Seongbuk-gu 'Our Neighborhood Store Artterior' Project Officially Begins

Seongbuk-gu Supports Interior and Product Design by Artists for 40 Small Business Stores... First-Come, First-Served Applications Open from August 10 on Seongbuk-gu Office Website... Up to 1 Million KRW Material Cost and Full Artist Design Labor Cost Covered by Seongbuk-gu per Store

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will officially launch the 'Our Neighborhood Store Artterior' project starting in August.

This project supports customized design improvements such as interior and exterior space enhancement, branding, and product design for small business owners' stores. Seongbuk-gu was finally selected in the Seoul City public contest last June and secured 151 million KRW in city funds.

'Artterior' is a compound word of 'art' and 'interior.'

The district will select project execution companies and match local artists with small business owners in the area, providing tailored support until December this year, ranging from space interior work such as signboard replacement and mural painting to brand identity (BI) and product design considering each store's unique characteristics.

Seongbuk-gu plans to support a total of 40 neighborhood stores. The target is small business owners with fewer than five employees operating visit-type stores. However, entertainment bars, franchise stores, or stores that have participated in Seoul City's design improvement projects are excluded.

Store owners wishing to participate can download the application form through the Seongbuk-gu Office website.

From August 10 to 21, applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, offering an opportunity to redesign aging stores with distinctive appearances.

Fifteen local artists who will participate in the 'Our Neighborhood Artterior' project will also be selected through an open recruitment. Each artist will receive activity fees to design 3 to 4 stores. This provides creative opportunities for artists whose jobs have decreased due to COVID-19, fostering mutual growth between small business owners and local artists within the community, which is highly anticipated by residents.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, stated, “Through this project, I hope to support both local small business owners and artists who are struggling amid the prolonged economic downturn caused by COVID-19, and contribute to revitalizing the neighborhood commercial districts.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.