- October 25: Launch of art-specific support platform for experimenting with and disseminating new art

- Comprehensive support for the entire Art-Tech startup life cycle, from creation and production to distribution and growth

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST) together with the Korea Art Management Service (President MOON Young Ho, KAMS) opened “Arts Korea Lab,” which supports all stages of artistic activities, in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on Wednesday, October 25. The opening ceremony was attended by several representatives from domestic and international art organizations, including First MCST Vice Minister JEON Byeong Geuk and KAMS President MOON Young Ho, as well as representatives of businesses that will be occupying “Arts Korea Lab.”

“Arts Korea Lab” is an art-specific support platform that comprehensively supports artists and arts companies in their entire art-tech startup life cycle, from creation and production experiments to demonstration, distribution, and growth. It was promoted as part of a national task to enhance the arts industry’s future competitiveness. Established in the Gwanghwamun area, where many cultural arts organizations and commercial enterprises are situated, it aims to secure accessibility for artists and art businesses and provide various experiment spaces in the 4,010 m² area.

 Expanding the Horizons of Expression with Convergence Idea Lab

“Arts Korea Lab” operates four small and medium-sized creative and production studios, a multipurpose studio, a recording studio, and an image editing room where one can conduct convergence experiments between fields such as performance and visual arts and is staffed by technicians to make it easy for artists to use cutting-edge equipment. In addition, it provides customized technical competency training in the fields of immersive sound (An effect that gives the impression of being in a specific space), metaverse, projection mapping (A video editing technique that considers the shape and position of objects to bring lively visual effects), and interaction kinetics (An effect that moves with the user ) to artists who are unfamiliar with technology and supports “artistic experimentation stages (test beds)” to enable them to implement various ideas combining art and technology.

 A Hub for Exchanges, Creating New Discourse through Encounters

“Arts Korea Lab” has also created an exchange space where artists and art companies can freely meet and lead new conversations and discourse. It also operates a lecture hall and a shared office where lectures from the Arts Industry Academy, joint training sessions (workshops), and forums are held. In collaboration with domestic and international organizations, Arts Korea Lab initiates research and forums on major issues, including sound art, the climate crisis, and digital audience development, to support continuous discussion on future tasks and challenges in the arts.

 Fostering Entrepreneurship: Nurturing the Seeds of Art Businesses

“Arts Korea Lab” extends support to ensure art businesses’ stable establishment and growth by providing them with workspace facilities. The spaces are equipped with laboratories for woodworking, metalworking, and the creation of prototypes using 3D printers, in line with the characteristics of artistic companies. In addition, it operates a “Business Center,” which provides customized consultation in areas such as legal affairs, labor, technology, marketing, and overseas expansion for arts companies.

The MCST first Vice Minister JEON said, “In response to on-site feedback indicating the difficulty of existing culture and art spaces in addressing the new demands of the arts scene, such as art-technology convergence and creative experimentation, we have opened ‘Arts Korea Lab’ to offer a comprehensive support platform for both art and technology. We anticipate that this will serve as a space where artists and art businesses can freely converge, experiment, and expand their horizons, providing a platform for the exploration of fresh discourses in the artistic realm.”

Following a trial operation, the equipment and facilities of “Arts Korea Lab” will be open for use by any artist or art company through reservations beginning in March next year. For more information, please contact the main hotline at 02-708-2222 or visit the official website (www.artskorealab.kr).