The Chungnam Foundation for Culture and Tourism announced Monday that it will launch the "Chungnam Artist Education Support Voucher Program" to strengthen the capabilities of local cultural and arts professionals, providing up to 350,000 won per person.
This year, the foundation plans to expand coverage beyond the previous online-only format to include offline education, more actively responding to on-the-ground demand.
Voucher recipients can use the support to enroll in various education programs needed for professional development and creative activities.
Eligible applicants include registered artists with addresses in South Chungcheong Province who have completed arts activity certification, as well as aspiring artists residing in the province who have graduated from culture and arts departments at universities within the region.
The foundation aims to provide broad support ranging from those preparing to enter the arts field to artists already active in the industry.
The support format has also been improved. Previously, the program operated primarily through online education to reduce time and location constraints. Starting this year, it has expanded to offline education, offering hands-on training, in-person instruction, and networking opportunities. Participants can now choose the education format that best suits their field of activity and needs.
The foundation expects the program to go beyond simple tuition support and serve as a catalyst for expanding the sustainable activity base of local cultural and arts professionals. It anticipates the initiative will strengthen practical capabilities across all areas of culture and arts — including creation, planning, and technology — while also helping aspiring artists make a stable entry into the field.
"This education voucher is a support measure designed to help artists and aspiring artists proactively respond to the changing cultural and arts environment and develop the capabilities they need on their own," said Lee Ki-jin, CEO of the Chungnam Foundation for Culture and Tourism. "As we have expanded the scope of support from online to offline, we will operate this as a substantive program that more cultural and arts professionals can benefit from."
The foundation plans to continue pursuing various policies to strengthen the creative foundation for local cultural and arts professionals and to support the growth and successful establishment of aspiring artists in the field.