Beppu Contemporary Art Festival, Starting from April 11th!

(Oita Godo Newspaper, April 8^th 2009, evening paper)

 "Mixed Bathing World" 2009 which started from April 11^th in Beppu City involves a number of leading artists in the world for the first time. Contemporary art, contemporary dance, music and other forms of art will be displayed and exhibited for a period of two months. While making connection to Onsen, which is called "natural art", as a symbol of culture, the event is aimed to allow free and peaceful exchanges in Beppu, in order to promote the current city revitalization project in the city.

The sponsors of this event are Beppu City and the committee who organized this event. The purposes are: 1. To develop culture and art by inviting international artists. 2. To fuse the resources in Beppu with Contemporary art into "Art Tourism", so as to support tourism development and city revitalization. 3. To nurture human talents, and so on.

And according to the volunteer guides, there are programs that connect "Art Gate Cruise", and "Beppu Navigate", as well as workshops.

For the main programme "Art Cruise", the participants have to rely on maps and walk to Kannawa, Beppu International Tourist Centre, and other central districts. While enjoying special products from three different areas, they were actually attending what is known as "Exhibition through Tourism". They also had the opportunity to enjoy the new art works by Sarkis (France), Yinling of Joytoy (Tokyo).

Also, in Beppu, there are old empty apartements which were utilized as places of gathering. They are knowns as "Thrilling Mixed Bathing Apartment" which became the actual spots to create new products as well as to appreciate the arts, visited by nearly 100 local artists who stay for a while in Beppu.

"Beppu Dance" and "Beppu Music" are being held mainly during weekends at various places, such as central districts, central community centres, and Beppu International Tourist Port, Hachiman Choken Shrine, and some other places.

Comment: Mixed Bathing World, being one of the projects of city revitalization in Beppu City attracts people outside to come and enjoy the art exhibitions and performances, and hopefully the tourists would stay for a period of time in Beppu. This is the right timing for tourists to come to Beppu, because the Holiday Houses were just opened to public. This festival indeed could be one of the great opportunities to introduce Beppu's beauty and attraction to people outside.

Katarina Marsha Utama Nugroho

Indonesia

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, APM 3