Exterior view of the Arts Council Korea (ARCO). Courtesy of ARCO.
South Korea provides a substantial amount of support programs for artists, more than many other countries. However, there has been widespread consensus in the field that the open-call support system, managed by public institutions, is overly complicated and difficult to navigate. Additionally, critics argue that there is an overemphasis on minor, one-time project grants, making it challenging for sustainable growth.
To address these concerns, the Arts Council Korea has announced that the open calls for the 2024 arts promotion projects and grants will be collaboratively drafted with input from the arts community. The aim is to simplify the open-call projects as much as possible while simultaneously implementing measures to strengthen grant management.
Through this restructuring of the open-call project framework, the hope is to diversify the range of supported projects while expanding autonomy within the field. The ultimate objective is to achieve a more equitable process that accommodates a wider range of stakeholders.
