The ARKO Selection is kicking off its 18th year, with 34 new works selected across six performing arts genres: theater, musicals, dance, music, opera and traditional Korean arts.
One of the Arts Council Korea’s flagship funding initiatives, the program was launched in 2008 and supports promising new works across the entire creative process, from development and production to distribution. As of this year, it has helped bring 366 new works to the stage.
Several productions that premiered through ARKO Selection — including the musicals “Marie Curie,” “Red Book” and the play “Trigger” — have gone on to overseas showcases and international licensing.
Choung Byoung-gug, chair of Arts Council Korea, said the program plays a foundational role in the growth of Korean culture.
“I believe continuing this initiative as a platform for new works is part of laying the foundation for the future of K-culture,” Choung said during a press conference in Seoul on Monday.
Choung emphasized that the initiative is intended to go beyond one-time grants, noting that the Arts Council plans to fully implement its secondary production support this year following a pilot program last year.
Actor Kim Shin-rok was appointed this year’s program ambassador. Recalling her experience participating in the ARKO Selection audition, Kim said that even though her project was not selected, the preparation itself was meaningful.
“It is reassuring for artists to get support from the very beginning — not for licensed works, but for original ones that are newly created,” she said.
She added that the program’s process-centered approach creates an environment that encourages bold experimentation and allows room for failure. “For artists, it’s a creative partner. For audiences, it feels like attending performances with a curator.”
This year, the ARKO Selection will be presented sequentially over about three months beginning in January.
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