Opening of Nowon Culture and Arts Center Remodeling

Official Reopening in January 2025 to Enhance Residents' Cultural Enjoyment and Satisfaction... Elevating Local Cultural Arts Prestige... Modernized Facilities in 1st-3rd Floor Grand Theater Enable High-Quality Performances and Comfortable Viewing Environment
4th Floor Nowon Art Museum Equipped with Climate-Controlled Exhibition and Storage Rooms Meeting Public Art Museum Standards

Nowon-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will reopen the Nowon Culture and Arts Center after completing its remodeling to enhance the cultural enjoyment rights of its residents.

Since its opening in 2004, the Nowon Culture and Arts Center has established itself as a cultural hub that satisfies the cultural needs of local residents by presenting high-quality planned performances in various genres such as theater, opera, and ballet.

The main goal of this remodeling was to restore the functions of the aging performance hall and exhibition spaces and to significantly improve viewing convenience.

The most noticeable changes can be seen in the ▲main auditorium. The old stage floor, outdated stage lighting, and mechanical equipment were replaced, and a new ‘lighting and sound control room’ was created to oversee the entire auditorium, greatly enhancing the quality of performance production.

Seating comfort was also improved. The existing 608 seats were reduced to 550, but replaced with ‘wide seats’ to provide a more comfortable viewing environment. Additionally, six wheelchair-accessible seats for disabled patrons were installed, with some seats positioned close to the stage to improve accessibility.

Nowon Art Gallery

Furthermore, the outdated lobby design was newly renovated, and two LED display boards were installed both inside and outside to allow residents easy access to performance information and district announcements. These display boards will also serve as photo zones during performances or exhibitions.

Along with this, restrooms, family rooms, nursing rooms, and indoor landscaping areas were redesigned to enhance user convenience and elevate the prestige of the complex cultural facility.

In particular, considering the characteristics of a multi-use facility, a ‘firewall’ separating the stage and seating area was newly installed to minimize fire spread in case of an emergency, thereby strengthening safety measures.

The second major change is the opening of the Nowon Art Museum. As residents’ demand for high-quality exhibitions, including world-famous masterpieces, has steadily increased, the existing exhibition hall (4th floor) was upgraded to meet the standards for registration as a public art museum and renamed accordingly.

The most carefully developed features are the ‘storage room (1 unit)’ and the latest temperature and humidity control systems to preserve artworks in optimal conditions. The district also installed theft prevention systems and fire safety equipment to create a secure environment for storing artworks. Additionally, two exhibition halls were expanded by connecting the lobby and stairwell to create a more open exhibition space.

To commemorate the remodeling of the Nowon Culture and Arts Center, the district will hold various events. From Friday, January 10, 2025, to Saturday, July 12, 2025, the 'Masters of New York' exhibition will be held to celebrate the opening of the Nowon Art Museum. This exhibition will introduce works by leading contemporary abstract expressionist artists, including Jackson Pollock, for the first time in Korea.

On January 16, the '2025 New Year Concert' will take place. Notably, soprano Jo Sumi, who performed at the center’s inaugural concert, will appear again for the reopening commemorative performance, making the first stage of the new venue even more meaningful.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Through this remodeling, performances and exhibitions will take place in a much higher-quality environment,” and added, “We will continue to prepare cultural and artistic performances and exhibitions in various genres to invigorate the lives of our residents.”