Sejong City, South Korea – The Sejong City Culture and Tourism Foundation (led by President Park Young-guk) has announced the upcoming launch of the Naseong-dong Arts Night Tour event, titled "Urban Night-Sejong NEON". Scheduled to run for four days from September 17 to September 20, the event will transform the outdoor plaza of the Sejong Arts Center into a vibrant urban nighttime cultural hub.

Operating daily from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM with free admission, the festival invites local residents and visitors to immerse themselves in an array of arts, interactive experiences, and local culinary delights without the need for advance reservations. 

Launched in 2024 as a signature outdoor program for the Sejong Arts Center, "Urban Night-Sejong" has consistently provided citizens with unique opportunities to enjoy culture and arts in their daily lives.

This year’s event expands significantly upon past iterations, aligning with Sejong City’s 5th-term policy direction to stimulate weekend and nighttime tourism through performing arts. Rather than focusing solely on stage performances, the program is designed as an all-encompassing urban night culture destination where visitors can linger, relax, and engage with the environment before and after performances. 

A core highlight of "Urban Night-Sejong NEON" is its strong emphasis on empowering local artists and fostering community connection. Under the Sejong City Culture and Tourism Foundation’s "Muse Sejong" initiative, talented local musicians and artists will take to the stage to showcase Sejong's distinctive artistic identity.

Furthermore, through collaborative exchanges between the Sejong Music Creation Station and neighboring regional music creation stations, guest musicians from nearby areas will also participate. This cross-regional cooperation not only broadens the performance horizons for local artists but also establishes a reliable platform for homegrown talent to connect directly with the public.

The physical landscape of the Sejong Arts Center outdoor plaza will undergo a dramatic transformation, illuminated by specialized lighting and color concepts to match the festival’s "NEON" theme.

The popular neon graffiti zone has been expanded and redesigned, offering interactive spaces where visitors can actively participate and capture memorable photographs. By treating the entire plaza—not just the performance stage—as an integrated nighttime cultural canvas, the event ensures a continuous, lively atmosphere that encourages people to stay and enjoy the nocturnal ambiance.

In addition to visual and auditory arts, the event places a strong focus on revitalizing the local commercial district through creative food and beverage initiatives. A curated food market featuring selected local vendors will operate on-site.

To directly benefit surrounding neighborhood businesses, a "Local Synergy Delivery Pickup Zone" will be introduced, allowing visitors to order food from nearby restaurants and pick it up or enjoy it within the festival venue. This thoughtful integration ensures that visitor spending translates into tangible economic growth for local merchants rather than being confined entirely within the festival grounds.

Kim Nam-sun, Head of the Performance Business Division, noted that "Urban Night-Sejong" is crafted to bring culture and the arts closer to everyday life by creatively utilizing the Sejong Arts Center's outdoor square. He emphasized that by seamlessly connecting local artistic performances, comfortable communal spaces, and neighborhood culinary options, the event will offer residents an entirely fresh nighttime cultural experience in Sejong.

As Sejong City continues to foster urban vibrancy and expand cultural accessibility, "Urban Night-Sejong NEON" stands out as a key seasonal anchor. Further details regarding specific daily lineups, artist schedules, and program updates can be found on the official Sejong Arts Center website and its official social media channels.

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