[April–October] What is "Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025"? Venues, Programs, and Ticket Info Summary
- kumiko ishigaki
- Jul 12
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 31
Starting from April 11, "Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025" kicks off.
This art festival, which began in 2022, is a large-scale event themed around "social impact," launched in conjunction with the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. It aims to promote cultural arts, stimulate the economy, and make social issues more visible.
This year, the festival will run for 186 days, from April 11 to October 13, 2025, aligning with the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and various art events will take place throughout the Kansai region.
*Note: This ticket does not grant entry to the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
What is "Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025"?
“Study: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival” is a cultural initiative designed to “study the relationships among art, people, and society,” with the theme of social impact. It aims to revitalize the economy and visualize social issues through art and culture. Since 2022, the festival has conducted three trial editions in Osaka in preparation for the 2025 Expo.
This year, it will coincide with the Osaka-Kansai Expo, with venues including the Expo site (Yumeshima), Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan (designed by Tadao Ando), Osaka International Convention Center (Nakanoshima, designed by Kisho Kurokawa), as well as areas like Nishinari and Semba.
These iconic Kansai locations will host international collaborations, featuring art projects in partnership with institutions from Germany, South Korea, and the European Union, creating global platforms for dialogue and discovery.
Over 50 Artists·Groups from 18 Countries Gather
Under the general production of Daisuke Suzuki, more than 50 artist groups from 18 countries will participate.
Participating artists include Akihito Okunaka, Atsuya Tominaga, Ron Mueck, Patricia Piccinini, Shuntaro Tanikawa, Non, and Yasumasa Morimura, among others.
Notable curators include Maximilian Letche (chief curator of "Reshaped Reality" at Osaka Culturarium at Tempozan), Kodai Kishimoto ("Re: Human – Conditions for the New Human" in the Semba area), Production Zomia / Yuto Yabumoto ("Kissa Atariya" in the Nishinari area), Yoji Sakuma ("Speculative Music / New Storytelling" in Kita), and Yasuo Nakano from the National Museum of Ethnology. Each curator will lead dynamic exhibitions across various locations.
Venues Across Osaka – From Kita to Minami
The festival spans many areas across Osaka. Below are brief descriptions of each venue:
For detailed venue introductions, please check the dedicated articles for each location.
How to Purchase Tickets
There are four types of exhibition tickets. The details of each ticket are as follows:
Exhibition Passport This ticket allows one-time entry to each exhibition venue during the festival period.
Opening Exhibition Passport (Valid from April 13 to May 6) A special ticket available only during the early phase of the festival, valid until May 6.
Art Fair Ticket (Valid from July 21 to 23) This ticket grants access to the Art Fair held from July 21 to 23, 2025.
Exhibition & Art Fair Combo Pass This pass allows entry to all exhibition venues and the Art Fair.
Ticket Outlets
Paper Tickets: Available via Ticket Pia.
E-Tickets: Available via ArtSticker (no handling fee).
Multilingual / Overseas Purchase: Available via KKday.
Additionally available at Lawson Ticket, e+, Webket, Peatix, and affiliate bookstores: Tsutaya (Kyoto, Umeda, Hirakata), KAZE ART PLANNING, and Ogaki Bookstore.
[Click here for ticket details and purchase links]
Note: These tickets do not grant access to the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
