- ARKO Global Week Spotlights Major International Events, Including the 10th World Summit on Arts and Culture and APE CAMP (May 24–30)
- ARKO Announces Global Vision and Strategic Initiatives to Advance Artistic Creation and Cultural Exchange
- Celebrating 30 Years of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale with a New Architecture Exhibition and Expanded Global Programming
SEOUL, South Korea, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arts Council Korea (ARKO) is hosting "ARKO Global Week," from May 24 until May 30, 2025, featuring a series of major international programs and events that reinforce Korea's role as a global cultural hub.
The week includes the 10th World Summit on Arts and Culture, which brings together global leaders from the arts and culture sectors, and APE CAMP, a collaborative platform fostering innovation between emerging artists and technology developers worldwide.
Through these efforts, ARKO seeks to position Korea as a key player in international cultural exchange and to open a new chapter in its global engagement strategy.
ARKO Announces Global Vision and New International Strategies
At a press briefing on May 14 at the ARKO Art Center in Daehak-ro, Seoul, Chairman Byoung Gug Choung unveiled ARKO's new global vision, themed "Connecting Korean Arts with the World."
He also outlined a suite of strategic initiatives aimed at deepening international collaboration and creative development, including:
- Co-hosting the 10th World Summit on Arts and Culture
- Organizing the 4th APE CAMP
- Participating in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at the 2025 Venice Biennale
- Launching the ARKO Creative Studio
- Strengthening partnerships with major global arts and culture institutions
10th World Summit on Arts and Culture to Convene in Daehak-ro
The 10th World Summit on Arts and Culture, co-hosted by ARKO and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA), will be held May 27–30 in Daehak-ro.
The event is expected to bring together over 400 professionals from more than 80 countries, including 105 speakers representing 62 nations, comprising policymakers, cultural leaders, scholars, artists, and government officials.
Under the theme "Charting the Future of Arts and Culture," the summit will tackle global challenges such as AI and digital transformation, climate change, and community resilience, focusing on how the arts can respond to and shape these evolving realities.
APE CAMP: A Global Crossroads for Artists and Tech Innovators
Launched in 2022, APE CAMP is now in its fourth year as APE CAMP is ARKO's signature international platform for interdisciplinary collaboration. This year's edition attracted over 200 applicants from 67 countries, demonstrating growing global interest.
The program includes:
- An International Conference on May 24 at the ARKO Arts Theater
- The APE CAMP Lab from May 25–27 at COEX Magok in western Seoul
The 2025 edition will gather 100 participants from 22 countries, mentored by leading institutions including ZKM (Germany) and SAT (Canada). Participants will engage in hands-on creative experiments that blend artistic vision with emerging technologies.
Commemorating 30 Years of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
To mark the 30th anniversary of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, ARKO is presenting the architecture exhibition "Little Toad, Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion", on view from May 10 to November 23 at the Giardini in Venice.
The exhibition reflects on the past, present, and future of the Korean Pavilion, with a particular focus on sustainability in the architecture of national pavilions.
On May 9, ARKO hosted a dedicated architecture forum, "Vision and Legacy: 30 Years of the Korean Pavilion," featuring key figures such as Franco Mancuso, co-architect of the Korean Pavilion, and Cho Min-suk, commissioner of the 2014 Golden Lion-winning exhibition.
Launch of ARKO Art Studio and Expansion of International Programs
ARKO recently opened the ARKO Art Studio in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul - a new creative base for visual artists. The facility includes five private studios, an outdoor performance stage, and an academic hall. It will host 10 resident artists, with programming that includes cultural tours, mentorship, seminars, open studios, art fair participation, and exhibitions.
In addition, ARKO is expanding global partnerships to support Korean artists abroad. Current collaborators include:
- Edinburgh Momentum (UK)
- International Writing Program (IWP) - the University of Iowa (USA)
- Rijksakademie (Netherlands)
In 2025, ARKO is running residency programs with 23 partner organizations across five global regions and has launched new collaborations with institutions such as New Museum's NEW INC (USA), transmediale (Germany), and Ain Shams University (Egypt).
New initiatives to support the international visibility of Korean arts include:
- Participation in the Festival International Cervantino (Mexico), one of the world's largest performing arts festivals
- Support for Korean artists exhibiting at the Venice Biennale
Additionally, ARKO is also enhancing inbound cultural exchange through a new Inbound Cooperation Program themed around "Regional Decline," encouraging dialogue and experimental artistic responses to this urgent issue.
Chairman Choung concluded, "ARKO will continue to take bold steps to foster a sustainable ecosystem for Korean arts. By transcending borders and partnering with global institutions, we aim to make Korean arts more accessible, more connected, and more inspiring to the world."
Press materials and images are available for download via the Arts Council Korea Google Drive.
[ARKO] 2025_Global Week presskit - Google Drive
Chairman Byoung Gug Choung of the Arts Council Korea unveiled ARKO’s new global vision at a press briefing on May 14 in Seoul. (Photo Credit: ARKO)
