Gyeonggi Province to Host Intangible Heritage Festival in Gapyeong from 16th to 18th: Performances, Exhibitions, and Experiences All in One Place

Gyeonggi Province will hold the "28th Gyeonggi Province Intangible Heritage Festival" from the 16th to the 18th at the Gapyeong Culture and Arts Center.

This festival, held under the theme "The Charm and Joy of Gyeonggi, Connecting Together," will feature performances and exhibitions by Gyeonggi Province intangible heritage holders and transmitters. Attendees can enjoy a variety of events in one place, including craft demonstrations and hands-on experience programs.

First, traditional arts from across the province will be staged. Throughout the festival, a diverse array of intangible heritage performances—such as Icheon Turtle Play, Gyeonggi Sword Dance, Gyeonggi Song Narrative and Chant, Yangju Nongak, and Toegyewon Sandai Play—will be showcased both indoors and outdoors.

The exhibition hall will display the works of artisans who have preserved traditional skills, allowing visitors to explore the past and future of intangible heritage. The "Memory Space" will honor the legacies of late masters and artists through their works, photographs, videos, and musical instruments. The "Future Exhibition," featuring the works of transmission educators, will illustrate how traditional skills are passed down from today's keepers to the next generation.

Gyeonggi Province will hold the "28th Gyeonggi Province Intangible Heritage Grand Festival" at Gapyeong Culture and Arts Center from the 16th to the 18th. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

This year also marks the inaugural "Gyeonggi Province Intangible Heritage Transmission and Memory Day" commemoration. The event will include a dedication performance by transmission educators and an awards ceremony recognizing those who have contributed to the vitality of intangible heritage, reaffirming the dedication and value of those who have preserved traditions.

The festival will also feature an international exchange program introducing the traditional culture of Poland’s Lower Silesia Province. The Legnica Song and Dance Ensemble will present Polish traditional folk dance and vocal performances, while the exhibition will display 43 pieces of Boleslawiec pottery, boasting a 700-year tradition, and 13 works of traditional glass craft.

Park Sung-hwan, Director of Gyeonggi Province Cultural Heritage Division, stated, "This festival is a place where visitors can experience the full spectrum of Gyeonggi Province's intangible heritage—from performances on stage to artworks crafted by artisans. I hope participants not only remember and transmit the traditions of previous generations to the future, but also enjoy this special encounter with Polish intangible heritage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.