship, ACK operates as a year-round platform rather than a once-a-year fair. How do you think these programs contribute to the sustainability of Japan’s art ecosystem?

YY: When I got assigned as the role of ACK’s fair director, one of my first initiatives was to establish an Education Team within the ACK office. This team oversees programs such as ACK Talks, ACK Kids’ Programs, and the Bangkok Collaborate Kyoto Fellowship. I felt strongly that for Japan’s art ecosystem to be sustainable, three elements are essential: continuity, education, and people.

These initiatives expand ACK from being a place that simply presents art into a platform that actively cultivates it. At a time when the contemporary art market and art fairs globally are undergoing a period of transition, they also position ACK as one possible blueprint for the future of art fairs—one that values experiences that remain memorable, meaningful, and formative.

ACK Talks foster a shared language across disciplines; children’s programs nurture curiosity and self-confidence from an early age; and the fellowship enables long-term international cultural exchange without requiring permanent displacement. Each initiative addresses a different layer of the ecosystem, but together they create a sense of continuity that extends well beyond the fair itself.

For me, sustainability means ensuring that not only artworks, but also people, are able to carry culture forward to the next generation. Without translators, producers, educators, and critical thinkers, even the most outstanding artistic practices cannot endure. These programs are our way of investing in that human infrastructure.

A Look at Bangkok Collaborate Kyoto Fellowship

WW: Can you tell us more about the Bangkok Collaborate Kyoto Fellowship, which launched last year?

YY: Bangkok Collaborate Kyoto Fellowship (BCK Fellowship) was born out of a shared commitment to long-term, international support for artists. It represents a new model of collaboration between an institution and an art fair—two sectors that have often operated in parallel, and sometimes in separation, within the art world. We believe that crossing these boundaries is essential for building a more resilient and sustainable cultural ecosystem.

The fellowship was jointly launched in 2025 by Bangkok Kunsthalle, a new cultural institution established in Bangkok in 2024, and Art Collaboration Kyoto. All artists participating in ACK 2025 are eligible for consideration. In addition to financial support, selected fellows are offered opportunities for a residency and an exhibition in Bangkok. Through sustained engagement with a different cultural context, the program aims to broaden artistic perspectives and open new possibilities for creative practice, rather than focusing solely on short-term outcomes.

In its inaugural year, 2025, the fellowship was awarded to two artists: Takuro Tamayama (ANOMALY) and WangShui (kurimanzutto).

The jury for the BCK Fellowship consisted of Marisa Chearavanont (Founder and Chair, Bangkok Kunsthalle), Stefano Rabolli Pansera (Director, Bangkok Kunsthalle), Hiroshi Sone (Artist), and myself, in my capacity as Fair Director of Art Collaboration Kyoto.

WW: How would you characterize the current Japanese art landscape, especially as more Japanese artists and galleries engage with global circuits, yet remain rooted locally? Any strengths, challenges, or pressures?

YY: The Japanese art scene possesses extraordinary technical skill and depth. Japanese artists continue to play a highly visible and influential role on the global stage—from figures such as Yayoi Kusama, Takashi Murakami, and Yoshitomo Nara, to a younger generation including Yu Nishimura, Genta Ishizuka, and Takuro Kuwata. One of the greatest strengths of Japanese art is its sense of consistency.

This consistency is supported by a strong foundation in traditional craftsmanship, advanced techniques, and a rigorous system of art education, which together cultivate a consistently high level of artistic quality. At the same time, there remain challenges related to internationality, business capability, and visibility—factors that are essential for sustained growth within the global art market.

The issue is not a lack of talent, but the absence of sufficiently developed systems of translation that connect local contexts with global platforms. Japan urgently needs to nurture professionals who can actively support artists on an international level. Equally important is developing people and infrastructures capable of connecting international artists and art professionals with Japan’s local scenes on equal terms.

This requires a new kind of cultural intermediary—individuals with bilingual and bicultural fluency, international business competence, and a deep, lived understanding of Japan. When such systems function effectively, Japanese artists and galleries can engage globally without losing their local grounding.

Ultimately, the future of Japan’s art ecosystem depends on whether public institutions, the private sector, and academia can work together to cultivate the people and structures capable of sustaining this balance.

WW: Earlier this spring, you stepped down from your role. What do you hope your tenure has made possible?

YY: I have always believed that Japanese art and culture possess a richness and depth that are truly unparalleled. For many years, my focus has been on expanding a sustainable art market that connects Japan’s contemporary art scene with the world on equal terms.

