Gov't names 'Dream Arts Troupe' top innovation case, plans 2.0 upgrade

The "Dream Arts Troupe," a government-backed youth arts program, is set to be upgraded next year after being named a top government innovation case.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Monday that the Dream Arts Troupe was selected as the top domestic case in the youth welfare category at the "2026 Government Innovation Firsts and Bests" competition, organized by the Ministry of Interior and Safety and the Korea Institute of Public Administration. The program was recognized for providing quality arts opportunities to children and youth in underserved areas, fostering artistic growth among participants and helping build a sustainable cultural foundation in local communities.

The Dream Arts Troupe traces its roots to 2010, when it launched as a dream orchestra program across eight regions. It has since expanded to include dance troupes, theater companies, studios, arts-plus groups and traditional arts ensembles. This year, the program has grown to encompass more than 6,000 members across 150 regional hubs nationwide. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism designates cultural foundations, cultural centers and arts halls as hub institutions to support locally tailored arts education. Currently, 45 dream orchestra hub institutions operate independently.

In August, the ministry held the "2026 Dream Arts Troupe Joint Camp — Dream Festival." Now in its third year, the festival staged an orchestra and dance festival in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, and a theater festival in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. About 1,450 participants — including troupe members, guardians and local residents — came together for a program that broke down barriers between genres and regions.

The ministry is now pursuing a "Dream Arts Troupe 2.0" to take the program to the next level. While past efforts focused on establishing troupes across the country, the next phase aims to develop the program into a mature stage in which local communities take shared ownership. The government has allocated 26.6 billion won ($19.9 million) in next year's budget proposal, up 9.5 billion won from this year's 17.1 billion won.

The ministry plans to expand the number of Dream Arts Troupe hubs from 150 this year to more than 200 by 2027. New disciplines such as choral singing will be introduced, and small-scale orchestra operating models tailored to each region's population and demand will be developed. A new initiative will also be launched to broaden participation opportunities in areas experiencing population decline.

To help members further develop their skills, the ministry will expand advanced arts education and deepen partnerships with national arts organizations and major performance venues. Prominent artists will be appointed as "Dream Arts Troupe Masters" to lead masterclasses and provide mentoring sessions.

The ministry will also strengthen support for self-sustaining hubs to ensure stable local operations even after government funding ends. A donation and sponsorship framework will be established to allow businesses and the public to contribute.

"We will move beyond the stage of establishing troupes across the country and develop the program into a mature phase in which local residents, hometown businesses and hub institutions together nurture 'Our Neighborhood Dream Arts Troupe,'" said Jeong Hyang-mi, director general of cultural arts policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.