Gwachon City held a briefing on August 5 to review preparations for the '2026 Gwachon Performing Arts Festival,' scheduled for September 18-20.
According to the city, the meeting was attended by over 50 participants, including officials from Gwachon City and the Gwachon Cultural Foundation, the festival's artistic director, city council members, citizens, and local artists.
Attendees shared details about the festival's programs, spatial arrangements, and operational plans while gathering feedback from citizens.
This year's festival will be centered around 'GPAF City 2.0,' an expanded version of the 'GPAF City' concept introduced last year.
The theme 'Floating' will transform the Gwachon Citizens' Plaza and the area around the Citizens' Hall into a performing arts space, with a new 'GPAF Village' offering performances, experiences, and relaxation.
The festival will also feature an expanded range of performances, increasing the number of official submissions and international acts, and showcasing a variety of genres.
Citizen participation programs will be enhanced, with an open call for citizen performers and a parade connecting Jungang-ro and Cheongsa-ro scheduled for September 19. The existing 'Citizen Gathering Festival' will be revamped into the 'Gwachon Showcase' to include more participating performance teams.
Additional experience programs for families will be introduced, including a 'GPAF Playground' for children, a GPAF Market, and a Farmers' Market, allowing visitors to enjoy both performances and activities.
The city plans to improve the venue's environment by installing palm mats, canopies, and roofs in preparation for rain, while also enhancing safety management plans to ensure visitor comfort and security.
Citizens and local artists who attended the briefing expressed optimism about the expanded performance content and citizen participation programs, but emphasized the need for meticulous preparations regarding safety management, traffic, and amenities, as these factors significantly influence festival satisfaction.
In particular, the local arts community requested ongoing opportunities for local artists to participate in the festival, aiming to establish it as a collaborative event between citizens and artists. Attendees expressed hope that the festival would grow into a representative performing arts event for Gwachon.
Mayor Shin Gye-yong stated, "We are preparing a festival with enhanced quality compared to last year by expanding performance content and citizen participation programs. We will thoroughly check safety and overall operations before the festival opens to ensure that citizens can enjoy it with peace of mind."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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