Cheongchun Mike Performances Select 134 More Teams Than Last Year
'Artist Creative Preparation Fund' Support Targets More Than Doubled
[Asia Economy Reporter Jonggil Lee] Government support for young artists is being expanded. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 2nd that it will select and support 410 teams for the ‘Cheongchun Mike’ performance, which will hold street performances across the country this year, 134 more teams than last year. Accordingly, the support budget was also set at 6.7 billion won, 2 billion won more than last year.
The selected teams will perform five times across the country. They will receive performance fees ranging from 700,000 to 2,100,000 won and necessary equipment support depending on the number of members. A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official said, “Through information exchange among participating teams and connections with institutions participating in ‘Culture Day,’ they can also be given other opportunities for activities.”
This year’s call for applications will be promoted from April due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Any young artist aged 19 to 34 can participate. The recruitment fields are popular music, classical music, gugak (traditional Korean music), theater, b-boy dance, and magic. Cheongchun Mike started as a planned project in 2016 and has involved 857 teams and 3,215 people until last year. They have performed 4,622 times in front of local residents.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also greatly expanded the support targets for the ‘Artist Creative Preparation Fund,’ which helps artists’ stable creative activities. The Creative Preparation Fund is a system that supports the costs necessary for creation so that artists do not stop their activities due to economic difficulties. It provides 3 million won per person annually. This year’s support target is 12,000 people, more than twice the 5,500 people last year. Accordingly, the support budget was increased from 16.6 billion won to 36.2 billion won. Sixty-five percent of last year’s beneficiaries were young artists.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism explained, “The income and property screening targets required to receive Creative Preparation Fund support have been reduced to the applicant and spouse, and the support criteria have also been relaxed,” adding, “In particular, artists who have low income and suffer economic difficulties but could not benefit due to the property of their parents or children can receive benefits.” The application for the first half of the year was completed last month. The support funds are scheduled to be paid by next month at the latest.
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