Traditional storytellers, samurai, and people wearing chicken suits… Everything you’d expect from a slightly wacky rowboat event! With 20 live performances through July and August, it has been great to see so many artists really loving the chance to perform. Everything is easy once the performers are enjoying themselves.

Above the event itself, there is the message that the arts can still continue even in these exceptional times. There are difficulties all around us, but new solutions are possible, and maybe we can look in different ways at our surroundings to find fresh inspirations…

There are a few performance slots left for the final three days (Wed 26, Sat 29 & Sun 30). Want to take a chance to try something different yourself?

Moat’s Art was one of 14 activities selected for a WAON “Hokkaido Isan” award this year, and we were featured on NHK (national broadcaster) news:

From Aug 26, an NCV program that was filmed at the event will be part of the “Hakodate Artist Live” series broadcast by NCV:

The Moat’s Art site offers live streaming links, video digests, and more. Maintaining the arts & maintaining physical distance!

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.

Photo credits: EIGHT

Thanks to all for the first two weeks of our original summer event putting artists in rowboats on the moat in Goryokaku Park. What a variety we have already seen, from classical and opera, to folk, flute, guitar, and even costumed theatre!

Today is Aug 5, and we should all be in Motomachi Park celebrating another festival year in style. Still, on this smaller scale on the moat, we will be continuing the “meeting of worlds” tradition under the slogan “Keeping the arts, keeping physical distance”. We run every Sat&Sun before noon, and with the sunset on Wednesdays. It has been great to see all the artists thoroughly enjoying an opportunity to perform again. For schedule and also videos, check out the Moat’s Art site. We hope you stay safe, and maybe find your own floating of the boats this summer…