[New Wave] The Era of Change: Support and Possibilities for Online Art Activities

To overcome the crisis in the cultural and artistic sectors caused by COVID-19, many countries around the world have implemented livelihood support policies targeting artists and art organizations. However, various attempts to adapt to the non-face-to-face era are also underway. For artists who have primarily produced content centered on in-person performances, continuing creative activities using online media or applying them to new platforms is considered unfamiliar and challenging. In this context, opportunities to experiment with new forms of art genres using online media or to support artistic activities in an era that requires the consolation of art are emerging in earnest. Along with technological changes, new possibilities are being demonstrated not only in overall social activities but also in entertainment areas such as performances and fan meetings, as well as cultural and artistic fields like exhibitions in virtual art galleries, through new domains such as metaverse platforms. In fact, the Korea Arts Council is making efforts to create a new cultural and artistic environment centered on online media, and various movements are also appearing in the private sector.

In 2020, Zepeto held an exhibition in a virtual art gallery themed on the Renaissance, showcasing 69 works, and mobile chat-based novel services like ‘chatie’ provide opportunities to upload or enjoy content in chat format. Additionally, the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra’s ‘Meta Performance: Future Theater’ is a performance where offline audiences become game characters and online audiences become users, attracting attention by adopting a game format. Regarding revenue generation within metaverse platforms, the entertainment industry already provides successful examples of virtual concerts, so based on this, it seems possible to hold paid theater and classical music performances targeting paying audiences in the cultural and artistic fields as well. Opportunities for revenue generation can also be sought through the sale of related merchandise, and in the visual arts field, online paid exhibitions, item launches in collaboration with companies, or revenue generation as individual artists are also considered feasible. In response to these environmental changes, the Korea Arts Council’s online art content production support project ‘Art Change-up’ collaborates with 17 metropolitan cultural foundations to provide support to artists and organizations across various genres such as literature, visual arts, performing arts, multidisciplinary arts, and general culture.

Importantly, online media art activity support projects are composed of platform types centered on creative activities and distribution, but the diverse characteristics of convergence must also be considered. Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, art activities using online media had already begun worldwide and were produced in various forms, revealing convergence-type success factors through multiple case studies. Therefore, establishing a media strategy that encompasses both technology and culture is key for creation-centered artistic activities, and identifying online media suited to the characteristics of each medium and genre appears to be an important task. Ultimately, to consider the sustainability of artistic activities and to build a platform where artists and audiences actively engage during the cultural and artistic transition period, precise analysis of users and efforts to guarantee revenue structures for creators must also be considered together to preserve the significance of these efforts.

Byungmin Lee, Professor, Department of Cultural Contents, Konkuk University

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