Starbucks in artsy neighborhood wants to showcase work by local creatives.

There are a lot of Starbucks dotting the map of Tokyo, but only one of them is also an art gallery. Back in March, Starbucks Japan opened a new branch in the city’s Yanaka neighborhood, known as an enclave for artists and other creative types, and in addition to an especially stylish interior, the coffeehouse also has ample space for displaying works of art.

Like any proper art facility, Starbucks Cafe and Art Gallery Yanaka Godenzaka, as the branch is called, periodically cycles in new pieces to display, and as of September 4 it’s started its third exhibition since its opening. This one is extra special, since it’s a joint project with Tokyo University of the Arts. The public university, also known as Tokyo Geidai, is considered to be one of the finest art schools in the country, and its main campus in Ueno Park is just a 15-minute walk from the Starbucks gallery.

So while they may not be literal neighbors, Starbucks still wants to extend a neighborly sentiment by serving as the venue for an exhibition by eight students in Tokyo University of the Arts’s Department of Oil Painting 6th Laboratory creative unit. The event, titled GABE6‒Drawing as Practice, is described as “focusing on drawing as an aspect of the daily creative process” and invites guests to “enjoy the diverse artistic expression born of the exhibiting artists’ individual thoughts and inquisitiveness.”

The exhibition (which has no admission fee beyond the price of your Starbucks order) opened on September 4, the same day as this year’s iteration of Tokyo University of the Arts’ annual Geidai campus festival, so visiting both on the same extra-cultured day is an option. However, while Geidai only runs until September 9, GABE6‒Drawing as Practice will continue on through October 12, giving the student artists an opportunity to share their creations and possibly turn some coffee fans into art fans as well.

Location information
Starbucks Cafe & Art Gallery Yanaka Gotenzaka / スターバックス カフェ & アートギャラリー 谷中御殿坂
Address: Tokyo-to, Arakawa-ku, Nishi-Nippori 3-2-5
東京都荒川区西日暮里3 丁目2－5
Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Related: GABE6‒Drawing as Practice website
Source, images: PR Times
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