When I accepted the role of leading ACK in 2022, I saw it as an opportunity to work together with the Kyoto-based community to explore a new model for an art fair—one that moves beyond conventional commercial frameworks and places greater emphasis on sustainability, depth, and long-term cultural value. What makes ACK distinctive is that artists, galleries, collectors, corporations, and public institutions come together as equal partners to create a shared platform. I believe that, thanks to the generosity and trust of many people, we have been able to establish a strong foundation for that ecosystem.

Coming from a family lineage, I am acutely aware that leadership is always provisional. You inherit something, you care for it, and then you pass it on. My hope is that ACK has helped establish collaboration not as a theme, but as a durable structure—one that prioritizes relationships over spectacle, and long-term continuity over short-term success. If the fair has contributed to a deeper focus on human capital, mutual trust, and institutional resilience, then I feel my role has been meaningful.

Through my role as Fair Director of ACK, if I have been able to raise international attention toward Japan’s art scene—even in a modest but meaningful way—then I feel I have accomplished one of the core goals I set for myself at the outset.

On a personal level, I tend to move forward once I feel that an initial intention has been fulfilled. For me, leadership is not about holding a position indefinitely, but about creating momentum, establishing purpose-driven structures, and knowing when it is time to pass the baton so that new perspectives can take over.

WW: Where will you be heading after ACK?

YY: I see this moment as a transition toward a broader and more structural engagement with culture. Through my company, YMKY Inc., I will continue working toward a sustainable future for art and culture—across education, institutions, and cross-sector collaboration—while helping to create new circulation within Japan and across Asia.

Through my past experiences, I have come to feel that only in recent years has Japan begun to share, across both the public and private sectors, a deeper understanding of culture not only as heritage, but as an industry with social and economic scale. While artists and works of global caliber certainly exist, the ongoing challenge lies in nurturing the people and systems that support them—those who can translate value, connect local contexts with global platforms, and carry culture forward to the next generation.

At YMKY Inc., my focus will be on cultivating this human capital and infrastructure. Drawing on my background in the international art market and education in art business, I aim to bridge Kyoto’s cultural heritage with global perspectives, while working beyond rigid distinctions between contemporary art, classical art, and craft. These categories were never separate for me, and I believe their coexistence is one of Asia’s greatest strengths.

I believe, key to building a more resilient and interconnected art ecosystem. Stepping down is not an ending, but a recalibration. I will remain deeply committed to the long-term vitality of Japanese art and culture, and I look forward to supporting its future from a new position.

WW: What can we expect from this year’s edition?

YY: As 2025 is my final year as Fair Director, my focus was less on leaving a personal signature and more on strengthening the underlying structures—so that ACK can remain flexible, responsive, and open to renewal in the years ahead.

Rather than bringing something to a conclusion, my intention was to leave space. Space for dialogue to continue, for new voices to emerge, and for future teams to shape the fair in ways that respond to their own moment. Looking ahead to 2026, I sincerely hope the next team will feel free to experiment, take risks, and allow the fair to evolve through their own initiatives. I am very much looking forward to the transformations that such freedom can bring.

On a personal level, I also hope that ACK will continue to position contemporary art within Kyoto’s lived environments—not as something placed on top of the city, but as something that exists in dialogue with it. At the same time, I believe it is important for the fair to maintain a sense of continuity while remaining alert to the rapid changes shaping our society. My wish is that ACK continues to sense emerging currents early, to imagine what lies ahead, and to act as a platform for positive transition within the contemporary art landscape.

WW: You were born into a family that has run a tea ceremony utensil business in Kyoto since 1847, spanning six generations.  How did that shape you?

YY: Growing up within a family business that has been sustained over such a long span of time, a long-term perspective became something I absorbed almost instinctively. My earliest experiences were shaped by Japanese craftsmanship, and for me, art was never something exceptional or distant. Contemporary art, classical art, and craft were not divided into rigid categories—they were simply part of everyday life.

Hanging scrolls, vessels made by artists, and handmade objects were used naturally in our daily routines. We often spoke about fine art at home, and being surrounded by creative practices from an early age made my path into the art world feel less like a conscious decision and more like a natural continuation of who I am.

From this upbringing, I learned that culture does not survive through preservation alone. It endures through continuous judgment, reinterpretation, and responsibility. When you inherit something that has lasted nearly two centuries, you understand that your role is temporary. Your task is stewardship—ensuring that what you pass on remains meaningful for the next generation.

Because of this, I naturally approach my work with the understanding that its value may not be immediately visible. What matters to me is contributing, even in small ways, to building a society that will be better for future generations. This way of thinking has directly shaped my approach to Art Collaboration Kyoto, particularly its commitment to nurturing the next generation and creating structures that extend beyond the present moment. It underpins my belief that culture should not be isolated or frozen in time, but lived, questioned, and carried forward with care.