CreatripTeam

The Gwangyang International Media Art Festival opened on June 22 in Gwangyang, a steel-industry city in South Jeolla Province, with a ceremony directed by artist Lee In-nam. The event, themed 'Journey of Light', featured media performances, a virtual reality (VR) drawing show, a robot orchestra video, and choral pieces. Mayor Jeong In-hwa joined Kristl Bauer, artistic director of Austria’s Ars Electronica Festival (Linz), in the opening declaration, underscoring the cities’ joint 'Gwangyang–Linz Media Art Grant' to support emerging media artists. Interactive elements included real-time projections of messages from citizens posted on Instagram onto a media wall. The festival runs across multiple venues in Gwangyang through July 4, highlighting the city’s shift from industry toward creativity and the arts.