Design Festa Gallery
The Unique Artistic Gallery in Harajuku
Design Festa Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Tokyo, located in the Cat Street area, near Omotesando in Harajuku. All year long, its 2 exhibition halls are open to the public and display young independent artists whose original artworks have yet to become famous.
Harajuku, and especially the Cat 🐈 Street area going to Omotesando, is one of the Japanese capital’s iconic shopping district. Japanese and international fashion shops concentrate here along with kawaii food stalls and fast-food restaurants. A place stands out however: the contemporary art gallery Design Festa, a free exhibition venue displaying the artworks of young aspiring artists.
The gallery, like a small artistic village, is composed of 2 main buildings, "East" and "West," connected together by corridors and an inner courtyard. All spaces can be used for display, for every kinds of artistic expression. The facades’ walls and outdoor stairways are covered with colorful paintings, that are frequently renewed.
Aspiring artists’ space for expression
Budding artists find at Design Festa Gallery a place to express themselves and rent a couple of square meters space to display their original artworks. In total, 70 spaces are available for renting, dispatched in about 20 rooms at the ground floor and at the upper floor. The displayed artworks are of eclectic styles and cover various mediums:
- Paintings, posters;
- Sculptures and miscellaneous objects; and,
- Designers’ clothing collections.
The atmosphere of the gallery is young, laid-back, international with a community-based spirit as the creators stay during their display period to meet the public. According to the Design Festa Gallery, they receive on average more than 300 visitors a day, of which about 30% are international visitors.
The venue is also hosting nice places for a meal or a snack:
- An okonomiyaki restaurant; and,
- A café with a pleasant terrace.
This alternative and well-staged space is the perfect embodiment of Cat Street’s urban and trendy atmosphere.
The concept is being exported, with a first iteration in Paris that opened on June 1rst, 2024. The Design Festa Gallery Paris is located Quai de l’Horloge, on the central and historical Ile de la Cité at the center of the French capital.