The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Council Korea (Arko) held an anniversary event on March 5 at the Artists House in Daehangno, Seoul, to mark the 10th year of the “Small Museum Creation and Operations Support” program, share results and recognize outstanding operations.
Launched in 2015, the program converts unused public spaces in areas without museums into cultural venues to expand residents’ access to the arts. Since then, 38 small museums have been established in 34 cities and counties nationwide.
The event reviewed the program’s progress and recognized small museums and organizations that have served as local cultural hubs, as well as individual planners, for exemplary work.
The top prize went to the Bogugot Small Museum in Gimpo, created by repurposing a civil defense shelter. Judges cited its decade of exhibition and education programs involving a nearby military unit and local residents, reflecting the site’s location in a border area.
The award for expanding the value of local resources went to the Sacheon Small Museum in South Gyeongsang Province, built between Samcheonpo Bridge Park and the sea. The award for excellence in local cooperation governance went to the Bupyeong Bae-dari Itda Space Small Museum in Incheon, created by renovating an old inn building. The award for operational sustainability went to the Naju Small Museum, converted from a rice mill.
In the individual category, Arko presented citations to planners who designed and ran programs and to a village residents’ representative for contributions to the project. The operations merit award went to Kim Hyeon-ju, director of the Angye Small Museum, and to Lee Myeong-gyu, chairman of the Naju Small Museum (Naju Eupseong Village Management Social Cooperative). The outstanding planner award went to Kim Sin-ae, a planner at Samcheok Small Museum AND (Tantan Village Management Social Cooperative).
Arko Chairman Jeong Byeong-guk, who took part in the awards, said the past decade showed how “barren spaces” could be reborn as cultural venues “where art can breathe,” thanks to the dedication of artists, planners and residents. He said Arko would continue support so that “anyone can encounter art close to everyday life.”
More information on the program is available on Arko’s website.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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