Arts Council Korea seeks to deepen Asian cultural ties with new forum

The poster for the "Asia to Asia" public forum / Courtesy of Arts Council Korea

Arts Council Korea, the nation’s principal public institution dedicated to supporting the performing arts, visual arts and cultural policy, will bring together cultural leaders from five Asian countries next week for a public forum aimed at expanding regional partnerships and laying the groundwork for long-term artistic collaboration across Asia.

The organization said Monday it will host the "Asia to Asia" public forum on Monday at Arko Art Center Lounge in Seoul as part of its Global South Initiative.

The program is designed to foster dialogue with new cultural partners and explore opportunities for sustained cooperation among arts institutions across the region.

Representatives from Korea, Uzbekistan, Thailand and Pakistan will attend the forum in person, while a representative from India will participate online.

The event will feature Azizbek Mannopov, deputy chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation; Pacharaporn Tantatanai of Thailand's Office of Contemporary Art and Culture; Qudsia Rahim, chief executive of the Lahore Biennale Foundation in Pakistan; and Smriti Rajgarhia, managing trustee of the Serendipity Arts Foundation in India.

The forum will open with a session examining how arts institutions across Asia have developed their identities, responded to local challenges and pursued international exchange.

A second session will focus on how organizations with different institutional and cultural backgrounds can build practical partnerships while respecting regional diversity.

Arts Council Korea will also participate in the discussion, with curator Yoo Ji-won serving as moderator.

Following the forum, participating delegates will spend a week visiting cultural and artistic sites in Seoul and Busan to explore opportunities for future collaboration.

The organization said the visits are intended to encourage exchanges among arts professionals and support future initiatives such as artist residencies, joint productions and collaborative funding projects.

The council said it plans to continue expanding its Global South Initiative to strengthen international cultural networks and support long-term collaboration throughout the region.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.