The Lotte Cultural Foundation has been awarded the top honor at the 27th Mécénat Awards for its contributions to the development of cultural arts in South Korea.
The foundation announced on November 11 that it received the Mécénat Award during the 2026 Korean Mécénat Conference held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on November 10. The Mécénat Awards, organized by the Korean Mécénat Association, have recognized companies and individuals for their contributions to cultural and artistic development since 1999.
Established in 2015 with private funds from Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group, and contributions from Lotte affiliates, the Lotte Cultural Foundation operates the Lotte Concert Hall, a venue dedicated to classical music, and the Lotte Museum, which showcases contemporary art. It is the only cultural foundation established by a domestic company that operates both a large performance hall with over 2,000 seats and an art museum. Since its establishment, Lotte Group has invested approximately 200 billion won in cultural and artistic support.
The Lotte Concert Hall, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, opened in 2016 as the first 'vineyard-style' concert hall in South Korea, where the audience surrounds the stage. It features the country's largest pipe organ and has hosted performances by world-renowned orchestras and artists. Since its opening, it has welcomed around 3 million attendees to over 3,000 performances, including special events highlighting domestic artists such as Cho Seong-jin and Shin Chang-yong.
Opened in 2018, the Lotte Museum has held 20 curated exhibitions featuring both domestic and international artists, attracting approximately 800,000 visitors. It has contributed to the popularization of contemporary art by showcasing a wide range of artists, from renowned masters to contemporary creators.
The foundation also engages in social contribution activities, including discovering emerging artists through the Korean International Organ Competition, supporting arts organizations for people with disabilities, and providing art education for low-income children.
Kim Sung-hwan, chairman of the Lotte Cultural Foundation, expressed gratitude for the award, stating, “I believe that experiencing the resonance of an orchestra in a concert hall and spending time in front of a piece of art in an exhibition enriches a person's daily life. Moving forward, the Lotte Cultural Foundation will continue to uphold the spirit of mécénat and play a supportive role in ensuring our artistic ecosystem thrives.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.