Tradition for the Future: 3rd Kyoto Craft & Design Competition 'TRADITION for TOMORROW' Announced!

The Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto; managed by the Kyoto Industrial Promotion Center) has announced the third installment of its open-call competition, 'TRADITION for TOMORROW.'

With awards including the Grand Prix (1 million yen) and the Student Division Prize (300,000 yen), the competition aims to support a wide range of challengers, from young creators to seasoned artisans. Selected works will be exhibited at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design, creating opportunities to deliver the creators' visions directly to users through initiatives like the visitor-voted 'Audience Award.' The application guidelines will be released and registration will open on Monday, August 3rd.

■ Purpose
Tradition is not merely preserving the forms of the past; it is a 'chain of creation' that constantly breathes new life into and updates itself for each generation.

This competition attempts to fuse the 'exceptional techniques' of traditional industries, polished over generations in Kyoto, with the 'free perspective' and 'sharpened aesthetic sense' of contemporary creators.

We are looking for creators who, without resting within conservative frameworks and while respecting traditional techniques, seek to reconnect them with modern lifestyles and challenge new values beyond that.

■ Background and Objectives
1. Harmony with modern lifestyles
In the modern era, where living environments and lifestyles have changed significantly, it is not easy for traditional crafts to integrate into daily life in their original forms. Excellent techniques must be redefined to breathe again as 'everyday tools' that color current life rather than remaining as 'objects for appreciation.'

2. Responding to diverse aesthetics
In a modern society where values are diverse, the required designs and functions are also multifaceted. By supporting diverse approaches based on the creator's unique sensibilities, transcending the standardized frameworks of tradition, we open up new markets for traditional industries.

3. Passing techniques to the next generation
What is most necessary to pass techniques and skills to the next generation is for that technology to be 'needed now.' Through this project, we aim to strongly back the development of new products that match market needs and build a self-sustaining ecosystem for traditional techniques to persist into the future.

■ Categories
- Artisan/Creator Division: Those involved in traditional Kyoto crafts or creators utilizing such techniques.
- Student Division: Next-generation torchbearers studying at art universities or vocational schools nationwide.

■ Overview
- Name: 3rd Kyoto Craft & Design Competition 'TRADITION for TOMORROW'
- Guideline Release: Scheduled for August 3, 2026 (Mon)
- Application Period: August 3, 2026 (Mon) - October 31, 2026 (Sat)
- Entry Fee: Artisan/Creator Division 5,000 yen; Student Division 2,500 yen (excluding tax)
- Prizes: Artisan/Creator Division Grand Prix 1,000,000 yen, Student Division Prize 300,000 yen, Audience Award 100,000 yen, etc.
- Screening/Exhibition: Works that pass the first screening will be exhibited at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design from late January to late March 2027. The second screening and public voting will take place during the exhibition period.
- Organizer: Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design (Kyoto Industrial Promotion Center)