On the 14th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held the '2025 Meeting of Local Cultural and Art Education Officials' at the former Chungcheongnam-do Office Welfare Hall in Jung-gu, Daejeon, and discussed the direction of local cultural and art education policies.
At the meeting, Gangwon Province and North Chungcheong Province announced initiatives to strengthen the capabilities of local artists and art organizations. Gangwon Province introduced the 'Stepping Stone Cultural and Art School' project, which consists of a three-phase talent development education program for artists, while North Chungcheong Province presented the 'Hello Art Lab' project, where artists explore research tasks in connection with the community.
Cultural and art education policies tailored to local characteristics were also presented. Jeju Province announced cultural and art education programs for social minorities, such as the 'Mobile Cultural and Art Education for Young Children,' while Incheon City unveiled the 'Institutional Collaborative Cultural and Art Education Project' in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment.
The Ministry of Culture proposed the directions for cultural and art education to advance, including ▲ shifting focus from schools to out-of-school living spaces, ▲ expanding from vulnerable groups to the general public's lives, and ▲ shifting from public-centered education to active participation by the private sector.
The tasks identified to achieve this included innovative school arts education, enhancing accessibility in people's lives, building a foundation for cultural and art education, and creating new markets for cultural and art education.
Lee Hae-don, director of cultural policy at the Ministry of Culture, noted, 'Even in industrial complex areas where income is high and jobs are plentiful, the lack of opportunities to enjoy culture and the arts results in lower life satisfaction.' He added, 'The Ministry of Culture will devise region-friendly policy directions and actively collaborate to enhance local cultural and art education opportunities and improve residents' quality of life.'