The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Yoo In-chon, hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) held an “Art Policy Story at 3 PM” event on March 13 at the Seoul Square Annex All Art Space, where they discussed the creation and operation of a performing arts belt in downtown Seoul.
During the event, plans to create a hub for the performing arts industry in downtown Seoul by linking Seogye-dong complex cultural space, National Theater, National Jeongdong Theater, and Myeongdong Arts Theater were discussed. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to improve the creation and production environment for performing arts through the linked operation of performance facilities, implementing policies to benefit both artists and the public.
For the establishment of the performing arts belt, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is implementing the project in stages. By 2030, the Seogye-dong complex cultural space will be transformed into a comprehensive cultural space with four theaters, exhibition halls, and a library specializing in performances. The Nam-san Performing Arts Creation and Production Space, linked to the National Theater, will be established by 2026, featuring rehearsal rooms, studios, and stage production facilities. The National Jeongdong Theater will undergo reconstruction by 2029 to expand its theater size and enhance audience facilities. Myeongdong Arts Theater plans to diversify its performance programs and improve outdoor squares and conduct humanities academies to increase public accessibility.
Chamin-gyeong, a research fellow at the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, explained the concept and necessity of the performing arts belt and presented an efficient operation plan for the performance facilities in downtown Seoul through an analysis of overseas cases. Jeong-woo Son, chairman of the Korea Theater Association, Hyun-Jae Lee, president of the Korea Performance Producers Association, and Dong-hyun Lee, performance planning director of the National Theater, participated in sharing opinions on the need for linked operation and professional management systems of performance facilities. Participants discussed the direction of establishing the performing arts belt through free discussions and Q&A sessions.
Shin Eun-hyang, director of the Arts Policy Division at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, “As we begin research and discussions for the creation of the performing arts belt, we will continuously reflect opinions from various fields,” adding, “We will lay the foundation for the overall growth of the performing arts industry by expanding the creative and production space for artists and increasing opportunities for the public to enjoy culture.”
Based on these discussions, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to prepare a detailed implementation plan for the creation of the performing arts belt and accelerate the establishment of an arts ecosystem centered around the performing arts facilities in downtown Seoul.