During a press conference on Monday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced it will pass legislation requiring standard form contracts between artists and art galleries, and make sure that proceeds from the resale of paintings in part go towards artists. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 3 (Korea Bizwire) — The South Korean government has revealed plans to ensure workers’ rights and improve working conditions in the art industry.
During a press conference on Monday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced it will pass legislation requiring standard form contracts between artists and art galleries, and make sure that proceeds from the resale of paintings in part go towards artists.
The new long-term arts promotion plan outlines four main goals to be pursued by 2022, including ensuring a creative work environment in which artists can thrive, a sustainable art market, and infrastructure for a stable future of the art world, and promoting art culture in everyday life.
In detail, up to 1,000 new jobs will be created in the art sector, with a greater variety in the types of jobs, while exhibition attendance rates are expected to reach 25 percent and the art industry will be worth 600 billion won by 2022 under the new plans.
Plans to introduce standard form contracts and resale rights come on the heels of growing calls from artists in recent years to improve the creative work environment in the country.
The culture ministry is expected to set out the first draft of the contract form sometime this year, with further plans to enforce the new contracts for government-backed projects from next year.
Known as resale rights, artists from EU countries can claim commission fees of between 0.25 and 4 percent from the proceedings of the resale of their work.
Modeled after the EU’s guidelines, plans to enforce a similar policy are under consideration, after setting forth legal grounds with a grace period of three years.
In addition, a wider range of workers will be able to claim artist fees, including curators and critics, which will be applicable to exhibitions held at national galleries as well as state-commissioned art projects.
The South Korean government has revealed plans to ensure workers’ rights and improve working conditions in the art industry. (Image: Yonhap)
To raise exhibition attendance, a new platform will be built connecting content providers and consumers, encouraging art exhibitions to be held not just in Seoul and the surrounding areas but throughout the country.
“Many of the topics discussed in the art industry have been reflected in the government’s new art policy. We will establish action plans for each item on the agenda and will take action,” a culture ministry official said.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
