21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa offers educational programs for audiences of all ages, from small children to adults. As a museum that collects and exhibits contemporary art, the Museum endeavors to develop programs that give participants experiences of lasting value and opportunities to think about art in contemporary society.

Along with artist talks, lectures by art experts, and gallery talks by the lead curators of its exhibitions, the Museum offers wide-ranging programs that supplement the exhibition currently in progress. For Collection Exhibitions, audio guides providing artwork commentary are often available (Japanese only).

A variety of art programs for children are underway in Kids Studio, primarily on Saturdays and holidays, under the title, “Hands-on Marubi.” They include workshops for viewing and creating art and a playroom for playing with shapes, as well as programs in which adults can participate along with their children. Through these programs, the art museum transcends its role as a place for experiencing artworks and becomes a place for free self-expression and exchange with other participants.

The Art Library offers reference materials related to contemporary art and numerous art-related genres, including architecture, fashion, film, photography, design, and dance. The Library has a special corner for reference materials related to the exhibition currently in progress, in order to enable a deeper appreciation of the works displayed. Also featured is a unique exhibition-related program called “Let’s Read Picture Books,” employing picture books to involve participants more deeply in the exhibition.

Launched by the Museum in 2007, the Kanazawa Youth Dream Challenge Art Programme provides young people with opportunities to build character through active participation in art creation. It is modeled on “Zon Moderna,” an outreach program for youth in their late teens crafted by Moderna Museet, Stockholm. At 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, the Programme is being implemented in the form of long-term art exhibitions that enable young people to work side by side with artists.

The Museum undertakes education programs in conjunction with institutions of learning in Kanazawa. They include the “Museum Cruise,” in which fourth-grade pupils are invited from each elementary school in turns and view Collection Exhibitions together with volunteers, and “Marubi Art School,” in which the Museum joins with schools and actual artists in creating a program for pupils. These programs are aimed at exposing children to diverse perspectives on the world through their experience of artworks.

The Museum is fostering volunteers from the perspective of continuing education, as an integral part of its education programs. The content and schedule of activities vary from project to project, and volunteers are free to participate in response to their own interests and needs. Through their participation in exhibitions and art projects, volunteers receive occasions for deepening their own enjoyment of art, while providing valuable assistance in the production of artworks.