Nowon Foundation for Arts and Culture ARIRANG Crowdfunding runs until November 5, allowing even Gugak beginners to release digital music with their own lyrics

The Nowon Foundation for Arts and Culture (Chairman Kang Won-jae) is conducting funding for the 'Yeoldudal Sori Arirang Project,' which was selected as a contest project for the '2026 Waton Art Forest Crowdfunding,' from October 6 to November 5. This project, presented by Gugak Studio Yeoldudal Sori, is a citizen-participatory Gugak creation activity where participants take the lyrics of ARIRANG based on their own lives and stories, record them with their own voices, and leave them as digital music. The target amount is 2 million won, and as of October 13, it is attracting interest from supporters by achieving 165% of the target amount.

'2026 Waton Art Forest Crowdfunding' is a project where anyone can become a cultural arts supporter to support the creative activities of artists and the realization of local cultural arts projects. This campaign was prepared so that citizens can participate together in support and creation, expressing and recording their own stories through traditional music.

The 'Yeoldudal Sori Arirang Project' is conducted under the theme 'Now, my stories gather to become tomorrow's ARIRANG.' Even Gugak beginners without professional musical experience can participate, and they can experience step-by-step processes from finding stories by looking back on daily life to learning ARIRANG sounds, creating lyrics, and recording.

Through ARIRANG sound classes, participants learn breathing, vocalization, rhythmic patterns (jangdan), and emotional expression, and complete lyrics containing moments they want to remember and their own lives. If they select the recording reward, they can record their own ARIRANG at a professional recording studio and participate in the process of official release on digital music platforms through mixing and mastering. The characteristic of this project is expanding individual stories into a song sung together.

Kang Won-jae, Chairman of the Nowon Foundation for Arts and Culture, said, "This project is meaningful in that each citizen's life and story leads to a new creation through ARIRANG," and added, "In the future, we will continue to support the creative activities of artists through 2026 Waton Art Forest Crowdfunding and expand opportunities for citizens to participate together as supporters and participants of culture and arts."

Support is available until November 5 on the '2026 Waton Art Forest Crowdfunding' project page of the Nowon Foundation for Arts and Culture website (www.nowonarts.kr). Details such as the composition by reward and how to participate can be found on the 'Yeoldudal Sori Arirang Project' detailed page.

The Nowon Foundation for Arts and Culture is a cultural arts institution in Nowon-gu established in 2019, striving to enhance the enjoyment of culture and arts for district residents and support local artists. In addition to hosting high-quality premium performances such as the Queen Elizabeth Winners Competition, it seeks to approach residents through resident-friendly festivals such as Nowon Moonlight Walk and the Craft Beer Festival.

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