[Feature] "Islands Become Museums"... 'Island Belt Triennale' Aims for Southwestern Coast Revival

Joint Initiative by Five Jeonnam Cities and Counties

First Edition Targeted for 2030 Launch

Aiming for an International-Scale Art Festival

Strong Interest and Support from Regional Political Circles Needed

Five local governments in Jeollanam-do are actively working on a major project to transform the island regions along the southwestern coast into a world-class stage for culture and the arts. Their aim is to use Jeonnam's islands as a platform to counteract population decline and aging, and to address the resulting risk of regional extinction by reviving these areas through 'art' and creating a 'young Jeonnam'.

Mokpo, Haenam, Wando, Jindo, and Sinan—the five cities and counties of Jeonnam—have announced plans to launch the "Southwestern Coast Island Belt Triennale" (tentative name). The target is to hold the first edition in 2030. The core concept of this project is to turn the entire islands into an open-air exhibition, essentially creating a "roofless museum".

Last March, five local governments in the southwestern coast of Jeonnam—Shinan, Mokpo, Haenam, Wando, and Jindo—successfully held the W.I.N Forum for the 2030 global international art festival.
[Photo by Korea Island Promotion Agency].

Idle facilities such as closed schools and empty warehouses will be repurposed as exhibition spaces, and the islands' natural landscapes will be reinterpreted as works of art. The strategy is to go beyond simple viewing by offering participatory content that combines sound, gastronomy, and hands-on experiences, thereby ensuring both popular appeal and international competitiveness.

The five cities and counties are also planning to pursue global collaborations by benchmarking successful cases such as Japan's Setouchi Triennale. Their plan is to attract world-renowned artists and create large-scale installations and architectural works that reflect each island's unique characteristics, thereby strengthening the event's symbolism.

In addition, the construction of a "Southwestern Coast Art Route" connecting the five localities will proceed in parallel. By linking maritime transportation between islands with art-themed routes, they aim to establish a vast cultural region and enhance the convenience of travel for visitors.

The ultimate goal is to develop Jeonnam’s islands into a global arts tourism brand. The anticipated economic ripple effects are also expected to be significant.

According to the Korea Island Promotion Agency, if approximately KRW 19.63 billion is invested by 2048 to achieve the artistic transformation of the islands, the expected results include KRW 30.31 billion in production inducement and KRW 13.16 billion in value added. The funding plan is to source 50% from the national government, 43% from local governments, and 7% from the private sector.

Each project will be implemented in stages. The process will start this year with the enactment of related ordinances and the establishment of a secretariat, followed by a pre-event (pilot triennale) in 2028, and the main event in 2030. Afterward, it will be held every three years, accumulating as a sustainable cultural asset.

Notably, a participatory "community art" approach will also be introduced. Local residents and external experts will collaborate to create artworks, and by training docents and operating supporter groups, the plan is to build a regionally driven cultural ecosystem.

The remaining challenges are also clear.

Issues include the allocation of budgets for island resource development, and how to distribute responsibilities such as development leadership and administrative procedures among the various local governments. Ultimately, strong interest and support from regional political circles are essential to achieving administrative consensus.

An official from Mokpo City stated, "Our goal is to reinterpret the islands’ natural, cultural, and lifestyle resources through art and foster them as a world-class tourism brand. However, this will require considerable time and expense. To systematically manage and operate this initiative, support is needed not only from each local government but also from political circles."

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