An Arts District Without Artists?: A Case Study on Seonosong Art Village in Jeonju

In the process of revitalizing hateful spaces in cities, cultural urban regeneration is known to play a positive role in fundamentally renewing the old negative image of an area. While the voluntary closure of Seonmi-Village, a notable red-light district in Jeonju City, through the implementation of cultural governance, is well-documented, little attention has been given to the operations and policy implications of Seonosong Arts Village. This study thus examines the transition from Seonmi-Village to Seonosong Arts Village, employing data collection and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including women’s rights advocates and local arts actors, with a focus on creative placemaking. As a result, it was stated that although the Women’s Rights Center’s solidarity activities with local artists in the process of publicizing women’s rights discourse showed tangible results, there was a relative lack of communication and solidarity between the actors. Furthermore, it was noted that artists tended to prioritize business endeavors over developing a comprehensive understanding of their locality. Hence, this study underscores the importance of nurturing a community of artists as local stakeholders for the sustainable implementation of cultural regeneration initiatives.