Melbourne and Jeonju Expand Creative Exchange with Performances, Workshops, and Residencies
Since its inception in 2020, the collaboration between Melbourne and Jeonju, South Korea, has evolved into a long-term creative exchange, culminating in events scheduled for this October in Melbourne. Spearheaded by ArtPlay and the Jeonju Cultural Foundation, the partnership features SIGNAL and the Shadows in Twin Cities project, which has been nominated for the 2026 Asia Pacific Arts Awards. Highlights of this week include the BiBim MixUp Showcase on 17 October, the Seedling Sessions workshop on 15 October, and the Imaginations Aglow sessions on 17 and 18 October, all part of the Melbourne Fringe. Established in 2023, the Seedling Sessions encourage collaboration among artists from both cities, with backing from the Australia-Korea Foundation and others, focusing on cultural diplomacy and relationship development.
Key facts
- The Melbourne-Jeonju creative partnership began in 2020 between ArtPlay and the Jeonju Cultural Foundation.
- Shadows in Twin Cities 쌍둥이 도시의 그림자들 was presented during Asia TOPA 2025 and shortlisted for the 2026 Asia Pacific Arts Awards.
- The project connected children in Melbourne and Jeonju through live digital interactions and public artworks.
- This week’s Melbourne events include the BiBim MixUp Showcase 비빔, Seedling Sessions 모종의 모임, and Imaginations Aglow 상상의 별빛.
- Seedling Sessions, established in 2023, selected three artists from each city for its 2025-26 iteration, including an in-person residency in Jeonju in September 2025.
- Imaginations Aglow is an interactive installation with free drop-in sessions for children aged 5 to 9 on 17 and 18 October as part of Melbourne Fringe.
- BiBim MixUp 비빔 is a residency for nine Melbourne artists and nine Korean artists, with a public showcase on 17 October in Northbank, Melbourne.
- The collaboration is supported by the Australia-Korea Foundation, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Creative Australia.
Entities
Artists
- Jeany Lee
- Hannah Liddeaux
- Dr Diana Carroll
Institutions
- ArtPlay
- SIGNAL
- Jeonju Cultural Foundation
- Asia TOPA
- Asia Pacific Arts Awards
- Melbourne Fringe
- Australia-Korea Foundation
- Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
- Creative Australia
- City of Melbourne
- ArtsHub
- ScreenHub
- The Sydney Morning Herald
- The Australian
- Woman's Day
- B&T
- Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery
- City of Sydney Creative Studios
Locations
- Melbourne
- Australia
- Jeonju
- South Korea
- Northbank
- Adelaide
- London
- Sydney