The fourth annual Tiffany Foundation Awards were presented to two organizations in Japan on September 8, 2011. The Tiffany & Co. Foundation and the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE), established The Tiffany Foundation Award for the Preservation of Japanese Traditional Arts and Culture in Contemporary Society to recognize organizations in Japan who incorporate traditional local culture into contemporary activities, revive traditional cultural activities contributing to community revitalization and promote domestic and international exchange relating to traditional arts and culture.
The two winners are:
- Amawari Romance Society from Uruma City, Okinawa, which produces and stages contemporary versions of Kumi-odori, a traditional form of Okinawan theater with dance and song, and
- Taiguruma Revival Project from Niigata City, Niigata, a festival float in the form of a fish, constructed of bamboo and washi, revitalized by youth in the community.
As Japan rebuilds after March’s devastating events, the Foundation recognizes the timeliness of preserving the past while building for the future. In keeping with the goal of this award program, Tiffany honors the importance of cultural heritage and history through contemporary designs of timeless value.