ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) opened ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE in the CI Plaza, a commercial facility situated next to ITOCHU’s Tokyo Headquarters, in 2012, aspiring to encourage the future generation, contribute to the community and promote art and culture in Japan and abroad as part of its social contribution activities. A number of exhibitions have since been held in the space. We will celebrate our fifth anniversary on October 26 this year.

In cooperation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education (hereinafter “Board of Education”), the ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE will hold the 3rd Art Project Exhibition, titled “To the Future — Colors and Shapes that Move the Heart ” of the Tokyo Metropolitan Schools for Special Needs Education (hereinafter “Schools for Special Needs”). The exhibition will be held as an opportunity to showcase works created by students with superior artistic talent who attend the Schools for Special Needs.

The Board of Education has been promoting art education to discover and further develop the artistic talent of each student attending the Schools for Special Needs. This 3rd Art Project Exhibition is to introduce the superb talents of the students to a wider audience and to promote understanding of the disabled and their arts. This year, the exhibition will display about 50 artworks with a diverse range of themes, selected from among 813 entries received from students enrolled in 69 Schools for Special Needs in Tokyo, reviewed and judged in cooperation with the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts.

ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE has held numerous exhibitions to support people with disabilities. We hope you will visit and see the splendid artworks and feel the personality and sensibility expressed by students of the Schools for Special Needs.