Arko Names Gangjin-gun Culture and Tourism Foundation as Top Performing Arts Practice Space Organization

Overcoming the Limits of Depopulated Areas to Win the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award
Five Institutions Selected Including Hwaseong Cultural Foundation for the Gold Prize

The Korean Culture and Arts Council announced on March 24 that it held the "2026 Performing Arts Practice Space Awards Ceremony" at the Daehangno Artists' House.

The Korea Arts Council announced on the 24th that it held the "2026 Performing Arts Rehearsal Space Awards Ceremony" at Daehangno Artist House. Photo by Korea Arts Council

The Performing Arts Practice Space Project has been promoted since 2014, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korean Culture and Arts Council. Local governments and regional cultural foundations across the country sign ten-year agreements to transform unused spaces, such as closed schools, into rehearsal spaces and operate them to support the creative activities of artists and art organizations. After the agreement period ends, each region manages the spaces independently.

The Korean Culture and Arts Council conducts annual evaluations of regional operating organizations nationwide, discovering outstanding cases of operation and using the results to improve project management.

This year, the Gangjin-gun Culture and Tourism Foundation received the Grand Prize, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award. The Gold Prize went to the Hwaseong Cultural Foundation, while the Silver Prize was awarded to the Gwangsan Arko Performing Arts Practice Center Operations Committee, the Pohang Cultural Foundation, and the Damyang Cultural Foundation, all of whom received the Chairman's Award from the Korean Culture and Arts Council.

Gangjin-gun, where the Gangjin-gun Culture and Tourism Foundation is based, has been designated as a depopulated area by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. According to the Korean Culture and Arts Council, the Gangjin-gun Culture and Tourism Foundation implemented support measures for 2025, such as environmental improvements and free residency use, which attracted more than 130 new organizations and increased the operating rate by over 39% compared to the previous year. As a result, it became the first county-level area to receive the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award.

The Hwaseong Cultural Foundation was highly evaluated for establishing a communication structure that systematically collects and reflects user feedback based on stable operational capabilities, resulting in a 136% increase in satisfaction survey results compared to the previous year.

At the event, in addition to the awards ceremony, a performance-sharing session and roundtable were held with rehearsal space managers from regional cultural foundations nationwide. Participants shared ideas for improving the creative environment and discussed operational know-how.

Jung Byung-guk, Chairman of the Korean Culture and Arts Council, said, "I would like to commend the local operating organizations for their continued support of artists' creative activities," adding, "I hope all 21 Arko Performing Arts Practice Centers across the country will further develop as hubs for regional artistic creation."

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