The Sapporo International Art Festival 2014 (SIAF2014), an international art festival held in Sapporo, opened on July 19th. Louis Vuitton is supporting the festival as an official grand partner.

On July 18th, the day before the festival, an opening ceremony was held, inviting Sapporo Mayor Fumio Ueda, Chairman of the Creative City Sapporo International Art Festival Executive Committee, artists participating in SIAF2014, local dignitaries, and press.

This year's support will focus on the installation "Ryuichi Sakamoto + YCAM InterLab Forest Symphony in Moere Numa," which collects bioelectrical data from sensors installed on trees in Sapporo and around Japan and abroad and converts it into music. One tree from the "Louis Vuitton Forest" in Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture, is also participating as a "musician." Louis Vuitton Japan has been working with More Trees, a forest conservation organization led by SIAF2014 Guest Director Ryuichi Sakamoto, to create the Louis Vuitton Forest in 2009 and has been working on forest restoration and conservation activities ever since. Sakamoto is currently undergoing treatment for oropharyngeal cancer and is taking a break from activities, with substitutes and performances canceled.

SIAF2014 is an international art festival themed around "City and Nature," featuring a variety of projects by world-renowned artists at various locations in Sapporo, including the Red Brick City Hall. Visitors can enjoy a variety of programs, primarily contemporary art, including music, performing arts, and media art, and participate in workshops, allowing them to connect with the local community and interact with a variety of people. The festival runs until September 28th.