Samcheok City is recruiting young artists to become residents of 'Moeul,' a culture and arts playground established as a core hub for the Seongnae District Urban Regeneration Project, aiming to revitalize local culture and arts. This recruitment drive is part of Samcheok City's efforts to support the creative activities of local youth and build a new culture and arts ecosystem through the synergy of Samcheok City's unique cultural assets and the urban regeneration project. In particular, this project reflects Samcheok City's strong commitment to overcoming the crisis of regional decline and attracting population, providing a foundation for young artists to focus on their creative endeavors in a stable environment and coexist with the local community.
Overview and Background of 'Moeul'
'Moeul' is located around 11-1 Seongnae-dong, Samcheok City, and has been reborn through remodeling with a total floor area of 1,000㎡. The Seongnae District, once Samcheok City's central commercial area, had lost its vitality due to population decline and commercial stagnation. To address this, Samcheok City was selected as an urban regeneration new deal project site in 2017 and has been promoting the 'Seongnae District Urban Regeneration Project.' The goal of this project is to restore urban functions and improve the quality of life for local residents by utilizing the region's unique historical and cultural assets. 'Moeul' is one of the concrete outcomes of this urban regeneration project, transforming idle spaces into creative and exchange spaces for young culture and arts professionals.
'Moeul' consists of office spaces, individual artist studios, educational rooms, exhibition spaces, and performance/program operation areas. It aims to be more than just a studio, but an open platform where young artists can communicate, collaborate, and exchange ideas. Furthermore, it seeks to expand cultural exchange and promote coexistence between the local community and artists by operating various programs that allow local residents to enjoy and participate in culture and arts. However, overnight stays within the rented spaces are not permitted, providing an environment solely focused on startup preparation and creative activities. This is to ensure efficient use of space and to allow focus on the essence of commercial and artistic endeavors.
Detailed Resident Recruitment Guidelines
The target applicants for this 'Moeul' resident recruitment are young prospective entrepreneurs or young entrepreneurs and organizations within 7 years of founding, aged between 18 and 49. In particular, opportunities are open to those with creative ideas and growth potential in the cultural and artistic fields. The recruitment covers a wide range of cultural and artistic fields, including painting, sculpture, crafts, design, music, performance, literature, and video. Samcheok City expects diverse young artists to gather together, create synergy, and broaden the horizons of local culture and arts.
Notably, applicants residing outside Samcheok City must transfer their address to Samcheok City within one month of moving in. This directly links to the important goal of the urban regeneration project: revitalizing the region through an influx of young people. Through address transfer, Samcheok City aims to help young artists settle in the community and create a virtuous cycle of long-term growth with the region. To achieve this, Samcheok City plans to explore various support measures, including providing information for creating stable living environments for young residents.
Application Method and Screening Process
Applications for residency are open until July 28th and can be submitted by visiting or mailing to the Samcheok City Urban Regeneration Support Center. After the application deadline, final residents will be selected through a document review and an interview. The document review comprehensively evaluates applicants' creative plans, activity experience, and potential for regional contribution, while the interview delves into creativity, growth potential, and connection with the local community. Samcheok City plans to select promising young artists through a fair and transparent screening process to contribute to the revitalization of 'Moeul'.
Residency Period and Costs
The basic residency period is 2 years, and can be extended for up to 2 more years based on performance evaluation. This is to allow young artists to focus on their creative activities stably in the long term. Usage fees for the residency space will be charged in accordance with relevant regulations, such as the "Act on the Management of Public Property and Goods," and public utilities like electricity, water, and heating must be paid separately. Samcheok City plans to minimize the financial burden on young artists and support their initial settlement through reasonable fee setting.
Selected residents will sign a permission for use and profit contract with Samcheok City after space allocation and must pay the usage fee within 15 days of the contract date. Samcheok City plans to streamline administrative procedures and actively provide necessary information to help residents quickly settle into their spaces and begin their creative activities.
Coexistence with the Local Community and Expected Effects
'Moeul' is expected to serve not only as a space for young artists but also as a focal point that provides new opportunities for local residents to enjoy culture and arts. Resident artists will plan and operate exhibitions, performances, and educational programs, communicating and interacting with local residents. This will address the cultural needs of local residents and inject vitality into the region.
Furthermore, through 'Moeul,' young artists settling in Samcheok City and developing local culture and arts content are expected to contribute to enhancing Samcheok City's urban brand value. In the long term, a culture and arts cluster centered around 'Moeul' is expected to play a crucial role in Samcheok City's emergence as a full-fledged cultural and artistic city. Samcheok City hopes that 'Moeul' will be an important turning point for securing the city's sustainability through economic revitalization and the influx of the younger generation.
Contact Information
For more detailed information regarding 'Moeul' residency, please contact the Samcheok City Urban Regeneration Support Center (033-576-0327) or the Samcheok City Strategic Projects Division (033-570-4034). Through this 'Moeul' resident recruitment, Samcheok City will actively support promising young artists to realize their dreams in Samcheok City and grow together with the local community.
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