The first artists to arrive for WMDF 006, Alex & Jan Grant, of Toozalii International Community Arts, are pictured below enjoying some Japanese green tea at Future University Hakodate (FUN). They will be running two workshops at FUN’s  “Open Campus” on Sunday Aug 4, as part of WMDF’s Outreach program. WMDF 006 is revving up!

Behind the Information Center at the WMDF’s main gate, there is a “Drop-in Workshops and Kid’s Area”. This year, we have a special first-time production by designer Yasushi Harada: you can express something about your experience of our event by making a simple drawing.

The images made by many people to illustrate their impressions or their favourite WMDF locations will be collected together and displayed on a large folding screen with a background of Hakodate City. Many people’s experiences of many different Hakodates will be gathered together in one display. (This workshop is part of WMDF’s “Outreach” Program: Harada-san is also a professor at Future University Hakodate).

The workshop is on the final day only (Sat Aug 10). Anyone from adults to children can take part, so please come along and be a part of starting a new tradition.

With regret, we have to announce that due to circumstances beyond our control, two groups have been forced to withdraw from WMDF 006: Sogo African Traditional Music and Dance Ltd, from Ghana, and Estudiantina Ensemble, from the Netherlands. Each year, WMDF works extremely hard with fifty or more overseas groups to secure their participation. We hope you will understand that our position is difficult, since we do not have funds to cover transportation costs, so have to rely on the groups securing their own sponsorship. An updated program is in place on the Events tab in the site navigation menu.