The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young) and the Korea Arts and Culture Association (hereinafter referred to as KOKAKA) are significantly expanding and restructuring the '2026 Arts Center Specialization Support Project' to enhance the planning and production capabilities of local arts centers and establish a foundation for activating local cultural arts. Applications for the 2026 project will be accepted from the 25th to December 23rd.

The 2026 project will see a significant increase in support compared to the previous year. The budget will be increased fourfold from the existing 25 billion won to 100 billion won based on the 2026 government budget, and the number of selected arts centers will also increase by around fivefold from 18 to approximately 90. The focus is on transforming arts centers nationwide into hubs for local performing arts creation and production, creating a sustainable creative environment.

The dual support system that was previously divided into new production and brand planning types will be abolished starting from 2026. Moving forward, without separate support types, a wide range of planning activities will be possible, including new performances, re-staging of existing repertoires, new planning for performance series or local festivals, and expansion of existing brand programs. Grants will be differentially supported ranging from a minimum of 50 million won to a maximum of 200 million won.

The open call will target public performance venues including arts centers nationwide, and the arts centers must submit plans to establish specialized brands by selecting one genre from theater, musicals, dance, music, or traditional arts. As this project focuses on the planning capabilities and specialization strategies of arts centers, one-time programs focused solely on rentals or invitations are excluded from the support targets.

Substantial support will be provided for plans that enable arts centers to actively participate from the planning stage and utilize local cultural resources and professional manpower to establish sustainable unique performance brands. Collaboration with local arts organizations in the performance content creation and production process or the formation of in-house productions will be possible, and in collaborations, the role of the arts center must be clearly stated in the project plan.