Even with no main event, WMDF has large fixed costs every year, like storing a whole warehouse full of event paraphernalia. We couldn’t be more grateful to the sponsors who recognised this and responded to our 2020 funding call. The list of sponsors on our website is just the public face of the support we received: thanks so much for all the private contributions that also flowed in.

While the Corona outlook remains uncertain, we will still be doing what we can to pursue our “Worlds Meet” goals. This is a time for new inspirations and original solutions. We will be doing our part to keep the art alive, with events like “Moat’s Art“. Thanks for your continued support: we wish you all health and fortitude.

ご案内のとおり、芸術祭は4月7日から協賛金・寄付金を募集しております。厳しい状況を承知しておりますが、1口1万円からのご協力をお願いいたします。お申し込みはこちらのページから行っていただけます。

募集開始以降、はやくもご新規さまや個人の方々から、「Do your best!」といった励ましの声とともに、ご入金をいただいております。ありがとうございます。時期がまいりましたら、芸術祭ホームページにてご芳名を紹介いたします。

前回ご協賛いただいた皆さまには、ダイレクトメールにて申込書をお送りいたしました。早速のお申し込み、お振り込みをいただいた皆さま、ありがとうございます。そして「今年は無理だけど、来年は必ず！」とご連絡をくださった皆さま、お忙しい中ありがとうございます。

こうした反応をいただくと、芸術祭がいかに皆さまから愛されているか肌で感じます。重ねてお礼申し上げます。

しばらくはスタッフミーティングをはじめ、人と集まる事業はできそうにありません。とはいえ、オンラインシステムを使ってコアミーティングを開くなど、まだ見ぬ第013回のあり方を主催者として模索している最中です。

まずは固定費の支払いに見通しを立てたうえで、次の弾みへつなげたいと思います。皆さまのご期待に添えるようできることを重ねてまいりますので、これからも変わらぬご協力のほどお願い申し上げます。

As we announced on Apr 7, the Corona virus situation has forced us to call off our 2020 events in Motomachi Park. Sadly, this includes our “Mogu Mogu” Festival of goods and gourmet from around the world.

Although the food, beverage and catering industries are already so affected by the pandemic, our booth collaborators gave us huge understanding and warm words for next year. These people are some of the stars of our event. In these unprecedented times, we are still thinking how we could still work together this summer… In the meantime, we are giving name checks to all the booths from previous years on our WMDF Twitter account (it is in Japanese ^^).

If you see a name of a booth or a restaurant or a shop that you have used, liked, loved or maybe drunk too much at, send them a word of encouragement. It doesn’t have to be tweet, or even online. We’re sure they’d love to get old fashioned letters or postcards!

We hope WMDF’s fans can take just a little time to show their love for some of the people struggling with the economic corona hit. (Usually, at this time of year, we are sending out our MoguFes “call for participation” to potential booth owners… In this strange year, it is the customers….)

Too many booths to choose from? Shout out a “#mogufes2020” call. They will find it, and take heart!