Busan City Opens Collaborative Art Space for Disabled and Non-Disabled 'Changjakgonggan Dugoo'

Opening Ceremony at Spo1 Park on the 21st at 2 PM, Attended by Director of Culture and Sports, Resident Artists, and Arts Officials

Art Space Based on Collaboration Between Disabled and Non-Disabled Artists, Total Project Cost 480 Million KRW, Crea

The idle facilities at Spo1 Park (located in Geumjeong-gu) will be transformed into a creative space where artists with and without disabilities can realize inclusive arts.

Busan City will hold the opening ceremony of ‘Creative Space Dugu’ at Spo1 Park at 2 p.m. on the 21st.

Creative Space Dugoo.

About 30 people, including the city’s Culture and Sports Bureau director, Busan city officials, resident artists, and cultural and artistic stakeholders, are expected to attend the opening ceremony.

‘Creative Space Dugu’ is a collaborative creative space for artists with and without disabilities, created by utilizing idle facilities inside the main building of Spo1 Park under the Busan Facilities Corporation. It is a space of ‘inclusive arts’ that aims to eliminate social discrimination through the power of art and where all artists can participate and communicate.

It aims to realize the value of ‘Opening the door to all arts. Shining together.’ This means ‘opening the door’ so that anyone can participate creatively, and through diversity and cooperation, creating a beautiful world of creation that ‘shines together.’

As a hub for inclusive arts, it was designed to ▲maximize artistic diversity by respecting the experiences and perspectives of all artists ▲enhance accessibility by creating barrier-free facilities such as no-step floors, wheelchair routes, and accessible restrooms ▲offer new perspectives and understanding of social issues such as discrimination and inequality through art ▲and foster a creative environment that values interaction and cooperation among creators, allowing mutual inspiration.

‘Inclusive Arts’ originated in the UK and refers to art that emphasizes collaboration and joint processes between artists with and without disabilities.

The facility covers a total floor area of 704.46㎡ and includes eight artist studios, a multipurpose room, a lounge, and accessible restrooms. Notably, unlike existing creative spaces, it was designed as a barrier-free creative environment for artists, allowing disabled artists and citizens to use it comfortably.

From last year until August this year, a total budget of 480 million KRW was invested in asbestos removal, remodeling of accessible restrooms, interior work, electrical, fire safety, communication, heating and cooling system installation, and network equipment installation.

▲Ensuring routes and widths so that wheelchairs can access all areas of the creative space ▲Installing restrooms equipped with facilities for disabled persons ▲Minimizing vertical movement within and outside the space ▲Securing two-way entrances and exits considering emergency evacuation situations, creating a barrier-free space without obstacles.

Along with the opening ceremony, various related events encompassing inclusive arts will be held, including ▲open studios ▲workshops ▲and conversations with artists.

These include an ‘Exhibition of Works’ by eight resident artists showcasing the diversity of creation and inclusiveness of art, centered on the ‘Collaboration Project between Artists with and without Disabilities’ conducted since May this year; an ‘Open Studio’ where artists’ creative spaces are opened to citizens; a ‘Workshop’ inviting internal and external experts to share successful cases and practical experiences of inclusive arts; and a ‘Conversation with Artists’ program inviting Son Mongju, the first resident artist of Busan Creative Space Hongti Art Center, to discuss the meaning of collaboration between artists with and without disabilities.

A total of eight resident artists, including Kim Eunji (visual arts), Shin Suhang (flat and installation art), and Shin Hyunchae (Western painting), have been residing at ‘Creative Space Dugu’ since September and participating in the collaborative project ‘Open Code_B’ between artists with and without disabilities.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun said, “‘Creative Space Dugu’ was created with the purpose of establishing an inclusive creative space for artists without distinction between disabled and non-disabled by utilizing idle spaces in the city center,” adding, “We will operate it solidly so that artists with and without disabilities and citizens can respect diversity and cultivate inclusiveness.”

In the first half of next year, a recruitment announcement for resident artists of ‘Creative Space Dugu’ will be made through the Busan Cultural Foundation website.

For more detailed information about ‘Creative Space Dugu,’ please refer to the Busan Cultural Foundation website or contact the Cultural Sharing Team of the Busan Cultural Foundation by phone.