WONSANDO — Ahead of the highly anticipated 2027 Island Biennale, the Chungnam Culture and Tourism Foundation has wrapped up a transformative seven-month community arts project. Titled "Living on an Island Embracing the Biennale," the initiative engaged residents of Wonsando and Godaedo in 20 interactive sessions designed to integrate creativity into everyday island life.

The program was co-organized by the foundation, the Island Biennale Organizing Committee, and local resident councils, ensuring that islanders stood at the very center of the cultural movement rather than remaining passive spectators.

The curriculum kicked off with an introductory workshop hosted by Biennale Artistic Director Kim Sung-yeon and Curator Lee Seung-ah. It later expanded into four distinct creative tracks:

An island archive project led by Yeo Sang-hee,
A movement-based workshop themed around ocean waves by Lee Yang-hee, and
A culinary-art fusion session titled "Nomad Pocha" by Hwang Ho-bin, which explored local micro-histories and traditional recipes.

To guarantee long-term local impact, regional artists Lee Jung-hoon and Jang Hyun-ah anchored the programs as collaborative mentors.

The journey culminated on November 5 on Wonsando with Hwang's Nomad Pocha session, where participants cataloged fading local food recipes and shared generational memories of the island. A closing reflection session, guided by Lee Jung-hoon, gave residents a platform to share how encountering professional art for the first time reshaped their connection to their community and neighbors.

"Overcoming the cultural isolation traditionally faced by remote island communities has been deeply rewarding," said Lee Ji-won, Head of the Arts Promotion Division at the Chungnam Culture and Tourism Foundation. "We are committed to building lasting frameworks so that local residents can take the lead as active collaborators in the upcoming 2027 Island Biennale."

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