--- title: Artistic Director of the Sea Art Festival 2027 description: Open call for an Artistic Director to lead Busan's 2027 Sea Art Festival, an exhibition on the city's maritime and coastal environment. url: https://www.artsume.com/programs/a72255fe-177b-42b3-8217-f0307f18c3e7 type: program status: open createdAt: "2026-10-24" updatedAt: "2026-10-24" programType: Job organization: Busan Biennale Organizing Committee organizationUrl: https://www.artsume.com/o/busan-biennale-organizing-committee deadline: "2026-10-31" location: Busan, South Korea isOnline: false compensationRange: Artistic Director's fee, included within the overall project budget of approximately KRW 800 million --- # Artistic Director of the Sea Art Festival 2027 **Hosted by:** Busan Biennale Organizing Committee **Type:** Job | **Location:** Busan, South Korea | **Deadline:** October 31, 2026 ## About This Program > "Busan's coastal and maritime identity, urban transformation, and site-specific contemporary art" ### About the opportunity The Busan Biennale Organizing Committee is seeking one Artistic Director for the 2027 Sea Art Festival in Busan, Republic of Korea. The selected curator will develop an exhibition responding to Busan's maritime and coastal environment through contemporary art, with opportunities to propose site-specific projects, research, workshops, performances and public programmes across beaches, rivers, ports, islands and other coastal sites. Since its inception in 1987, the Sea Art Festival has established itself as a distinctive contemporary art event that continually reinterprets Busan's relationship with the sea and the city through the lens of contemporary art. We welcome applications from candidates with vision and expertise who can critically engage with the transformation of Busan as a coastal city and envision new possibilities for the Sea Art Festival. ### Project Overview - Curate site-specific exhibitions and projects that reinterpret Busan's coastal spaces and urban transformation from a contemporary perspective. - Develop art projects centered on sites that embody Busan's maritime character—including beaches, riverfronts, and ports—with the possibility of connecting with surrounding urban spaces, including local streets and shops, public facilities, cultural spaces, and media walls. - Extend beyond conventional exhibition formats by incorporating a range of approaches, including research, workshops, performances, and public programs. - Foster collaboration and co-production with public institutions, arts and cultural organizations, research institutions, and other partners in Busan. Name of the project: Sea Art Festival 2027 Exhibition Period: September–November 2027 (37 days) Venues: Sites within Busan that reflect the city's maritime character, including beaches, riverfronts, ports, islands, and coastal areas (to be proposed by the applicant) Participating Artists: Approx. 20 artists and/or collectives from the Republic of Korea and abroad Project Budget: Approximately KRW 800 million, subject to change depending on the project plan and implementation circumstances. - Included: Artistic Director's fee, artwork production and installation costs, artist fees, travel expenses, personnel costs, costs associated with exhibition-related programs, overall exhibition operating expenses, and administrative expenses - Excluded: PR expenses Hosted by: Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Biennale Organizing Committee ### Who can apply Open to individual curators of any nationality. Applicants should have expertise in contemporary art, experience in exhibition planning and delivery, an understanding of site-specific and experimental practices, and the ability to develop public programmes in collaboration with local partners. The selected curator should also be available to stay in Busan during the project period. ### Key Responsibilities - Provide overall artistic and curatorial direction for the exhibitions and projects of the Sea Art Festival 2027 - Establish the exhibition theme and curatorial direction and oversee the development of detailed implementation plans - Select participating artists and artworks, and oversee the overall direction of artwork production - Develop the exhibition budget and consult with the Organizing Committee regarding budget allocation - Develop the spatial configuration of exhibition sites and assess the feasibility of projects proposed for each location - Plan and implement related initiatives, including research, public programs, and archival projects - Cooperate with the Organizing Committee in domestic and international communications and promotion, the identification of partner institutions, and sponsorship development ### Application and Selection Process - Application Period: September 21–October 31, 2026, until 23:59 KST (41 days) - Application Review: November 1–19, 2026 - Announcement of Interview Candidates: By Friday, November 20, 2026 - Interviews: By Thursday, November 26, 2026 - Announcement of Final Selection: December 2026 Application Method: Online via apply.busanbiennale.org ## Eligibility & Requirements - **Geographic Eligibility:** International - **Disciplines:** All disciplines - **Note:** Applicants who are capable of proposing new directions and possibilities based on an understanding of the Sea Art Festival's history and Busan's distinctive identity as a maritime city. Applicants with expertise in and a strong understanding of contemporary art, as well as experience in curating a diverse range of exhibitions and projects. Applicants capable of proposing site-specific and experimental exhibitions and spatial configurations, and of planning and implementing related research and public programs. Applicants capable of communicating and collaborating effectively with internal and external stakeholders in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Organizing Committee. Applicants capable of collaborating with a diverse range of local stakeholders and developing inclusive and accessible programs that engage with the public. Applicants must be able to visit Busan and stay for periods as required to ensure the effective planning and implementation of the exhibition. Applicants capable of contributing to the expansion of the Busan Biennale Organizing Committee's international network. ## Compensation & Benefits Artistic Director's fee, included within the overall project budget of approximately KRW 800 million **Includes:** Salary Included in the overall Sea Art Festival 2027 project budget of approximately KRW 800 million are the Artistic Director's fee, artwork production and installation costs, artist fees, travel expenses, personnel costs, costs associated with exhibition-related programs, overall exhibition operating expenses, and administrative expenses. PR expenses are excluded. The budget is subject to change depending on the project plan and implementation circumstances. ## Timeline - **Opens:** September 21, 2026 - **Deadline:** October 31, 2026 ## How to Apply Apply at: http://www.busanbiennale.org/BBOCen/?pCode=notice&mode=view&idx=12555