Setouchi Triennale 2028 Dates Set: 117 Days over Spring, Summer and Autumn; Open Call for Works Until October 30

The dates and venues of the “Setouchi Triennale 2028” have been decided. The spring session begins on Friday, April 14, 2028, the summer session on Tuesday, July 25, and the autumn session on Friday, September 29. The three sessions total 117 days. The venues are 17 areas across the islands and coast of the Seto Inland Sea, including Naoshima, Teshima and Shodoshima. The festival is organized by the Setouchi Triennale Executive Committee, with Fram Kitagawa as general director. The open call for works for 2028 is accepting entries until 10:00 on Friday, October 30, 2026.

What are the 2028 dates? Three sessions in spring, summer and autumn

The dates announced on the official website are as follows. Each session has one closing day a week.

• Spring session: Friday, April 14 – Sunday, May 28, 2028 (45 days)

• Summer session: Tuesday, July 25 – Sunday, August 20, 2028 (27 days)

• Autumn session: Friday, September 29 – Sunday, November 12, 2028 (45 days)

The previous edition in 2025 ran for a total of 107 days, with 38 days each in spring and autumn and 31 days in summer (official website archive). In 2028, the summer session is shorter than last time, and the spring and autumn sessions are longer.

Seventeen areas: islands and ports that vary by session

Nine areas are open in all sessions: Naoshima, Teshima, Megijima, Ogijima, Shodoshima, Oshima, Inujima, the Takamatsu Port area and the Uno Port area. The venues for the spring session only are the Seto Ohashi area, the Shido and Tsuda area and the Hiketa area. The venues for the autumn session only are Honjima, Takamijima, Awashima, Ibukijima and the Utazu area.

In 2025, the Shido and Tsuda area and the Hiketa area were summer-only venues. In 2028, these two areas move to the spring session.

1.08 million visitors in 2025, and the challenges raised in the final report

The Setouchi Triennale is a triennial contemporary art festival that began in 2010. From the outset it has championed “the restoration of the sea,” aiming to bring vitality back to the islands. It also aims to make the Seto Inland Sea a “sea of hope” for all regions of the world.

The sixth edition in 2025 added the coastal areas of Shido and Tsuda, Hiketa and Utazu on the Kagawa side and was held across all 17 areas. According to the final report, total attendance was 1,084,128: 320,668 in the spring session, 282,702 in the summer session and 480,758 in the autumn session. A total of 222 artists and groups from 37 countries and regions took part, presenting 256 works and 25 events.

The same report cited as challenges the extreme crowding at certain times and places and the unprecedented summer heat. The official website does not explain how the 2028 sessions were allocated. Compared with last time, however, the schedule has a shorter summer and a longer spring and autumn.

Open call for works until October 30

The open call for works for 2028 opened at 11:00 on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The deadline is 10:00 (Japan time) on Friday, October 30, and entries can be submitted only through the official application form.

The call seeks site-specific works that can take up the nature, history, culture and daily life of the islands as themes, as well as events and performances such as music, dance and theater. Project proposals, such as plans to broaden exchange between residents and visitors, food-related projects and new developments of existing works, as well as free proposals, are also accepted.

The application fee is 1,500 yen per plan, and each artist or group may submit up to three plans. About five to ten works will be selected, and each will receive a production subsidy of up to about 2.5 million yen. Results will be announced in stages from March 2027, with the final announcement expected around autumn 2027.

Works and projects to enjoy outside the festival periods

Outside the festival periods, works are also open on designated days on each island and in each area. At the Setouchi Container Gallery at Takamatsu Port, the exhibition “touch from MOON” is being held from October 10 to November 29, 2026, open on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. On Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, the Setouchi Shojo Kagekidan (Setouchi Girls’ Opera Company) will perform “Setouchi Story: Shikoku Aquarium Edition,” with no application required.

On October 9, sales began for new courses of the official tours held outside the festival periods. In spring 2027, the Boso Triennale (Art × Mix 2027) and the SORA MIZU KU ART FESTIVAL, both also with Fram Kitagawa as general director, will be held in Chiba Prefecture. The schedules of art festivals in Japan are gathered in our art fair and art festival calendar.

Overview

Name: Setouchi Triennale 2028
Dates: Spring session: Friday, April 14 – Sunday, May 28, 2028; summer session: Tuesday, July 25 – Sunday, August 20, 2028; autumn session: Friday, September 29 – Sunday, November 12, 2028 (117 days in total; one closing day a week in each session)
Venues: Naoshima, Teshima, Megijima, Ogijima, Shodoshima, Oshima, Inujima, Takamatsu Port area, Uno Port area (all sessions); Seto Ohashi area, Shido and Tsuda area, Hiketa area (spring session only); Honjima, Takamijima, Awashima, Ibukijima, Utazu area (autumn session only)
Admission: Not announced as of October 19
Open call for works: 11:00 on Thursday, October 1 – 10:00 on Friday, October 30, 2026 (Japan time)
Organizer: Setouchi Triennale Executive Committee (Chair: Toyohito Ikeda, Governor of Kagawa Prefecture)
General Director: Fram Kitagawa
Deputy Director: Junya Yamaide
Official website: https://setouchi-artfest.jp/
*Information as of October 19, 2026. Please check the official website for the latest information.

*Top image: Terraced rice fields near the Teshima Art Museum and the Seto Inland Sea, November 2013 (photo: Fabimaru, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on information from the official website of the Setouchi Triennale Executive Committee and the “Setouchi Triennale 2025 Final Report.”

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team