Shift from 'Viewing' to 'Buying' in Nakanojo: Art Fair NAKANOJO 2026 Opens June 13 in the City Visited by 500,000 Art Fans

The Art Fair NAKANOJO Organizing Committee will hold 'Art Fair NAKANOJO 2026' from June 13 (Sat) to June 21 (Sun), 2026, at the former Hiromori Brewery in Nakanojo Town, Gunma Prefecture.

Official Website: http://artfairnakanojo.com/

Nakanojo: The City of Art Nakanojo Town, located in the northwestern part of Gunma Prefecture, hosts the international contemporary art festival 'Nakanojo Biennale' every two years, which has continued for 20 years. In 2025, it marked its 10th edition, recording a total of 500,000 visitors during the event period.

Following the Biennale, more artists are moving to the town, opening their own ateliers and art spaces, drawing attention to Nakanojo as a 'City of Art.'

Origins of Art Fair Nakanojo The fair began in 2024, led by artists who moved to the region from outside the prefecture. In the previous iteration, approximately 500 works were sold. The fair creates a mechanism where the community nurtures artists and art revitalizes the region.

[37 Artist Groups Participating This Year] The fair will feature various works, including paintings, sculptures, performances, and live painting. Events such as talk sessions and art introduction consultation sessions will be held. Additionally, there will be special exhibitions and sales of works by the late Stan Anderson and Shin Mitsunashi.

<Featured Artists> - Yuji Nishijima: Known for delicate copper wire sculptures. Serving as the fair's organizing committee chair. - Satoru Mizuno: Pursuing reality in painting. - Stan Anderson: Known for experiential installations using natural materials. Passed away in 2015. - Shin Mitsunashi: Modern artist. Passed away in 2025.

[Highlights] The venue, a renovated brewery founded in 1885, provides a space where history and contemporary art resonate.

[Events] 1) Talk Events - 'Places Created by Artists': June 13 (Sat), 18:00–19:30 - Featuring: Emi Aida, Yuji Nishijima, Tamaki Mikita, Mimi, Kazuyuki Miyamoto, Takako Yamaguchi, and others. 2) Art Introduction Consultation Sessions - June 16 (Tue) & 17 (Wed), from 13:00, 14:00, and ongoing.