YPAM (Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting) is a place where professionals from various places of the world who explore the possibility of contemporary performing arts exchange through performance and meeting programs to gain information, inspiration and network for the creation, dissemination and vitalization of the performing arts. Established in 1995 as Tokyo Performing Arts Market and moved in 2011 to the “Creative City” Yokohama. Reinforced its focus on Asia and started to involve itself in Asian co-production in 2015. Having survived for more than 25 years, the event has become internationally recognized as one of the most influential performing arts platforms in Asia. Except programs that are specifically designed for professional purposes, most of the event is accessible to non-professional audiences.
Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting 2023 (YPAM2023)
Period: December 1–17, 2023
Venues: KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse No. 1, BankART Station, Soto Zen Buddhism Sojiji Head Monastery, Forum Minamiota (Gender Equality Center Yokohama South), Amazon Club, YPAM Fringe Center, Kokashita Studio Site-D, and others
Organized by: Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting Executive Committee (Kanagawa Arts Foundation; Yokohama Arts Foundation; Japan Center, Pacific Basin Arts Communication)
Co-organized by: The Culture and Tourism Bureau, City of Yokohama and the Association of Public Theaters and Halls in Japan, PASTORALE CO., LTD, Ambassade de France au Japon / Institut français du Japon
Supported by: The Saison Foundation, Association for Corporate Support of the Arts, Japan: Arts Fund for Creation of Society; “FreeWill,” Social Contribution Club of Ricoh Group in Japan
Cooperated by: BankART1929, Koganecho Area Management Center, Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau, Science Arts, Inc, YOKOHAMA CHINATOWN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, Kirin Brewery Company, Limited
Endorsed by: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, Kanagawa Prefectural Government, The Japan Foundation
History
| 1995 | Started as Tokyo Performing Arts Market (TPAM) to promote international circulation of productions. Held annually as an event consisting of booth exhibitions, showcases and exchange programs since then. |
| 2005 | Redefined itself as an event for Japanese and international professionals who engage in contemporary performing arts. Reformed the open-call official showcases into genre-specific programs curated by appointed directors. Started an open-call program “TPAM Fringe.” |
| 2008 | Hosted the first IETM Asia Satellite Meeting in Japan. Defined the event’s main objective as development of international open networks of professionals. |
| 2009 | Hosted an international meeting “Performing Arts Presenters’ Network Conference” on the theme of professional networking in Asia. |
| 2010 | Co-organized a series of showcases of participatory interactive performance “Connected” with the British Council. |
| 2011 | Moved from Tokyo to Yokohama and renamed itself as “Performing Arts Meeting in Yokohama.” In place of the genre-specific showcases, started “TPAM Direction” for which appointed directors develop concepts from scratch. Hosted the second IETM Asia Satellite Meeting in Japan. In response to the Great East Japan Earthquake and the accident of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that occurred soon after the 2011 edition, held “TPAM in Yokohama Summer Session” at Yokohama Creativecity Center. |
| 2012 | Started an international conference and performance program on the theme of the artist in residence in the performing arts. Held “TPAM in Yokohama Autumn Session” on freedom of expression and the international activity of emerging artists at Yokohama Creativecity Center. |
| 2013 | Abolished booth exhibition and shifted to “TPAM Exchange” with a focus on participants’ spontaneous, mutual communication. |
| 2015 | Started a five-year Asian focus program, exploring new models of international co-production with Southeast Asia. |
| 2016 | Co-produced «Dancing with Death» by Pichet Klunchun, «Baling» by Mark Teh and «Anomalous Fantasy_Korea Version» by siren eun young jung. Started a music program in TPAM Direction. |
| 2017 | Co-produced «BALABALA» by Eko Supriyanto. Co-hosted “Asian Dramaturgs’ Network Meeting 2017” with Centre 42. |
| 2018 | Co-hosted “Asian Dramaturgs’ Network Satellite Symposium 2018: Dramaturgy and the Political” with Centre 42. |
| 2019 | Co-produced «The Mysterious Lai Teck» by Ho Tzu Nyen, «A Notional History» by Five Arts Centre and «GE14» by Fahmi Fadzil and Zan Yamashita. |
| 2020 | Co-produced «IBUIBU BELU: Bodies of Borders» by Eko Supriyanto and «No. 60» by Pichet Klunchun. Hosted the meeting of Asia Network for Dance (AND+). |
| 2021 | Co-produced «Voice of Void» by Ho Tzu Nyen and presented its work-in-progress exhibition. Renamed itself as Yokohama International Performing Arts Meeting (YPAM). Started to reinforce the infrastructure of the fringe program and to reorganize the exchange program into a hybrid event. Commissioned «Jasmine Town» by Yang Zhen and presented its work-in-progress showing. |
| 2022 | Premiered «Jasmine Town» by Yang Zhen. Commissioned «The Japanese Ideology» by OLTA and presented its work-in-progress showing. |