APU 25th Anniversary Initiative | Collaboration with Heralbony and BEPPU PROJECT: Report on Experiential Event 'Art and D&I: See, Create, Think'

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), located in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, with President Yu Yoneyama (hereinafter APU), held an experiential event titled 'Art and D&I: See, Create, Think' on Saturday, June 13, 2026. In collaboration with Heralbony Co., Ltd. and the art NPO BEPPU PROJECT, APU implemented a program enabling students, faculty, staff, and local participants to experience diversity through art.

This event was part of APU's 25th-anniversary initiative, the 'Campus Art Gallery Vision.' At APU, where students from 122 countries and regions study, the university aims to further deepen D&I (Diversity & Inclusion). The initiative focuses on the nature of art, which embraces diverse interpretations, to communicate APU’s commitment to respecting all forms of difference—such as age, gender, disability, and values—and to co-create practical spaces for D&I with students and local community members.

Under this vision, APU has previously partnered with Heralbony, a creative company with the mission 'Let your uniqueness shine,' aiming to transform perceptions of disability and create new culture. Together, they have developed a 'co-creation concept' for students and society and exhibited art panels created by artists with disabilities.

As part of these efforts, APU held its first experiential event, 'Art and D&I: See, Create, Think,' with a total of 45 participants, including students, faculty, and local community members.

■ Event Highlights

【Talk Session】

At the opening talk session, Ai Saito from Heralbony Co., Ltd., who led the development of the co-creation concept, took the stage. She introduced Fumie Shimaoka, an artist whose work was featured as the key visual of the concept, while sharing Heralbony’s initiatives. Ms. Saito expressed strong resonance with APU’s message of being a university that 'turns all differences into strength.'

▼ Details of the co-creation concept: https://www.apu.ac.jp/home/artcampus/heralbony/

【Dialogue-Based Art Viewing】

During the art viewing session, participants appreciated artworks through dialogue, facilitated by Zato, a blind storyteller. Going beyond the difference of sight, participants sharpened their own ways of seeing through others’ perspectives. When one participant expressed concern about whether they had described the artwork well to Zato, he replied, 'I’m not appreciating the artwork—I’m appreciating all of you who are viewing it,' highlighting a fundamental difference in how art can be enjoyed.

【Painting Workshop】

In the painting workshop, groups of approximately 10 participants collaborated to create one artwork. Under the guidance of artist Hidekazu Kimura, participants experienced a process where they felt colors and shapes emerging from within, passed the work to others mid-creation, and completed the piece by embracing others’ expressions. This intersection of personal expression and interaction with others provided a physical understanding of what it means to 'create together.'

【Panel Discussion】

In the final panel discussion, Takeo Ieiri, Director of BEPPU PROJECT, and Norimichi Hirahara, Vice Dean of the College of International Management at APU, discussed how art can serve as an entry point to create spaces where diverse people interact. Mr. Ieiri shared examples of artists-in-residence in Beppu being naturally embraced by local residents regardless of age or gender, emphasizing art’s power to connect people and communities and to embrace diversity.

■ Future Plans

Moving forward, this project plans to hold exhibitions and create an art map, further expanding initiatives that connect the campus with the local community.

APU will continue to create learning opportunities through art and promote practical D&I initiatives where diverse individuals respect one another.

■ Program Overview

l Talk Session: 'Collaboration with Heralbony'

Speakers: Ai Saito (Business Producer, Heralbony Co., Ltd.)
Mihou Sugiyama (APU Staff)

l Experience Session ※ Participants selected one option at registration

① Dialogue-Based Art Viewing
Facilitator: Zato

② Painting Workshop

Instructor: Hidekazu Kimura (Artist)

l Panel Discussion: 'Art and D&I'

Panelists: Takeo Ieiri (Director, NPO BEPPU PROJECT)

Panelist: Norimichi Hirahara (Vice Dean, College of International Management, APU; Associate Professor)

Moderator: Hiroki Tahara (Dean of Student Affairs, Professor, College of Asia Pacific Studies, APU)

Weave, Enjoy, Connect | Campus Art Gallery Vision - Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University