Siheung Opens Its First Dedicated Performing Arts Venue... 1,014-Seat Art Center in Baegot

Siheung Art Center Opens After Eight Years

Main and Small Theaters Offer 1,014 Seats

First Performances Welcome About 700 Residents

Lim Byeongtaek: "Bringing Great Performances Close to Everyone"

Siheung Art Center, the first dedicated performing arts venue in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, headed by Mayor Lim Byeong-taek, opened in Baegot-dong on November 13. The opening came eight years after the city and its residents first developed plans to build a performance venue in 2018.

Siheung Mayor Lim Byeong-taek declares the opening at the opening ceremony of the Siheung Art Center. Provided by Siheung City.

Located at 255 Seoul Daehak-ro, Siheung Art Center has a total floor area of 14,298 square meters and consists of one basement level and four floors above ground. It has a 710-seat main theater and a 304-seat small theater. The city plans to operate the venue as a hub where residents can enjoy performances close to home and local artists can pursue creative work.

About 700 people, including residents and invited guests, attended the opening ceremony and celebratory performances. One hundred guests and residents who took part in the preshow "Open Stage Tour" looked around the stages of the main and small theaters and the rehearsal room. The official opening ceremony began with a performance by an artificial intelligence (AI) humanoid robot and the breaking group JINJO CREW. Sign language interpretation was provided throughout the ceremony.

That day, Siheung Mayor Lim Byeong-taek declared the center open under the theme "Making Art an Asset of the City."

Mayor Lim said, "A dream we envisioned together with our residents in 2018 has come to fruition after an eight-year journey. Together with our residents, we will uphold the 'universal right to enjoy performances' by lowering barriers so that everyone can experience excellent performances close to home, regardless of where they live or their circumstances, while bringing the quality of our stages up to global standards."

The opening declaration was followed by architectural lighting, laser displays, and a fireworks show. For the celebratory performances, more than 160 performers, including members of the Siheung City Traditional Arts Troupe, the Siheung City Youth Choir, the Siheung City Choir, and artists affiliated with the Siheung Federation of Artistic and Cultural Organizations, took the stage for 80 minutes.

The city is also pursuing a joint hosting of the Polish international dance event "Art in Motion 2027" next year. A delegation from the Siedlce City Theatre in Poland, which attended the opening ceremony, toured the venue and discussed ways to cooperate with the city.

Dignitaries attending the opening ceremony pose for a commemorative photo. Photo courtesy of Siheung City.

The exhibition celebrating the opening runs through December 29. The Art Lounge on the first floor of the main theater features a documentary exhibition on the center's construction from 2018 through this year, while the second-floor gallery presents a media art exhibition featuring reproductions of works by Van Gogh, Monet, and Matisse, along with interactive content. The venue is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed on Mondays.

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