Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (Hiroshima MoCA) has opened the call for entries for the second edition of its biennial open-call exhibition "Hiroshima MoCA FIVE 25/26." The deadline for submissions is July 25, 2025. The theme for this edition is "memory." Five artists or groups will be selected by the museum's curators and a special juror, Hattori Hiroyuki (associate professor at Tokyo University of the Arts and director of the Aomori Contemporary Art Centre), to create and exhibit new works with museum support. Each selected artist receives a 400,000 yen activity grant, and additional prizes of 200,000 yen will be awarded for the Hiroshima MoCA Prize and the Special Juror Prize. The exhibition runs from December 20, 2025 to March 1, 2026.
This initiative matters because it continues Hiroshima MoCA's long-standing commitment to supporting emerging and mid-career artists through a collaborative, juried exhibition model. By providing substantial financial support, curatorial guidance, and a dedicated exhibition space, the museum fosters experimental and site-specific contemporary art practice. The focus on "memory" as a theme invites artists to engage with personal, historical, or collective narratives, potentially reflecting Hiroshima's unique cultural and historical context. The program strengthens the museum's role as a vital platform for artistic innovation in Japan's regional art scene.