Alleviating Isolation Through Art Projects

Abstract

This paper discusses how the local NPO works together with excluded people in Osaka, Japan. A target of the NPO is to support to alleviate people’s isolation from the society by using arts. The NPO is Cocoroom, which gives many art workshops and events in Osaka City. Their activities are especially focused on the area called “Kamagasaki,” which is famous for lots of social problems. Many day-laborers were gathering and working there. However they’ve lost their jobs because of their aging and economic recession. And now, they get public assistance. Most of them live alone and tend to be isolated. Cocoroom tries to contact and invite them to join their activities. In this course, Cocoroom started new project, called “Kamagasaki Geijutsu-Daigaku (Art University) = Kamagei).” Kamagei provides lectures and workshops by specialists on various subjects. Cocoroom aims to make the space where people can meet and communicate through this project.