On April 9, the ARKO Art Center of the Arts Council Korea announced that the operation of Insa Art Space (IAS), a venue dedicated to supporting emerging artists, will come to an end this June.

Since its opening in 2000, IAS has been beloved as a space for emerging artists. By positioning itself as a bridge between alternative art spaces and public institutions, it has played a key role in discovering and nurturing new artists, fostering knowledge production and exchange, and supporting creation and research—leaving a significant mark on contemporary Korean art.

Currently managed under ARKO Art Center, Insa Art Space celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020 by restructuring its programs to support multidisciplinary artistic activities through the Insa Art Space Creative Studio and workshops for emerging curators and artists.

Since 2021, ARKO Art Center and Insa Art Space have adopted a new operational strategy based on usability, inclusivity, collaboration, and sharing. They have functioned as a platform facilitating a virtuous cycle of research, creation, exhibition, and exchange. Their programs have included thematic exhibitions addressing social issues, public programs fostering the generation and dissemination of artistic discourse, and the operation of Insa Art Space and its archives to support artistic creation and research.

However, the Arts Council Korea stated that due to difficulties in operating the space in recent years—stemming from regional development and rising rental costs—the operation of IAS will come to a close at the end of June.

Jade Keunhye Lim, Director of the ARKO Art Center, remarked, “While IAS will no longer continue as a physical space, the spirit of youth it embodied—its history of fostering and nurturing countless emerging artists, and its contributions to creative experimentation and the generation of discourse—will be carried on by the ARKO Art Center.”

Ahead of the closure of IAS, the ARKO Art Center is organizing a series of exhibitions and programs at both the ARKO Art Center and IAS to reflect on the cultural legacy of the space.

Currently, the ARKO Art Center is hosting the exhibition 《Minibus, Oort Cloud, Fluttering Pages》 through May 18, which seeks to connect IAS’s 25-year history not as a relic of the past but as a path toward new futures. Meanwhile, at the IAS venue in Wonseo-dong, Jongno-gu, the final exhibition titled 《That (This) Space》 will run from April 29 to June 1.

IAS’s important role in generating discourse will also be carried forward through a new critical program to be launched by ARKO.

References

• 한국문화예술위원회 보도자료 (Arts Council Korea Press Release)
• 인사미술공간 (Insa Art Space) 
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