Introduction of us

Chief Program Officer

Ayano Takahashi

Born in Higashi Ward of Niigata City, Japan. Graduated from College of Comparative Culture, University of Tsukuba. After the graduation, I started my career at Akiha Ward Culture Center in the role of managing cultural projects. Then, given a post as a program officer in Arts Council Niigata from September 2016 (assigned from September 2016 to March 2021, and from April 2022 again). During the first assignment period, I took a five months training at ROHM Theater Kyoto in 2017 with domestic professional fellowship obtained from Japan Council of Performers Rights and Performing Arts Organizations. I love watching Sumo wrestling and comedy programs which named Shoten on TV with eating Senbei; Japanese yummy rice cracker.

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Program Officer

Ako Oura

Born in Niigata city, Japan. Got a Bachelor’s degree of International Business at Auckland Institute of Studies in New Zealand. After the graduation, I started my career at an American owned chemical company in my home town. Then, worked at The Niigata Bandaijima Art Museum, Niigata University, Niigata Industrial Creation Organization and ran a self-owned business as a millinery. Given a post as a program officer in Arts Council Niigata from April 2022. “My favorite things” are Jazz, travel and craftsmanship.

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Kenyu Paku

Born in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Paku completed a Master’s program at Osaka University Graduate School of Language and Culture. After working for the Japan Arts Council, he spent two years in Wroclaw, Poland under the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists (in the field of theater). He has been involved in the production of various performing arts as a dramaturge, with an interest in activating the various opportunities for communication there—in planning and production, the creative processes, and audience reception. He likes cooking and walking around.

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Illustration

Riku Yasunaga

Riku Yasunaga was born on 1994, lives in Agano City. He plays a part in maintaining the park,supporting agriculture,cultivating Shiitake mushrooms in Aozora sorashi-do. He is not good at talking because he has autism and intellectual disability. However he has a talent for painting human cynically, animals in pastel.Portraits which he has painted as artistical art tell us humanity of each. To paint portraits of athletes in Tokyo 2020 Olympic Paralympic Games is his dream.

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