The Arts Council at a Crossroad: stories from Britain and South Korea

Abstract The Arts Council is at a crossroad today. In both Britain and South Korea, its role has been reduced from the self-organized “policymaker” to “policy taker,” and it now adopts a broad, relativist understanding of culture. Yet, Arts Council England and Arts Council Korea are envisaging their future differently. The former works within the explicated cultural policy framework and embraces its new roles as a national developmental agency, keenly exploring the broadened understanding of culture. The latter is desperately seeking its future in reinforcing self-organization of arts policy and minimizing the influences by non-artistic factors.