"Art Is Vitality"... Five Jeollanam-do Cities and Counties Launch the Island Belt Triennale

Five Cities and Counties, Including Haenam, Unite to Discuss Implementation Strategies at the 6th W.I.N. Forum
Blending Island Culture and Global Art
Aiming to Become a Catalyst for a New Future

The islands of the southwestern coast of Jeollanam-do are breaking down administrative boundaries and coming together as one through the medium of art. The five cities and counties of Haenam, Mokpo, Wando, Sinan, and Jindo have joined forces with the aim of establishing a world-class island art festival, the Triennale.

Haenam County announced on March 14 that the "W.I.N. (World Island Net) Forum," co-hosted with the Korea Islands Promotion Agency, was successfully held at the Haenam126 Oceano Hotel.

Haenam, Mokpo, Wando, Sinan, and Jindo counties held the W.I.N. Forum with the Korea Island Promotion Institute. Photo by Haenam County

The forum was held both online and offline, with over 200 participants including officials from the five cities and counties of the southwestern coast—Haenam County, Mokpo City, Wando County, Sinan County, and Jindo County—as well as local residents.

Launched in 2020, the W.I.N. Forum was established to re-examine the value of islands and seek directions for sustainable development. The five cities and counties of the southwestern coast have been uniting to discuss concrete implementation strategies through this partnership.

Now in its sixth year, this forum was held under the theme "Connecting Islands Through Art: The Future of the Southwestern Coast Island Belt and the Triennale." Expert lectures and discussions focused on the Triennale—a major international art exhibition held every three years—from a broad "island belt" perspective that transcends individual administrative boundaries.

In particular, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on how to elevate the unique charm of these islands through art, with the goal of hosting the "Southwestern Coast Island Belt Triennale" in 2030. They agreed on the importance of responding to the crisis of regional decline and building a sustainable art festival model through a world-class art event.

The forum's detailed program included: ▲ a keynote presentation by an official from Japan’s Setouchi International Art Festival; ▲ strategic directions for promoting the Southwestern Coast Island Belt Triennale; ▲ methods for discovering and applying the unique attractive resources of the five local governments to the Triennale; and ▲ panel discussions with government ministries and experts.

A county official stated, "The W.I.N. Forum marks the beginning of a global network that breathes new life into the unique charms of islands through art," adding, "The five cities and counties will continue to collaborate so that this project not only addresses various local challenges but also becomes a catalyst for opening a new future for South Korea, beyond the southwestern coast."

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