National Museum of Art Collection Utilisation: Open Call for Partner Museums for "Collection Dialogue" and "Collection Plus" Nationwide (April 1 - June 30, 2026)
The National Art Research Center (NCAR) has launched an open call for museums nationwide to participate in two collaborative projects, "National Museum of Art Collection Dialogue" and "National Museum of Art Collection Plus," which leverage the collections of national art museums. These initiatives aim to enrich art viewing opportunities in local communities and revitalize museum exhibition and research activities.
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The National Art Research Center (NCAR, Director: Masayuki Tanaka) is launching an open call from April 1, 2026, to June 30, 2026, for two collaborative projects: "National Museum of Art Collection Dialogue" (for fiscal year 2028) and "National Museum of Art Collection Plus" (for fiscal year 2027). These projects, conducted in collaboration with museums nationwide, aim to contribute to enriching art viewing opportunities in local communities and revitalizing museum exhibition and research activities by utilizing the collections of national art museums. Additionally, the project details for fiscal year 2026 have been decided, with exhibitions to be held at a total of four museums.
The second iteration of the "National Museum of Art Collection Dialogue" for fiscal year 2026 will be held at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art (National Museum in charge: The National Museum of Western Art). This exhibition will feature the Matsukata Collection of The National Museum of Western Art, centered on French modern art collected before the war by Kojiro Matsukata, the first president of Kawasaki Dockyard in Kobe. It will be showcased alongside the Yamamura Collection of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, focusing on post-war Japanese avant-garde art collected by Tokutaro Yamamura, a collector from Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. These two collections, established by collectors with strong ties to Hyogo, will be presented together for the first time in the Kansai region.
Furthermore, for the "National Museum of Art Collection Plus" for fiscal year 2026, for which applications were invited last year, three museums have been selected: the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum (National Museum in charge: The National Crafts Museum), the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art (National Museum in charge: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto), and the Yokohama Civic Art Gallery (National Museum in charge: The National Museum of Art, Osaka). Exhibitions utilizing each museum's collection are planned.
In these projects, NCAR will bear a portion of the expenses, such as transportation costs, related to the exhibitions for "Collection Dialogue" and "Collection Plus." Through these initiatives, NCAR aims to shed new light on the collections of both the national art museums and the participating institutions, while promoting exhibitions that lead to the discovery of further attractions.
## About the National Art Research Center (NCAR) (https://ncar.artmuseums.go.jp/)
NCAR's mission is to "Connect, Deepen, and Expand Art." It continues to engage in activities that contribute to the overall enrichment of museum activities in Japan, including information gathering and dissemination domestically and internationally, promoting the use of collections, building human networks, expanding learning opportunities, and supporting artists.
## "National Museum of Art Collection Dialogue" and "National Museum of Art Collection Plus" Application Outline
### Overview for Fiscal Year 2028 (Reiwa 10)
* Application Period: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday) - June 30, 2026 (Tuesday)
* National Museum in charge for FY2028: The National Museum of Art, Osaka
The second iteration of the "National Museum of Art Collection Dialogue" for fiscal year 2026 will be held at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art (National Museum in charge: The National Museum of Western Art). This exhibition will feature the Matsukata Collection of The National Museum of Western Art, centered on French modern art collected before the war by Kojiro Matsukata, the first president of Kawasaki Dockyard in Kobe. It will be showcased alongside the Yamamura Collection of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, focusing on post-war Japanese avant-garde art collected by Tokutaro Yamamura, a collector from Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. These two collections, established by collectors with strong ties to Hyogo, will be presented together for the first time in the Kansai region.
Furthermore, for the "National Museum of Art Collection Plus" for fiscal year 2026, for which applications were invited last year, three museums have been selected: the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum (National Museum in charge: The National Crafts Museum), the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art (National Museum in charge: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto), and the Yokohama Civic Art Gallery (National Museum in charge: The National Museum of Art, Osaka). Exhibitions utilizing each museum's collection are planned.
In these projects, NCAR will bear a portion of the expenses, such as transportation costs, related to the exhibitions for "Collection Dialogue" and "Collection Plus." Through these initiatives, NCAR aims to shed new light on the collections of both the national art museums and the participating institutions, while promoting exhibitions that lead to the discovery of further attractions.
## About the National Art Research Center (NCAR) (https://ncar.artmuseums.go.jp/)
NCAR's mission is to "Connect, Deepen, and Expand Art." It continues to engage in activities that contribute to the overall enrichment of museum activities in Japan, including information gathering and dissemination domestically and internationally, promoting the use of collections, building human networks, expanding learning opportunities, and supporting artists.
## "National Museum of Art Collection Dialogue" and "National Museum of Art Collection Plus" Application Outline
### Overview for Fiscal Year 2028 (Reiwa 10)
* Application Period: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday) - June 30, 2026 (Tuesday)
* National Museum in charge for FY2028: The National Museum of Art, Osaka