The culture ministry announced the comprehensive plan for arts and culture education on Thursday, which will see new educational institutions for senior citizens built over the next five years, in a move to ensure access to cultural facilities. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – A new initiative from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will result in the construction of a number of arts and culture schools for seniors.
The culture ministry announced the comprehensive plan for arts and culture education on Thursday, which will see new educational institutions for senior citizens built over the next five years, in a move to ensure access to cultural facilities.
Modeled after Finland’s Annantalo, an institution dedicated to arts and cultural education, the Ministry of Culture is considering building some of the facilities at abandoned sites previously occupied by schools and factories.
According to the five-year plan, the government will begin work this year to achieve a number of goals in the arts and culture sector, including increasing the level of arts and culture education, making a variety of educational programs available to meet demand from citizens, and creating a localized environment.
Under the vision of ‘arts and culture education in life’, the Ministry of Culture will spend a total of 700 billion won over the next five years to provide culture education for each age group, particularly those in their 50s and 60s, who have been neglected in arts education.
Six schools are already scheduled to be built this year, with plans for further construction in the future.
The government will begin providing support for 700 amateur arts clubs in the form of educational programs this year, with plans to support 1,000 select clubs each year from next year.
In addition, working conditions for teachers responsible for youth arts education programs will also be improved, by launching a consultative group consisting of teacher representatives, government officials and cultural organizations that will come up with detailed plans.
A new initiative from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will result in the construction of a number of arts and culture schools for seniors. (Image: Yonhap)
Efforts to build local arts education communities will also begin this year, which will see abandoned places revamped as educational facilities offering family and youth-friendly arts programs, similar to the Annantalo Arts Center in Helsinki, Finland.
With a couple of venues scheduled to be constructed sometime this year, more programs targeting not only children and adolescents but also local residents of all age groups will be introduced in the future.
“We plan to craft more detailed arts education plans for each community, each year, as we go forward,” a culture ministry official said.
M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
