A Fervent Desire for 'Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center'... Yeongdeungpo-gu Receives Petition Urging Its Construction

Artists' Federation Requests Infrastructure for Stable Creative Activities Instead of Aging Facilities
'Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center' Scheduled for Completion in 2030... Promises to Establish a Cultural Ecosystem Hub with a 1,200-Seat Grand Theater, Small Theater, and Creative Spaces as Seoul's Only Legal Cultural City

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) received the "Petition to Urge the Construction of Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center" from the "Yeongdeungpo-gu Artists' Federation" and expressed a strong commitment to swiftly promote the construction of the "Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center" to expand local cultural and artistic infrastructure.

On the morning of the 19th, the "Yeongdeungpo-gu Artists' Federation," composed of members active in various fields such as fine arts, traditional Korean music, dance, literature, calligraphy, photography, and theater within the region, delivered the "Petition to Urge the Construction of Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center" to Mayor Choi Ho-kwon.

The petition contains a heartfelt wish and appeal for the prompt establishment of the "Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center," a space for cultural artists and residents, along with a request for the district office's active efforts to realize this. Local artists emphasize the need to focus steadily on creative activities, and residents should be able to enjoy culture and arts in their daily lives.

This aspiration of the "Yeongdeungpo-gu Artists' Federation" reflects the current poor state of Yeongdeungpo-gu's cultural and artistic ecosystem and infrastructure. Although Yeongdeungpo is the only legally designated cultural city in Seoul, the local cultural facilities consist only of the over half-century-old "Yeongdeungpo Cultural Center" and the "Yeongdeungpo Art Hall," which was built about 30 years ago.

According to a report titled "Current Status and Expansion Plans of Cultural Facilities in the Southwest Area of Seoul," analyzed last year by the Seoul Institute, the southwest area including Yeongdeungpo lacks cultural facilities compared to other regions, and popular performance venues and art facilities are also scarce.

In particular, although "Mullae Creative Village" in Mullae-dong is a hub where artists gather and work, there is a severe shortage of facilities to exhibit the activities and works of local artists.

The district plans to actively incorporate the opinions of the "Yeongdeungpo-gu Artists' Federation" and respond to the expectations of residents and artists by promoting the construction of the arts center as a core project of the district administration.

The district has completed the "Feasibility Study and Basic Plan Establishment Service" and is currently conducting a local finance investment project feasibility study with the Local Administration Research Institute, aiming to start construction in 2027 and complete it by 2030. The facility will include ▲a large performance hall with 1,200 seats, a highly utilizable small performance hall with 250 seats ▲exhibition rooms, creative workshops, activity facilities for local artists ▲cultural education facilities, youth education experience facilities, seminar rooms ▲and convenience facilities for residents such as a swimming pool and fitness center.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, "The Yeongdeungpo Mullae Arts Center will become a place for local artists to create and exchange, serving as an important turning point that breathes new life into Yeongdeungpo's culture and arts and a hub for the cultural ecosystem. As the only legally designated cultural city in Seoul, we will proceed with the construction of the arts center, which embodies the residents' wishes, without any setbacks and transform into a city where culture flows 365 days a year."