“PORT OF ARTIST (POA)” is a project that supports young artists and creators across all genres, including painting, illustration, sculpture, music, video, and literature. As part of its activities, the “PORT OF ARTIST Gallery” has opened in Ebetsu, and its first official exhibition, featuring six registered artists, is currently underway. Here’s a look at the exhibition highlights and an introduction to POA, a project that young artists and creators should definitely know about.

Exhibition view (Photo courtesy of POA Gallery)

The “PORT OF ARTIST Gallery (POA Gallery)” opened in the summer of 2025 in Ebetsu's Oasa Ginza Shopping Street. Its first official exhibition, “Group Exhibition by PORT OF ARTIST Member Artists: For Now, Each in Their Own Now,” is currently being held. The exhibition features 19 diverse works, including oil paintings, pen drawings, and photographs by six artists in their early to mid-20s.

Two oil paintings by Kana Shinbayashi, who creates with an emphasis on “the pressure felt from the canvas”

A pen drawing by Seiya Abe, who creates to “capture the flowing present” (Photo courtesy of POA Gallery)

Ryo Hashizume aims to capture the air, sounds, and smells felt at the shooting location in his photographs

Naji Shioji writes, “I want to sublimate my dilemmas into my own expression”

In this exhibition, alongside the artworks, there are texts detailing the artists' current thoughts, offering a glimpse into the background of their creations. Phrases like “I'm struggling to secure a creative space after graduating from university” and “I get perplexed when asked about the meaning of my work that I can't put into words” are sure to resonate with anyone involved in creative pursuits.

Yukiko Oguro writes that she “reconstructs things seen in visions and turns them into paintings” (Photo courtesy of POA Gallery)

A scene from Ebetsu Machinaka Art Month 2023 (Photo courtesy of POA Gallery)

The “POA Gallery” is run by NPO Minato Keikaku, an organization based in Ebetsu that has long been involved in supporting young people. They began supporting young artists in 2020, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have since operated a consultation service, explored ways for artists to balance creative work with employment, held exhibitions, and created opportunities for artists to connect with one another.

The gallery plans to sell merchandise from registered artists on consignment even outside of exhibition periods

There is also a space to drink coffee, allowing visitors to relax while viewing the art (Photo courtesy of POA Gallery)

After five years of listening to various voices and refining their support system, they launched the artist-focused project “POA” in 2024. The “POA Gallery” serves as a base for consistently providing support to registered artists, such as opportunities for “exhibitions” and “sales.”

From the official POA website. There are currently 17 registered artists (as of November 2025)

The following is a quote from the official “POA” website:

A pen drawing by Mikan Matsuura, who depicts a fantastical world woven by flowers (Photo courtesy of POA Gallery)

Mikan Matsuura, a registered artist participating in the group exhibition, quoted the same passage from the POA website on her note blog, writing, “When I read this text from POA, I felt a sense of reassurance and it gave me the motivation to try even harder.”

Since artistic creation is often a solitary activity, having a support system like “POA” is incredibly important. They are always accepting applications from new artists. Masahiko Hashimoto of Minato Keikaku is present at the gallery during its opening hours, so if you're interested, be sure to visit during the exhibition. A crowdfunding page to support “POA” is also scheduled to launch soon, so don't forget to check the gallery's Instagram!