SK Innovation-Sponsored Music Festival for People with Developmental Disabilities, GMF, Now Accepting Group Applications

Preliminary Applications Accepted via Heart-Heart Foundation Website
Deadline: April 21, Finals to Be Held in September

SK Innovation announced on the 17th that it is recruiting groups to participate in the National Music Festival for Developmental Disabilities, known as the Great Music Festival (GMF).

The GMF is the largest music festival for people with developmental disabilities in Korea, providing opportunities for individuals to showcase their musical talents and supporting their social independence.

The festival, now in its 10th year, has been hosted annually by the Heart-Heart Foundation since 2017 with support from SK Innovation and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Since 2019, the team awarded the grand prize has also received a commendation from the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Applications for the preliminary round are open until April 21 through the Heart-Heart Foundation website. Any group of two or more musicians with developmental disabilities active in either classical or popular music can apply.

The final round will be held on September 1 at the COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Six teams that pass the preliminaries will perform on the final stage, and a total prize pool of 21 million won will be awarded to six teams, including the grand prize winner.

Over the past 10 years, a cumulative total of 290 teams and about 3,000 musicians have participated in the GMF. Participating and award-winning teams have gone on to various achievements, including admission to major domestic universities, employment, collaborations with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and invitations to perform in the United States, Europe, and South Africa.

The festival has also expanded internationally. Following the "GMF in USA" held in Atlanta, United States, in 2023, the "GMF in Hungary" was organized in Budapest in both 2024 and last year.

In addition, SK Innovation runs "Happy Dream," a social contribution program supporting the emotional and physical development of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Through employee volunteering, the company offers a variety of programs including one-on-one handball classes, movie theater experiences, and field trip support.

A representative from SK Innovation stated, "Over the past 10 years, the GMF has become a meaningful stage that helps people with developmental disabilities express themselves through music and communicate with society. This year as well, we will actively support participants so they can fully realize their potential and continue to grow."