The 21st Community Center Program Competition and Exhibition takes place Wednesday at Dongduk Women's University's centennial hall, with teams from all 20 dong showcasing belly dance, nanta, line dance and more
Seoul's Seongbuk-gu and the Seongbuk-gu Residents' Autonomy Council will hold the 2026 21st Seongbuk-gu Community Center Program Competition and Exhibition on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Dongduk Women's University's Centennial Hall.
Residents representing all 20 dong in Seongbuk-gu will take the stage together to show off skills honed over the past year. Held under the theme "Even Better Together," the festival is expected to draw about 1,000 participants — including community center program students and local residents — to share what they have learned and cheer one another on.
One team from each of the 20 dong will compete, with each performing a roughly five-minute group routine in genres ranging from belly dance and nanta to singing and line dance. The event is a showcase of the dedication and passion residents have built through learning and practicing together at their community centers.
Beyond the stage, visitors can also discover residents' creative talents through an exhibition of works — oil paintings, calligraphy and lettered artwork — completed by community center students. The combination of performances and displays is expected to offer neighbors a chance to see one another in a new light and celebrate each other's achievements.
Special performances will add to the festive atmosphere. Last year's competition winners, the Wolgok 1-dong belly dance team, along with a Dongduk Women's University dance team and an electric violin performer, will take the pre-show stage. Trot music singer Park Hyeon-ho is also set to appear as a guest performer.
In addition, commendations will be presented to individuals who have contributed to community center operations and the promotion of residents' self-governance, recognizing their efforts. Seongbuk-gu said it hopes the event will serve as an opportunity to reaffirm the value of community centers as places of shared learning and to deepen exchanges and unity among the district's dong.
"Community center programs are living classrooms where residents learn together, connect and find joy in everyday life," Seongbuk-gu District Mayor Lee Seung-ro said. "I hope this competition becomes a meaningful occasion to showcase the fruits of a year spent learning and practicing together, and to cheer each other on."
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