The 2026 Korea Art Festival will take place from September 1 to 30 across the country, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced.
This year's festival includes four biennials (Gwangju Biennale, Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Busan Biennale, Jeju Biennale) and two art fairs (KIAF Seoul, Frieze Seoul), with participation from 96 major museums nationwide.
The ministry is offering special discounts on exhibition tickets. Since June 15, tickets for the 'Korea Art Festival Special Exhibition' have been available online at a discount of 30% to 70% off the regular price. Tickets for KIAF, Frieze Seoul, Gwangju Biennale, and Busan Biennale are currently sold out, while discounted tickets for the Jeju Biennale can be purchased on Naver for 4,000 won, a 50% discount.
Korea Railroad Corporation has collaborated with the Busan Biennale to create a package called 'Busan Festival Special,' which includes a 50% discount on train tickets from Seoul to Busan, a 30% discount on Busan Biennale admission, and a 20,000 won voucher for stores at Busan Station. This package can be purchased through the LetsKorail website and app, and can be exchanged for paper tickets at the Busan Biennale venue.
All 96 participating museums (35 public and 61 private) will showcase a variety of exhibitions, from retrospectives of master artists to showcases of emerging talent and regional art. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, Gwacheon, Deoksugung, and Cheongju will offer free admission to all exhibitions from September 1 to 6.
Incheon, Gimpo, and Gimhae International Airports will transform into large art galleries, featuring 29 media and installation works by 16 emerging and mid-career Korean artists.
Additionally, the festival will host '2026 Dive into Korean Art' for key figures in the international art community visiting Korea. From August 30 to September 6, 15 art curators and editors from around the world will visit the studios of nine emerging Korean artists and major art institutions, as well as the Gwangju and Busan Biennales.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young stated, 'The Korea Art Festival is an opportunity for everyone to encounter art in their daily lives and serves as a gateway for the world to discover Korean art. We will strengthen the foundation of the art ecosystem, from creative support to international expansion, so that art can become the next leading force of K-culture.'
Meanwhile, Frieze Seoul and KIAF Seoul will open side by side at COEX on September 2.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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