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Busan Metropolitan City to Hold the 2nd Emerging Artists Art Show, “BUSAN, CONNECTED” Competition

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that it is publicly recruiting artists to participate in the “2nd Emerging Artists Art Show, BUSAN, CONNECTED” (hereinafter referred to as the “Emerging Artists Art Show”) until July 16.

This open call, under the theme “Next Together,” is designed to support the creative activities and exhibitions of young local artists, helping nurture talented individuals. The event is hosted by Busan Metropolitan City and organized once again this year by “Art Meets Life (AML),” following last year’s edition.

Outline of the 2nd Emerging Artists Art Show

• ●Theme: “Next Together” — The next story created together by two artists

• ●Date: September 9 (Tue), 2025, 9:00 AM – October 10 (Fri), 2025, 6:00 PM

• ●Venue: Geumgo Museum of Art, Basement 1, Busan Modern & Contemporary History Museum (Jung-gu, Daecheong-dong)

• ●Hosted by: Busan Metropolitan City

• ●Organized by: Art Meets Life (AML)

• ●Inquiries: busan.connected@gmail.com

The Emerging Artists Art Show is a program that supports entry into the art market for artists working in foundational arts, helping them establish a foothold in their practice and develop new sales channels.

In 2024, through the inaugural edition, the “Project Yooyoung (Lee Jae-gyun and Choi Won-gyo)” team was selected and presented their work to collectors and the public through the “Spotlight” program at The Preview Seoul (held at the former Baek Seong-hee Jang Min-ho Theater from May 30 to June 1, 2025). Local artists’ works received high praise for eliciting fresh and intriguing reactions from viewers.

This year’s competition is open to all genres of contemporary art, including painting, sculpture, photography, installation, media, and crafts. Artists must be born between 1983 and 2000 and apply in teams of two, with at least one team member being either born in, currently residing in, or originally from Busan. The application period runs until July 16.

Applicants must submit their exhibition plan, including curatorial intentions and spatial planning, along with the application form, a portfolio detailing previous works, and a full exhibition proposal. Submissions should be made via the online form available on the official competition website (linktr.ee/busan_connected).

Entries will be reviewed based on criteria including experimentation and originality, marketability, conceptual planning, and exhibition composition. Ten teams (20 individuals) will be selected in the first round.

Selected teams will be given the opportunity to exhibit in “BUSAN, CONNECTED,” starting September 9. Each team will receive KRW 2 million in production support and transport costs (for both inbound and outbound shipping of works).

Additionally, one team will be selected through on-site judging during the exhibition period and awarded a booth in the special exhibition section of the 2026 The Preview Art Fair, along with priority participation in related business opportunities.

During the “BUSAN, CONNECTED” exhibition period, a variety of programs will be offered to engage audiences with contemporary art. These include talk sessions, special exhibitions, and tour programs, inviting participants to explore the stories behind the artists and their works, as well as the narratives they create with viewers.

Further details regarding the open call can be found on the official competition website.

Jo Yoo-jang, Director General of the Culture Bureau of Busan Metropolitan City, stated, “The purpose of the Emerging Artists Art Show is to introduce and connect the works of emerging artists with the art market and the public, enabling them to continue their creative practices. We look forward to discovering raw talents again this year and encourage all interested artists to actively apply.”