Lee Woosung, Flowing and Flowing, in Gangneung, 2023, Acrylic gouache on fabric, 110 × 110 cm. Photo: OMG Studio, ⓒ PharmaResearch Culture Foundation. All rights reserved.
Through the Gangneung International Art Festival (GIAF), the PharmaResearch Culture Foundation expands local cultural and artistic values while building a sustainable art platform that connects Gangneung with the world.
Long celebrated as a city of culture and the arts, Gangneung is home to a rich tradition of festivals and community life.
Situated on Korea's eastern coast looking over the Pacific Ocean, Gangneung serves as a site for exploring and interpreting the city through the lens of contemporary art and international artistic discourse.
The festival brings together contemporary artists from Korea and around the world, unfolding across the city.
Beyond site-specific installations, the festival embraces a wide range of collaborative projects and community-based initiatives, creating a dynamic celebration of art and culture.
The PharmaResearch Culture Foundation presents the Gangneung International Art Festival (GIAF) as part of its commitment to creating cultural value through the arts and contributing to the development of local culture.
The Gangneung International Art Festival 2022(GIAF22), titled Tale of a City, marked the beginning of the festival by bringing together 15 Korean and international artists and collaborators from various fields to explore stories rooted in Gangneung.
The Gangneung International Art Festival 2023(GIAF23),Tale of a City II, took travel as its main theme, bringing together 13 Korean and international artists through exhibitions and public programs.
The Gangneung International Art Festival 2025(GIAF25), Esiza Osiza, explored the many forms of life that traverse the
Daegwallyeong Pass. Through the work of 11 Korean and international artists, the festival revealed rich stories shaped
by the region's geography and climate.
Alongside contemporary art exhibitions, the festival seeks to create a richer cultural experience through a wide range of
programs that engage with food, clothing, shelter, and everyday life. As of 2026, the Foundation continues to expand the
horizons of GIAF through close partnerships with international institutions, including Bangkok Kunsthalle in Thailand,
while strengthening its role as a cultural platform connecting the local and the global.
GIAF hosts an open call for artists based in Gangwon Province, particularly Gangneung,
in order to amplify voices shaped by lived experiences of the region.
Through this initiative, the festival identifies and supports local artists
through artistic production and curatorial support.
