Ministry of Culture: "'Culture Day' Expansion Doubles Venues, Increases Programs Fivefold"

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on April 30 that in April, the first month since the expansion of the "Culture Day" initiative, the number of participating venues and programs has increased significantly, greatly expanding opportunities for the public to enjoy culture as part of their daily lives.

"Culture Day" is a project that offers various benefits to help people experience culture more easily in their everyday routines. Previously held on the last Wednesday of each month, the project has been expanded since last month to take place every Wednesday.

According to the Ministry, during the month of April, there were 1,721 cultural venues participating in Culture Day and 4,756 programs organized, which are 2.1 times (796 venues in the previous month) and 5.7 times (834 programs in the previous month) more than the previous month, respectively.

In line with the expansion, the Ministry has increased special programs such as "Youth Mike," which provides performance opportunities for young artists, and "Every Corner Culture Day," which discovers unique local cultures. The Ministry also promoted participation through proactive online publicity campaigns.

Cooperation with the private sector is also expanding. The Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry signed a business agreement with the Ministry in March and has since encouraged corporate participation through 74 regional chambers nationwide. The Chamber is contributing to the spread of culture in daily life by organizing a variety of events, such as the “Culture Day Talent Contest” for office workers and “Wednesday Busking” held at the Namdaemun Chamber of Commerce building.

On the 3rd, cast members performed scene demonstrations at the press call for the traditional play "Gwangdae" held at the National Jeongdong Theater in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

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In May, the Ministry plans to run approximately 4,331 programs at 1,576 venues nationwide. Cultural facilities such as theaters, museums, art galleries, and libraries will present diverse programs every Wednesday in line with "Culture Day." In addition, in connection with the "Reading Korea" campaign, late-night bookstores for adults will be operated every Wednesday evening, and on the first Wednesday of every month, the "Online Bookstore" service will provide free access to e-books and audiobooks. Starting in mid-May, the Ministry also plans to gradually expand free admission to palaces and royal tombs and to link with the "Humanities on the Road" program.

Online, the Ministry will continue its promotional efforts with the "Every Wednesday is Culture Day" campaign, including social network service (SNS) participation events and certification activities. Further details can be found on the “Culture Day” official website.

Kim Yongseop, Director of Regional Culture Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "The expansion of Culture Day has taken a successful first step with strong public support. We will continue to bring Culture Day closer to people with a variety of programs in May. The Ministry will keep working to develop substantial policies so that everyone can enjoy culture close to home, without discrimination."

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