SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - South Korea's main performing arts market will return to Seoul in October with an expanded showcase lineup and new networking programs, its organizers said Thursday.
The 2026 Performing Arts Market in Seoul, or PAMS, will run from Oct. 13 to 16 at the National Theater of Korea, Arko Arts Theater, Daehakro Arts Theater and other venues around the capital.
The event is co-hosted by the Korea Arts Management Service and the National Theater of Korea, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Council Korea.
PAMS connects Korean performing arts groups with overseas presenters, festival programmers and producers through showcases, pitching sessions, business meetings and networking events.
This year's program features nine works in the flagship PAMS Choice showcase, spanning pansori, contemporary dance, creative ballet, sound-based performance and audience-participatory pieces.
Running alongside it for the first time is PAMS×SPAF Choice, a new section developed with the Seoul Performing Arts Festival.
The section will stage five Korean productions in full length rather than the shorter excerpts typical of a market showcase, giving visiting presenters a fuller look at works that could later travel overseas.
Networking programs are also expanding this year.
PAMS Salon, a discussion series on performing arts trends and international exchange, will grow with new partner institutions from Canada, Japan and Belgium.
A newly added program, PAMS Mingle, will offer smaller, informal sessions for participants to connect over shared interests.
Business matchmaking continues through PAMS Pitching, PAMS Link, one-on-one Speed-Dating meetings and exhibition booths, which this year will include equipment and technical suppliers alongside performing arts groups and institutions.
Works introduced through PAMS have gone on to overseas invitations, tours and co-productions in cities including Avignon, Paris and Sydney.
Sound art group Liquid Sound and pansori singer Lee Jaram, both past PAMS Choice selections, were invited to this year's Avignon Festival.
The pansori work "Giin Ginbam," introduced through PAMS in 2024, was later developed into a bilingual Korean-English production with the Sydney Opera House.
"PAMS is an important platform where Korean performing arts meet the global stage and open up new opportunities in international distribution, co-production and localization," Kim Jang-ho, president of the Korea Arts Management Service, said in a statement.
Early registration for PAMS runs through Sept. 15, with full passes available at a 50 percent discount.
AJP Takeaways
· The 2026 Performing Arts Market in Seoul will run from Oct. 13 to 16.
· The event will feature nine PAMS Choice showcases and five full-length PAMS×SPAF Choice productions.
· PAMS helps Korean performing arts groups connect with overseas presenters, festivals and producers.
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