Crying Out Loud Artistic Director Rachel Clare visited South Korea with a host of British programmers and promoters at an event organised by the Arts Council Korea and Arts Council England in collaboration with the British Council. The idea being that British arts professionals exchange experiences and good practice to strengthen the creative industries in South Korea, exchange policy on, for example, arts and disability, arts and an ageing population and the arts in education.

With the British Council, the group reviewed how to establish connections and collaborations during the early stages of artists’ development, create introductions and enable project planning for exchanges and collaborations. 

Rachel also spent time at the Performing Arts Market in Seoul which is organised by the Korea Arts Management Service every October, and showcases the performing arts of Asia.

The UK delegation representatives included Farnham Maltings, Artsadmin, LIFT, Northern Stage, Activate, China Plate, Mayfest, The Place, Dance East, Dance 4 and Watershed.

The second stage

Following the initial exchange trip, we became part of the Arts Council England and Arts Council Korea (ARKO) cultural exchange partnership to develop artistic collaboration between UK and South Korean artists.

Working with Korean companies Producer Group DOT and SiDance Festival, we connected performers, venues and organisations in London and Seoul.

Jisun Park of Producer Group Dot worked with local Korean performers and UK company Far From The Norm to create a version of their show H.O.H  (House of Hooligans) called Gen: 2020. In addition to public performances, the collaboration included workshops for 11 artists from which four were selected; and the making of documentary films with the aim of combining and reflecting the artistic strengths of both countries.