The performing-arts world in Tokyo seems to flourish in spring, with numerous (and similarly named) events taking place within the city. The Tokyo arts crowd is spoiled for choice with the Theater/Festival (formerly The Tokyo International Arts Festival), The Tokyo Performing Arts Festival and Tokyo Performing Arts Market being held almost simultaneously at venues dotted across the metropolis.

TPAM differentiates itself from the other events by providing an opportunity to network and meet some of the people who help make Tokyo, in cultural terms, one of the world's most important and vibrant cities. Held from March 4 to 7, the market, now in its 13th year, is a hub at which experienced and emerging artists can meet with arts programmers and industry professionals at presentations, conferences and scheduled productions.

The emphasis of TPAM is "to establish the notion of the 'presenter' in Japan and Asia, where the idea has not really been clear," says Hiromi Maruoka, the event's director, in an e-mail interview. "Presenters are people who mediate between a work and audience. . . . I hope that TPAM becomes a platform where presenters play the leading part, exchanging information to connect works and audiences internationally, and create opportunities for the birth of new performing arts."