Hiroko Shimizu is writer and publisher, currently a special researcher at Urban Research Plaza, Osaka City University.  She received her Master degree of Public Art Studies from University of Southern California.  She is interested in the relationship between arts and culture, environment, and social regeneration, and contributed to journals, recently to the ECO-ART catalogue at PORI ART MUSEUM in Finland.  She has been Vice-Chairperson of the nonprofit organization, Art & Society Research Center, publishing “Public Art Magazine”.