“2024 Korea Art Festival” Unites Three Art Cities: Gwangju, Busan, Seoul
Date Apr 23, 2024
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The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST) together with Gwangju City, Busan Metropolitan City, and Seoul Metropolitan Government will host Korea Art Festival in autumn 2024. Accordingly, on April 22 (Mon), Minister YU was joined by mayors from Gwangju and Busan and acting first vice mayor of Seoul, Gwangju Biennale, Busan Biennale, Korea Gallery Association, Frieze Seoul, Korea Arts Management Service, Korea Tourism Organization, Korea Railroad Corporation, and Korea Airports Corporation to announce a Joint Declaration for the Successful Hosting of the 2024 Korea Art Festival at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul.
The “2024 Korea Art Festival” is scheduled for this September in Gwangju, Busan, and Seoul, showcasing a series of art events that will be intricately linked and promoted, highlighting the nation as a vibrant festival of the arts. Until last year, which focused on unified promotion and discounted access to art events organized by local governments and both public and private sectors during “Korea Art Week,” this year’s initiative emphasizes enhanced cooperation between institutions and the synchronization of various exhibitions and events’ schedules to establish it as Korea’s signature art event and a global festival. In Gwangju and Busan, each will host its own Biennale, attracting art enthusiasts. “Kiaf SEOUL” and “Frieze Seoul,” now in their third year, have significantly boosted inbound tourism with high average tourist expenditure[1] and established themselves as renowned art events. The 2024 Korea Art Fair is projected to achieve similar success.
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Major Events by City |
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<Gwangju> Under the theme “PANSORI - a soundscape of the 21st century,” the Gwangju Biennale will run from September 7 to December 1. The main exhibition will take place at more than 10 locations, including the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall and the Yangrim-dong area. Pavilions from 29 countries will also be open at venues such as the Asia Culture Center and the Lee Kang-Ha Art Museum. The Biennale will be enriched with side events such as international academic gatherings and community spaces known as “Madang.” <Busan> Starting August 17, the Busan Biennale will explore the theme “Seeing in the Dark” and continue until October 20, spanning 65 days at various locations, including the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art, Jungang-dong Hyundai Building, and Choryang-dong. The national government supports specialized exhibition tours to enhance public access to the event. <Seoul> Celebrating its third year, “Kiaf SEOUL” and “Frieze Seoul” (September 4–8 at COEX) alongside “Seoul Art Week” (September 2–8) aim for integrated promotion, enhancing the cultural arts experience for residents through events like the Seoul Sculpture Festa. |
Joint Declaration for Robust Support of Art Events and Activating Domestic and International Art Tourism
During the “2024 Korea Art Festival,” extensive art events orchestrated by local governments, such as the Busan Biennale, Seoul Art Week, and Gwangju Biennale, will be featured alongside major art fairs and exhibitions at national, public, and private museums and galleries. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, will launch “Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists” on September 4 (Wed), which includes citizen participatory programs like nighttime openings and international art community exchanges. Moreover, inbound promotion initiatives will invite foreign museum officials and journalists to enhance the visibility of Korean art. The “Korean Art Discourse Conference” held by Kiaf SEOUL, Frieze Seoul, and Korea Art Management Service from September 5–7 at COEX Studio 159 will further promote Korean art on an international stage.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism collaborates with relevant organizations to enhance the tourism infrastructure, enabling visitors to fully engage with the diverse visual arts events and exhibitions of the “2024 Korea Art Festival.” A unified ticket for the Gwangju and Busan Biennales offers a 30% discount, priced at KRW 23,800 (standard price KRW 34,000). During the Biennale period from August 17 to December 1, ticket holders will also receive discounts or free admission to major art museum[2] exhibitions.
The Korea Railroad Corporation offers high-speed rail (KTX) tourism packages linked to Biennale tickets for railway travelers. Media art exhibitions at Incheon, Gimpo, and Gimhae airports enable air travelers to enjoy the “Korea Art Festival” as well. The Korea Tourism Organization maps out regional art facilities to guide tourist routes and sells walking art tour packages. They are also developing and promoting inbound tourism products linked to various events, including luxury tour products.
The festival is widely promoted under the banner of the “Korea Art Festival,” using online platforms, social networks (SNS), outdoor electronic displays at airports and stations, and through information disseminated by Korean Cultural Centers abroad and overseas branches of the Korea Tourism Organization. In collaboration with Korea’s leading art magazines—“Monthly Art,” “Public Art,” and “Art In Culture”—a special English edition will be published and distributed at Kiaf SEOUL and Frieze Seoul to professionally showcase Korean art to a global audience.
Minister YU In Chon stated, “To earn widespread appreciation both domestically and internationally, pure art, the root of K-Culture, must transcend small-scale, localized festivals to become a leading brand,” adding, “We will collaborate with local governments and related organizations to provide robust tourism and transportation infrastructure, ensuring that the diverse art events included in the 2024 Korea Art Festival can be thoroughly enjoyed by nationals and foreign visitors alike.”
[1] “Analysis of the Economic and Ripple Effect of Frieze Seoul” (Hyundai Research Institute, 2022)
[2] Seoul Arts Center (10%–15% discount), Leeum Museum of Art (20% discount), Coreana Museum of Art (20%–25% discount), Ilmin Museum of Art (22% discount), Suwon Museum of Art (50% discount), Clayarch Gimhae Museum (20% discount), Jeonnam Museum of Art (Free), etc.