A place for photo enthusiasts to interact. Photo event 'V photobook fair' held for high school students as well. - Featuring photo exhibitions, book fair centered on photobooks, and talk shows - [Tokyo Visual Arts Academy]

The Photography Department of 'Tokyo Visual Arts Academy' (Principal: Kanako Matsuura, located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), an entertainment innovation college established by the school corporation 21st Century Akademeia (President: Hiroshi Tasaka, headquarters in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), will hold the photo event titled 'V Photo fair' from June 11 (Thursday) to June 21 (Sunday), 2026, at Creative Space Akademeia 21 Harajuku, featuring artwork exhibitions and a book fair.

This event will include photo exhibitions by current students and graduates of the Photography Department, a book fair focusing on photobooks, and talk events.

When first held last year, it was well-received as 'a professional-level event unlike a school event' and garnered many responses as a space for photo enthusiasts to interact.

This year, the event aims to be an entry point for discovering the joy of photography, welcoming high school students attending a photo event for the first time, photography beginners, those who prefer taking photos, those who prefer viewing, and anyone who wants to interact with fellow photo lovers.

We believe that photography education involves not only learning photographic techniques but also connecting with 'the world outside oneself' through photography and finding one's own meaning and value within that. This event is held from such a perspective.

1. Four reasons why 'V Photo fair' is recommended for high school students

① Easy to attend even for first-timers because it's school-sponsored

Some people may have impressions like 'There are few photo lovers around me,' 'Photo exhibitions seem a bit hard to enter,' or 'Photobook fairs seem to have only knowledgeable people.' Since 'V photobook fair' is a school-sponsored event, it features a welcoming atmosphere with many teenage students, making it easy even for high school students to enter. It's an event you can enjoy just with a love for photography.

② You can talk with the creators

At each booth, you can not only purchase photobooks and zines but also hear directly about the background and concepts behind the works. Questions like 'How did you take this photo?', 'Why did you decide to make a photobook?', and 'What was your intention with this angle?' naturally arise, which is one of the charms of this event.

③ You can learn about 'photography careers'

When people think of photography jobs, many may imagine a 'photographer.' However, at the venue, there are people who make a living from photography in various forms: photo artists, zine artists, publishers, advertising photographers, and instructors. This event offers new discoveries like 'There are so many ways to be involved with photography.'

④ You can talk with fellow students studying photography

At the venue, there will be photo exhibitions and booths by current students and graduates of the Photography Department from Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. You can get excited talking about photography with peers, asking questions like 'What kind of classes do you have at photography school?' and 'How much did you shoot in high school?'

2. Why does the school hold a photo event?

When it comes to learning photography, people tend to focus on technical aspects such as camera techniques and expression methods. However, our Photography Department believes that photography education also plays an important role in connecting with 'the world outside oneself' and finding one's own meaning and value within that. Viewing works, discussing someone's expression, and encountering new values—these experiences themselves lead to learning that nurtures sensitivity and expression.

3. Event Overview

■ 21st Century Akademeia Visual Arts Academy Photography Department 4-School Joint Exhibition

Period: June 11 (Thursday) – June 18 (Thursday), 2026, 11:00–19:00
Closed: June 16 (Tuesday)
Venue: Creative Space Akademeia 21 Harajuku
Address: 5-27-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Arbor Jingumae 1F/2F, 〒150-0001
Admission: Free
* No reservation required, free entry and exit

■ V Photobook Fair

Period: June 20 (Saturday) – June 21 (Sunday), 2026, 12:00–19:00
Venue: Creative Space Akademeia 21 Harajuku
Address: 5-27-7 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Arbor Jingumae 1F/2F, 〒150-0001
Admission: Free
* No reservation required, free entry and exit

(Event content)
This book fair is a photobook-centered fair organized by the Photography Department of Tokyo Visual Arts Academy, a vocational school. As an event hosted by an educational institution, it aims to provide a place for 'learning' through photography. For this second edition, approximately 20 publishers and artists will gather to showcase the appeal of their works. Talk events will also be held on the second floor of the venue.

3. About Tokyo Visual Arts Academy

Tokyo Visual Arts Academy helps realize dreams in photography, video, mass media publishing, entertainment, musicians, actors, voice actors, dancers, and more. The school has over 150 active professional instructors who are at the forefront of their fields. Students can learn timely knowledge about what happened on set yesterday, teachers' experiences, and the latest know-how. Moreover, about 80% of the curriculum is practical training to foster immediate job readiness. With a curriculum directly connected to the industry and full support for employment and debut, the academy supports students who believe in their passion.

For more details, please visit the official website.

About 21st Century Akademeia: https://www.akademeia21.ac.jp

In an era where the Fourth Industrial Revolution is rapidly advancing and robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) are spreading into society, the conditions required of human resources are fundamentally changing. As a result, personnel who only learned 'knowledge' at university will not survive. Nor will those who only acquired 'skills' at vocational school. In the coming age, the individuals who will thrive by demonstrating excellent leadership in workplaces, companies, industries, and society are those who possess the 'Five Professional Abilities,' which are advanced capabilities unique to humans. 21st Century Akademeia has named such individuals 'Five Star Professionals' and developed an original practical experiential curriculum, the 'Seven Step Curriculum,' which is offered to all students.