Art Fair ACK 2026 Ran Until November 9 at the Kyoto International Conference Center, with 63 Galleries from Japan and Abroad

The art fair “Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK)” was open to the public in Kyoto from Saturday, November 7 to Monday, November 9, 2026. The venues were the Kyoto International Conference Center (Sakyo-ku, Kyoto) and elsewhere, and it was organized by an executive committee including Kyoto Prefecture. A total of 63 galleries from 18 countries and regions, 31 from Japan and 32 from abroad, took part, 18 of them for the first time. Its concept is “collaboration,” connecting Japan and abroad, the public and private sectors, and more.

A Kyoto art fair built on “collaboration”

The organizer is the ACK Executive Committee, made up of Kyoto Prefecture, the Contemporary Art Dealers Association of Japan, the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry and others. 2026 is its sixth edition. The official website bills it as one of Japan’s largest art fairs specializing in contemporary art.

Its management structure has also changed this year, moving to a seven-member co-direction system, the “Leadership Committee.” Rather than setting a single theme, the framework emphasizes the distinctive character of each program. In response to an increase in applications for large booths, it is also trying a spatial design that lets visitors experience the character of each booth.

What galleries and works can be seen?

In the central “Gallery Collaborations” section, Japanese galleries host overseas galleries as guests and share a single booth. Fifty-two galleries take part in 25 booths. For example, TARO NASU (Tokyo) teams up with Hauser & Wirth (Zurich), and NANZUKA (Tokyo) with Jeffrey Deitch (New York). Tokyo Gallery + BTAP (Tokyo) and Gallery Hyundai (Seoul) also share a booth.

Eleven galleries take part in “Kyoto Meetings,” which introduces artists and works connected with Kyoto. They include SCAI THE BATHHOUSE, ShugoArts and Perrotin from Tokyo, as well as Mendes Wood DM from São Paulo. Timothy Hawkinson Gallery from Los Angeles is participating for the first time.

Outside the booths, the curated exhibition “ACK Intersections” is held, renamed from the former “Public Program.” The guest curator is Leonardo Bartolomeus of the Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM].

The theme is “Beyond the Boundaries.” Works by Ernesto Neto, Teppei Kaneuji, Emi Otaguro, Shota Suzuki and others are placed in the Event Hall, the New Hall and their surroundings. The works on display can also be purchased.

Talks and related programs

In the New Hall, the talk program “ACK Talks” is held on all three days of the fair. From 13:00 on Saturday, November 7, the talk “Cities That Nurture Culture: Thinking from Kyoto About Culture, Architecture and the Public” features Takatoshi Nishiwaki, Kazuyo Sejima and others. An artist talk by Arthur Jafa is scheduled from 15:00 on Sunday, November 8. Participation is free (admission to the fair required separately), with no reservation required on a first-come, first-served basis on the day, and simultaneous interpretation is provided.

The “Pommery Prize Kyoto,” run with Champagne Pommery since 2023, invites young Kyoto-based artists to Reims, France. The “BCK Fellowship,” run with Bangkok Kunsthalle, offers a winner selected from among the exhibiting artists the opportunity of a residency in Bangkok.

Tickets, prices and access

Tickets are sold online only. Prices (including tax) are 3,000 yen for a general advance ticket (until November 6), 3,500 yen for a same-day ticket and 6,000 yen for a three-day pass. Student tickets for university and high school students cost 1,000 yen, and junior high school students and younger are free. Sets with the Kyoto City Transportation Bureau’s one-day subway pass and others (150 sets only, cash only) are also available at subway information centers and elsewhere.

The fair is open from 12:00 to 19:00 on November 7 and 8 and from 11:00 to 17:00 on November 9, with last entry one hour before closing. The venue is a 5-minute walk from Kokusaikaikan Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line. A free shuttle bus also runs via the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, Ace Hotel Kyoto and other stops.

Editor’s perspective

What distinguishes ACK is its format in which Japanese galleries host overseas galleries and share a single booth. The 18 galleries announced in June as first-time participants are all from overseas. The pairings of Japanese and overseas galleries are themselves a highlight.

The fair overlaps with the second half of Art Week Tokyo (November 4–8). At the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, one of the shuttle bus stops, “Zen and Ghibli” is on. If you plan to combine the fair with exhibitions in Kyoto, our guide to autumn and winter 2026 exhibitions in Kansai is also a useful reference.

Overview

Name: Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK)
Dates: Saturday, November 7 – Monday, November 9, 2026 (Friday, November 6 is a preview for invited guests and the press only)
Hours: Saturday, November 7 and Sunday, November 8, 12:00–19:00; Monday, November 9, 11:00–17:00 (last entry one hour before closing)
Venues: Kyoto International Conference Center (Event Hall, New Hall) and others
Address: Takaragaike, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Access: 5-minute walk from Kokusaikaikan Station on the Kyoto Municipal Subway Karasuma Line
Admission: Advance ticket 3,000 yen (until November 6), same-day ticket 3,500 yen, three-day pass 6,000 yen, student ticket (university and high school students) 1,000 yen, junior high school students and younger free (all including tax; sold online)
Organizer: Art Collaboration Kyoto Executive Committee (Kyoto Prefecture, Contemporary Art Dealers Association of Japan, Japan Contemporary Art Promotion Association, Culture Vision Japan Foundation, Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau)
Official website: https://a-c-k.jp/
*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: Ernesto Neto, “Ritual dance,” 2026, © Ernesto Neto, Courtesy of Tomio Koyama Gallery, photo by Kenji Takahashi (from a press release by Kyoto Prefecture)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on materials released by the organizers, including Kyoto Prefecture (June 24, 2026), and information on the official website.

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team