Song Hyeong-jong, right, president of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, poses with Xavier Marce, Barcelona's councillor for culture and creative industries, after signing a memorandum of understanding to establish a permanent pipeline for performing and visual arts exchange, in Barcelona, June 9. Courtesy of Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture
Seeking to transform Korea's capital into a global hub, the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture announced Tuesday a sweeping diplomatic push across Europe designed to project the city's "soft power" through major festival partnerships and artistic exchanges.
The initiative, led by the foundation’s president Song Hyeong-jong, marks a strategic effort by metropolitan officials to elevate Seoul into the ranks of the world's top cultural cities. Following a diplomatic tour through Singapore earlier this year, Seoul arts officials secured long-term partnerships with civic leaders and cultural institutions in Spain, Romania and the Netherlands.
The centerpiece of the European tour came on June 9 in Barcelona, where Song signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Xavier Marcé, the Spanish city's councillor for culture and creative industries. During the summit, Barcelona officials formally invited Seoul to be the guest of honor at La Mercè in 2028, Spain's largest street arts festival.
