Art Korea Lab Marks Second Anniversary with 150,000 Cumulative Users

Art Korea Lab: A Specialized Platform for Art-Technology Convergence
150,000 Cumulative Users in Two Years Since Opening
4 Billion KRW in Total Investments Attracted
Discovery of 47 Convergence Art Projects
Honored with Awards Including "Best in Show"

Art Korea Lab, an art-technology convergence platform celebrating its second anniversary, has recorded a cumulative total of 150,000 users over the past two years and has attracted approximately 4 billion KRW in investments through the incubation of resident art companies.

Art Korea Lab, a platform specialized in the convergence of art and technology, provides comprehensive support for the entire process from creation and production experimentation to distribution, startup, and growth for artists and art companies. The platform is producing tangible results across all areas, including global expansion, partnership building, investment attraction, and the discovery of convergence art projects.

150,000 cumulative users over two years... 4 billion KRW in investments attracted

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Arts Management Support Center, Art Korea Lab has accumulated approximately 150,000 users since its opening. This year alone, about 70,000 people visited. The number of facility rentals for key spaces such as the demonstration hall, media wall, and kinetic/immersive sound studio reached 8,238, a 45% increase compared to the same period last year (5,696 cases).

The residency and incubation system, which supports the establishment and advancement of sustainable business models for art companies, has also produced visible results. The 20 resident companies created 496 new jobs this year, attracted 200 million KRW in investments in the first to third quarters, and recorded a sales increase of about 19% compared to the same period last year. Since the opening of Art Korea Lab, the cumulative investment attracted by resident companies has reached approximately 4 billion KRW.

In addition, through the "Technology Convergence Open Innovation" project, which matches art companies with leading enterprises to provide collaboration opportunities, further contracts were signed after project completion, resulting in an additional 500 million KRW in investments. Sixdopamine signed an additional contract with Heineken Korea, Millennial Works attracted a 500 million KRW investment from SM Culture Partners, and also signed separate contracts with global brands such as Chanel and BMW.

Support for creative experimentation reflecting on-site demand... 47 convergence art projects discovered

In the area of supporting technology-based creative experimentation for artists and art organizations, Art Korea Lab achieved tangible results by providing practical support that reflected on-site demand. Its flagship support program, the "Super Testbed" art-technology convergence program, is a process-oriented experimental program. In 2025, it operated six lab courses applicable to the performing and visual arts, including Sound Design Lab, Interactive Mapping Lab, Dynamic XR Lab, and Active Kinetic Lab. Through these, the lab supported technology education, creative experimentation, and prototype production, discovering a total of 47 convergence art projects. Notably, a 3D anamorphic media art piece created by an emerging artist through the "Super Testbed" joint project was exhibited for about two months on the giant media wall at Shinsegae Square in Myeong-dong, providing a real-world example of creative experimentation leading to actual distribution and dissemination.

Support for overseas expansion... Showcasing K-Convergence Art capabilities through awards

Art Korea Lab has supported overseas expansion and strengthened global capabilities in the convergence art sector by collaborating with domestic and international organizations, and by promoting overseas distribution projects led by art companies, resulting in partnership building and international awards. It established partnerships with seven overseas convergence art institutions, including IRCAM at the Centre Pompidou in France and S?nar in Spain, and participated in five international events this year, such as the NewImages Festival in France (April) and S?nar+D Festival in Spain (June). The lab also supported 17 cases of artists and art companies entering overseas art-technology markets. Resident company "Gieoi" was honored with the "Best in Show" award in the Immersive Pavilion category at SIGGRAPH 2025 Vancouver.

Alongside global expansion, Art Korea Lab has actively pursued the expansion of domestic networks in the art-technology convergence field. To foster a region-based art-technology business ecosystem, it signed MOUs with six metropolitan cultural foundations and provided education and consulting through the "Visiting Biz Center" program. Additionally, together with ten public and private organizations, including the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture and Hyundai Motor-Kia ZER01NE, it launched the "Convergence Arts Council" to establish a collaborative framework.

Art Korea Lab holds an annual festival to shape discourse and share achievements around the latest trends in art-technology convergence. At the "2025 Art Korea Lab Festival" held last November, a variety of programs were held, including a conference and exhibition on the key topic of AI in the arts and a pitching awards event. A total of 118 teams from nine countries participated, and the number of visitors reached 4,031, a 2.6-fold increase from last year (1,545), demonstrating high interest from creators and audiences both domestically and internationally.

Kim Jangho, CEO of the Arts Management Support Center, stated, "Art Korea Lab has produced visible results in multiple areas within just two years by implementing support programs that reflect the voices of the art field. In 2026, we will continue to respond proactively to the latest trends in convergence art and changes in the art world, expanding AI-based support for creative experimentation and distribution, and broadening our programs and networks so that Korean artists and art companies can continue to collaborate and achieve results on the global stage."