On the 16th, at a press conference related to the enactment of the “Art Promotion Law” held at the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Professor Lee Dong-gi of Kookmin University is presenting the necessity and key contents of the “Art Promotion Law.” The law is set to take effect on the 26th, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Art Promotion Law that will come into effect includes provisions on establishing a institutional basis for art promotion policies, promoting fair trade and distribution of art works, expanding consumer protection, and managing public art works and the Public Art Bank. The enforcement regulations provide specific methods and procedures for each delegated task.
Under the law, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism will establish a basic art promotion plan every five years to set the strategic direction for art promotion policies, aiming for consistent and continuous support for the entire art ecosystem. Additionally, statutory provisions for conducting surveys on creation, distribution environment, and other related aspects will be outlined.
Moreover, provisions for creating a fair distribution system of art works will be established, including ensuring that parties entering art-related contracts pay fair fees, preventing unfair auctions by auctioneers, and obliging art appraisers to provide independent and fair appraisals.
The law also aims to expand consumer protection by introducing a legal provision for consumers to request a “genuine product certificate” containing details such as artist name, artwork title, purchase date, purchase location, and warranty information for purchased art works.
Additionally, the management of public art works will be systematized under the law by designating specialized agencies and establishing a Public Art Bank to manage government-owned art works as art objects rather than mere commodities. This will help in building an appropriate management system for public art works.