Culture Ministry to up support for art entities under 'K-Art Festival'

The Culture Ministry will take the lead in combining Korea's major art events slated for September and promoting them nationwide under the "K-Art Festival" umbrella, according to the culture minister on Monday.

Culture Minister Yoo In-chon said the ministry will step up its support to foster collaboration between major players in the art world, including the organizers of biennales, museums and commercial art fairs.

“(Declaring cooperation) is the first step in forging collaboration between different art entities and exhibition organizers to grow Korean art. It is also the beginning of introducing Korean art globally,” said Yoo during a press conference at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea in Seoul on Monday.

Yoo was joined by the officials from the Gwangju Biennale, the Busan Biennale, Frieze Seoul and the Galleries Association of Korea.

What differentiates this year’s K-Art Festival from last year’s K-Art Week is that the ministry is taking the lead in supporting art entities and exhibition organizers to sync up their events and schedules.

Starting with the Busan Biennale in August, the Korean Art Week will take place from Sept. 1 to 11, with the 15th Gwangju Biennale taking the baton from Sept. 7 to Dec. 1.

These two exhibitions will offer a discount ticket at 23,800 won so visitors can use one ticket for both art shows. For ticket holders, a separate discount will be available at the Leeum Museum of Art and Seoul Arts Center.

Seoul Art Week, led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be held from Sept. 2 to 8, to showcase the global event, Frieze Seoul (Sept. 4-7), and Kiaf Seoul (Sept. 4-8).

Following the launch of Frieze in Korea in 2022, calls have been growing on local art entities to use the opportunity of the world's leading commercial art fair to promote Korean art globally.

This year's Frieze Seoul will bring together 120 galleries from across the world at COEX in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The Kiaf Seoul art fair will be held at the same venue.

“It is our first time to bring together key art entities from different regions to facilitate conversation and collaboration on the major art events scheduled for this year,” an official from the Culture Ministry told The Korea Herald.

“We will announce a more concrete plan, such as issuing a map that introduces must-visit art destinations outside of Seoul."