NEWS

On Saturday, June 13, 2026, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) held a hands-on event titled “Art and D&I: Observe, Create, Think.” In collaboration with HERALBONY Co., Ltd. and the nonprofit art organization BEPPU PROJECT, the program brought together students, faculty, staff, and local community members to experience diversity through art.

This event was held as part of APU’s 25th anniversary initiative, the “Campus Art Gallery” project. At APU, where students from 122 countries and regions study together, the university aims to further deepen Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). The project focuses on the nature of art as a medium open to multiple interpretations, promoting APU’s commitment to respecting all forms of “difference,” including age, gender, disability, and values, while creating opportunities for students and the wider community to actively engage in D&I practices.

As part of this initiative, APU has been collaborating with HERALBONY, a creative company whose mission is “Radiate Your Colors,” working to reshape perceptions of disability and foster new cultural value. Together, they have developed a co-creation concept for students and society and exhibited art panels by artists with disabilities.

Building on these efforts, APU hosted its first hands-on event, “Art and D&I: Observe, Create, Think,” with a total of 45 participants, including students, faculty, staff, and members of the local community.

- Talk Session
The opening talk session featured Airi Fujii of HERALBONY, who was involved in developing the co-creation concept, alongside APU staff member Miho Sugiyama. They introduced HERALBONY’s initiatives and highlighted the work of Fumie Shimaoka, whose artwork was selected as the key visual for the co-creation concept. Responding to APU’s message of being a “university that transforms all differences into strengths,” Fujii expressed strong empathy and support.

▼Co-creation concept details:https://en.apu.ac.jp/home/artcampus/heralbony/

- Interactive Art Appreciation Session
In the interactive art appreciation session, participants engaged in dialogue while viewing artworks under the facilitation of Zatho, a rakugo storyteller who is completely blind. Through discussion, participants explored perspectives that transcend the distinction between seeing and not seeing, refining their own ways of interpretation through others’ viewpoints.
When one participant expressed concern about whether they had effectively conveyed the visual aspects of the artwork, Zato responded, “I am not observing the artwork—I am observing all of you as you engage with it.” His remark highlighted the fundamentally different ways in which art can be experienced and appreciated.

- Drawing Workshop
In the painting workshop, groups of approximately 10 participants collaborated to create a single piece of artwork. Guided by artist Hidekazu Kimura, participants explored the emergence of colors and shapes from within themselves, then passed their work to others during the process, receiving and incorporating others’ expressions.
Through this experience—where individual creativity intersected with collaboration—participants gained a physical, embodied understanding of what it means to “create together.”

- Panel Discussion
The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring Kensei Ieiri, Director of BEPPU PROJECT; Norimichi Hirahara, Vice Dean of the College of International Management; and Hiroki Tahara, Dean of Student Affairs. The discussion focused on creating spaces where diverse individuals can come together through art.
Ieiri shared examples from Beppu, where artists engaged in residency programs are naturally welcomed by local residents regardless of age or gender. He emphasized the power of art to connect people and communities and to embrace diversity.

Looking ahead, the project plans to further expand its initiatives by organizing exhibitions and creating an art map, strengthening connections between the campus and the local community.
APU remains committed to fostering opportunities for learning through art and promoting the practice of D&I, where people from diverse backgrounds respect and learn from one another.