From 2 to 11 February 2018, a new edition of Yukiterrace is taking place in the Creative City of Media Arts of Sapporo, Japan. This year, the event dedicated to combining the power of media arts and the suggestive nature of the city’s winter, is expanding its horizon through a partnership with Linz, the Austrian Creative City of Media Arts.

Sapporo has developed an artistic synergy with the City of Linz and Ars Electronica to foster the link between creativity, media arts and public space through international cooperation in the framework of UCCN. Yukiterrace 2018 displays a brand new digital installation called “Snow Mountain” in Akapla, one of the main squares of the city center. The “Snow Mountain” is equipped with interactive hands-on set ups offering a wide range of activities around the snow, and showcasing the artworks of the Japanese artists Daiya Aida, Nozomi Watanabe and Autrian artists Domas Schwarz and Lisa Maria Bicke. A set of light balloons simultaneously forms a constellation illuminating the whole venue of the city center.

The Sapporo Yukiterrace project transforms the public space as a unique place of creativity where artists, citizens and tourists and take part to an interactive exhibition celebrating snow and lights. This event offers a creative and innovative form to enjoy the Sapporo’s harsh winter with 6 meter snowfall per year. Yukiterrace 2018 is also complementary to other local important initiatives such as the 69^th Sapporo Snow Festival – which attracts over 2 million visitors for its giant snow and ice sculptures – and the Sapporo Icicle Festival 2018.

Yukiterrace mobilizes both the City of Sapporo and the private sector and has, since its inception in 2014, significantly increased citizens' awareness of the contribution of creativity to vitalize public spaces, especially in the city center.