Projects and Events

Closed School Projects
The decreasing of numbers of children, as well as the population's aging has led to the closing of numerous schools in Echigo-Tsumari. This edition of the Triennial transforms 10 schoolhouses into museums, accommodations and university centers with the aim of regenerating them as bases for regional exchanges and local employment.

Vacant House Projects
During the last Triennial, artists and architects regenerated vacant houses into art spaces. They are still used as a restaurant and an inn, contributing to the local economy. For the fourth Triennial, the regeneration of vacant houses continues, while seeking their owners.

Open Air Artworks
A great number of works are scattered through the beautiful countryside landscape: in rice paddies, house gardens, forests and along roads.

North-East Asia Art Village
In the Uwano community, Tsunan Town, where Cai Guo Qiang's "Dragon Museum of Contemporary Art (DMOCA)" and Kim Koohan's "Magpie's House" are located, a long-term artists-in-residence project is launched to build a network of North-East Asian artists, organizations and institutions. Every three years, an open proposal competition will be organized inviting Cai as the chairman of the jury to select young artists to create works of art in residence for ETAT.

Australia House
With great support of Asialink, the Australian Embassy and the Australia-Japan Foundation, a vacant house was refurbished into a base for cultural exchanges between Australia and Echigo-Tsumari. For this Triennial, three artists and a curator work in residence in collaboration with the Urata community.

Films
Two full-length films are produced for the 2009 Triennial. One is directed by the French artist Jean-Michel Alberola, who has shot for two years the life in all seasons in Koyamaru, where his work "Little Utopian House" is located. The other one is by Japanese young film maker Daisuke Hatanaka focusing on the declined shopping street.

Events & Performances
Amid globalization, local cultures and performances are disappearing all over the world. ETAT is a forum where a variety of events full of locality and originality come together. Events include: Green Music Festival, Cambodian Circus: Phare Pnleu Selpak, BEAT ASIA (Asian music and dance show), Bunraku (Japanese puppet show )+ Noh play "Kirishito horo shonin den".