ComoNe Program#02
Hello Human!

An age is arriving in which AI thinks, environments speak, and machines begin to feel.
In such a time, we find ourselves confronted once again with a fundamental question:

“What, after all, was a human being?”

Humans and AI.
Humans and nature.
Humans and other humans.
Across all these relationships, humanity has often been described as the source of various problems.

And yet, it is humans who are moved by the touch of another, who make choices even while hesitating,
who create cultures and pass them on,
who remember the past and imagine the future.
It is also humans who have built hopeful futures.

So what, truly, is the essence of being human?

For this edition of the ComoNe Program,
we invite works and projects that do not simply depict humans changing—
but that imagine ways for us to remain human, in a deeper and more resonant sense.

“Hello Human!”

is not a call to abandon humanity, nor to fully affirm it.
It is a message from a future that embraces the contradictions and richness inherent in being human.

We look forward to receiving works and projects that gently reimagine what the coming era could be.

What is ComoNe?

Common Nexus (nicknamed “ComoNe”) is a collaborative hub operated by the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System. Conveniently connected to Nagoya University Station, it opened in the summer of 2025.

It is an open, inquiry-driven space for everyone—not only students, faculty, and staff of Nagoya University and Gifu University, but also local residents, children, and visitors from the surrounding community.

Through a variety of facilities and interdisciplinary programs, ComoNe supports the creation of new forms of interaction and value, fostering connections that transcend generations and fields.

▼ Official website
https://comone.thers.ac.jp/en/

What is the ComoNe Program?

The ComoNe Program is a curated collection built around a cross-disciplinary theme, inviting works and projects from around the world.

The theme of the second edition is “Hello Human!”

A group exhibition featuring up to 10 selectees will be held in spring 2026 at Common Nexus (“ComoNe”).

Application Guidelines

How to Apply

Applications for this open call will be accepted through this AWRD platform.
All submitted information will be shared only among those involved in the ComoNe program (including staff at Loftwork Inc., contracted to support ComoNe), and will not be used for any other purpose.

Application Period

November 26, 2025 (Wed) 10:00 – January 18, 2026 (Sun) 23:59 (JST)

Eligibility

There are no restrictions on eligibility. Anyone is welcome to apply.

• Those interested in new forms of expression or inquiry
• Those interested in cross-disciplinary approaches
• Those wishing to share and communicate their project

Submission Format

All formats and genres are welcome, as long as the work or project conveys a unique and creative expression.
Examples: art, services, communities, products, research, or projects that combine multiple forms

Requirements

• You may submit as many works/projects as you wish.
• If selected as a selectee, participation in the group exhibition is mandatory.
• Works or projects that have already been publicly released are also eligible.

Process: From Application to Program Start

Selection Committee

The selection committee members will be announced at a later date.

Benefits

Up to 10 submissions will be selected for a group exhibition by the selectees.

Exhibition at ComoNe (Nagoya)

• The exhibition will run for approximately six months starting in spring 2026.
• During “COMO no ICHI,” a quarterly community event, many local companies and citizens visit the space, providing wide exposure for the works.
• Some selectees may be invited as guest speakers for related talk events.

Feature on the ComoNe website and promotion via social media

Transportation costs for shipping works for installation and deinstallation will be covered by the Common Nexus Office.
Panels and other materials required to explain the work will be produced by the Common Nexus Office.

Evaluation Criteria

This open call values the imagination required for us to be human, once again.
The selection will be based on the criteria below, along with perspectives rooted in the expertise of each committee member.

1. Reimagining and Rediscovery of Humanity

Does the work reexamine “what it means to be human” from a new angle and expand the viewer’s imagination?

2. A Future-Oriented Gaze

Does it envision a way of being human that arises not from the extension of the present, but from a perspective of the future one hopes to bring about?

3. Empathy Toward the Work/Project

Does it evoke a sensitivity that welcomes unfamiliar futures or the perspectives of others?

Ideas for Works / Projects

There are no restrictions on the field, genre, or form of the project—tangible or intangible.
Art, design, services, research, communities—any form is welcome.