BUSAN — Busan will expand its arts support program to 10 billion won ($7.2 million) and create a 100 billion won ($71.7 million) culture and arts fund as part of a blueprint for cultural policy under the current municipal administration. The city says it views culture and the arts not as a pursuit for a narrow group of residents but as a basic element of running the city, and intends to build an ecosystem linking creation, consumption and reinvestment.
The city will hold a town hall meeting on culture at city hall on the afternoon of the 30th, with about 100 participants including artists, experts and residents. Held under the theme "Busan, a City Where Culture Is Basic: Residents Ask, Busan Answers," the event is intended to share the direction of the administration's arts policy and reflect frontline views in policymaking.
Mayor Jeon Jae-soo will present "Busan, a City Where Culture Is Basic" as the core direction of his administration's cultural policy, based on the principle that culture is a basic right of residents. The aim is to build a self-sustaining ecosystem in which the production, distribution, enjoyment and reinvestment of culture and the arts circulate within the region.
Five pledges will be presented as concrete tasks. The city will first expand its arts support program to 10 billion won. It will create a mixed-use cultural exhibition space at the North Port and pursue a community culture project called "Munhwa Masil," which turns private facilities such as cafes into cultural venues. To build an investment base for the cultural industry, the city will create a 100 billion won culture and arts fund and set up "Platform 051" to connect the arts community with the administration and residents.
Rather than simply expanding subsidies, the plan focuses on creating a structure in which the local arts community can sustain its activities. The city intends to support artists' creative work while broadening public access to culture and private-sector participation, so that cultural spending within the region feeds back into creative work and industry.
The event will be divided into two parts. The first part will feature the announcement of the administration's arts policy and the five pledges, followed by an explanation of support policies for artists by the Busan Cultural Foundation. Jeon will then lead an open discussion with residents.
The second part will cover the deliberation process on major cultural issues such as the Pompidou and La Scala projects, with residents asking questions and the mayor answering directly. Questions submitted in advance and comments posted during the live broadcast on the city website will be reviewed by relevant departments and reflected in policy.
"I will listen directly to residents' voices and find solutions together, to complete Busan as a city where culture is basic and everyone can enjoy culture freely in daily life," Jeon said.
