Gwangju Seo-gu Preparing for 'Urban Cultural Arts Festival' in Full Swing

Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Ikang) is injecting new vitality into the downtown area by revitalizing street performances with residents.

On the 18th, Seo-gu announced that it will promote the ‘Urban Cultural Arts Festival,’ which supports the activities of local art groups and allows residents to enjoy cultural and artistic performances anytime and anywhere.

Performance Support Team Participating in the Audition
[Photo by Seogu]

Starting with a performance at the park of Yeomju POSCO The Sharp Apartments in Hwajeong-dong on the afternoon of the 19th, Seo-gu will hold ‘Urban Healing Busking’ until September at locations including in front of Sejung Outlet in Chipyeong-dong, Geumho Food Village, and along the Gwangju Stream in Dongcheon-dong.

The Urban Healing Busking, held under the theme ‘Warak (樂) Jeulgirak (樂),’ is planned to take place in parks, apartments, and near large shopping areas that are easily accessible to residents, enabling them to more easily experience and enjoy culture and the arts.

The performance times are set at 5:20 PM and 6:30 PM, considering residents’ daily schedules.

The performances will feature popular songs, magic shows, and dance, catering to a wide range of age groups from children to adults.

Seo-gu will also hold ‘Brunch Healing Busking’ during lunch hours to provide relaxation and entertainment for office workers.

From the 26th until October, Brunch Healing Busking will be held every Wednesday and Thursday at locations such as the front of Ipseokdae Waterfall in Peace Park in Sangmu District and the plaza in front of Seo-gu Office, showcasing various genres including acoustic guitar, opera, belly dance, Korean traditional dance, and fusion gugak (traditional Korean music).

In the second half of this year, an event is also being planned to visit workplaces based on performance application stories received through SNS and other channels.

To provide performance opportunities for local artists, Seo-gu publicly recruited performance teams for the ‘Urban Cultural Arts Festival’ last February.

As a result, a total of 121 teams applied, and after document and live performance evaluations, 56 teams with excellent skills were finally selected.

Seo-gu will also provide opportunities for individuals (or clubs) wishing to perform street performances by setting up ‘I am also a Busker’ stages at locations such as the May 18th Memorial Park and Nongsong-dong Plaza.

Among these, the top three outstanding teams will have the chance to perform on the stage of the Seochang Field Silver Grass Festival held in autumn.

Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, said, “By revitalizing street art using open spaces, we will expand residents’ opportunities to enjoy culture and provide local artists with limited performance opportunities a platform to perform, creating a cultural city Seo-gu where rest, leisure, and music flow.”

Meanwhile, Seo-gu is also promoting the ‘Living Culture Art Bunker’ project, which utilizes idle spaces within the district or public and private facilities as hubs for creative activities such as choir and instrumental performances, as well as for lessons, performances, and exhibitions.

Reporter Shin Dongho, Honam Coverage Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr

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