GIAF2023

The PharmaResearch Culture Foundation(Chairman: Pilhyun Park) was established in May 2018 to create shared value through art and culture. Centered around Gangneung, Gangwon-do, the foundation contributes to regional development with diverse artistic and cultural activities. Pilhyun Park, the chairman and a Korean traditional painter, has led PharmaResearch Culture Foundation with a deep understanding of culture and art since its establishment.

The PharmaResearch Culture Foundation sponsored the ‘Gangneung International Film Festival’ from 2019 to 2021. In 2021, it signed an MOU for the establishment and operation of ARTE MUSEUM VALLEY GANGNEUNG, a media art exhibition institute, and supported its construction and development of art contents. The foundation is also striving to expand cultural and artistic base of Gangneung through sponsoring ‘The 24th Shinsaimdang Arts Exhibition’ and ‘World Choir Games 2023 Gangneung Republic of Korea.’

The most representative activities of the foundation is the Gangneung International Art Festival(GIAF). Through collaborating with curatorial group ‘UttunCollective,’ GIAF was successfully held in 2022 and 2023. The festival strives to showcase the works of world-renown artists and contemporary artists showing work in Korea and internationally in Gangneung, and broden the artist pool through nominating artists based in Gangneung through an open call. Furthermore, the festival tries to foster culture and art in the region and co-prosperity with the residents of Gangneung by choosing the venue for exhibition containing the history and stories of Gangneung. From 2024, the foundation established a curatorial team within its system to fortify the potential competence through art and culture and extend to a scholarly research area for creative activation.

The foundation takes on the keyword ‘Healing’ from PharmaResearch, a leading company in regenerative medicine, and pursues donation and social contribution activities. It sponsored Dabom Human Rights Center Foundation and funded National Center for Forest Therapy, Daegwallyeong’s ‘Barefoot Forest Trail’ in 2023 as a holistic support for the development of Gangneung. For years the foundation donated to the Red Cross via the Korean Red Cross Gangwon Chapter, and had been involved in briquette delivery charity work for the underprevileged. The Red Cross and Gangneung city showed their appreciation with achievement awards and decorations. PharmaResearch Culture Foundation will continue to support Gangneung through constructing cultural infrastructure and various other social contribution activities for regional development until the it could be a world-famous artistic city.