Culture ministry designs 2027 budget with theater and classical arts sectors

The culture ministry said Thursday it has designed its 2027 government budget proposal to reflect direct feedback from the theater, classical music, traditional music and dance communities. Minister Choi Hwi-young chaired separate advisory meetings with representatives from these fields on Sept. 17 to share the draft budget outcomes and discuss cooperation plans to ensure the funds achieve tangible results in the field.

A central pillar of the plan is expanding the social safety net for artists, which will grow from 34.5 billion won to 96.6 billion won. The increase bolsters basic living guarantees and provides low-interest loans for financial stability. Alongside welfare measures, the budget for supporting performing arts creation rises from 39.1 billion won to 51.7 billion won.

Regional cultural ecosystems will receive enhanced support as distribution aid rises from 70.4 billion won to 86.4 billion won. The ministry newly secured 10.5 billion won for projects linking local festivals with foundational arts such as traditional Korean music.

Youth employment within the arts sector will see a boost through expanded training programs and internships. The number of supported trainees will jump from 365 to 600, while their monthly stipend will increase from 2.16 million won to 2.54 million won. Additionally, the National Youth Arts Ensemble will expand from 120 to 145 members, and a new internship program will accommodate 352 young artists.

Specific initiatives for the theater industry include a new 4.4 billion won project to cultivate representative repertoire works through collaborations between private troupes and performance venues. The ministry also introduced a scale-up program designed to support the entire lifecycle of foundational arts, ranging from initial creation and scaling up to participation in overseas festivals and markets.

"As the budget for arts-related projects has been significantly increased for next year, we will design and push forward support directions together with the art community so that the allocated budget can take proper effect in the field," Choi said. "We will establish a solid foundation for the creation and growth of theater and foundational arts while further expanding opportunities for the public to enjoy culture."