Living & Arts Creative Center

What Living & Arts Creative Center does

Living & Arts Creative Center (일상예술창작센터) is a Seoul-based non-profit incorporated association and certified social enterprise that operates as a cultural community intermediary in South Korea. Founded in June 2002 from the Hongdae Art Market Freemarket and formally established under its current name in May 2003, the organization runs a portfolio of cultural markets (Hongdae Art Market Freemarket, Yeonnam-dong Village Market, Bucheon City Safari Art Market, Gyeonggi Craft Festa, Shini Year Market), flagship annual events (Seoul International Handmade Fair, Maker Faire Seoul since 2023, Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup operations), retail/workspace sub-brands (Living Creation Store KEY, Living Creation Space Saekki, Jihadae shared cultural space), educational programs (Daily Life Tips Notes lecture series, Future Youth Jobs social venture program), and design commission services for public institutions. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying "product" is curated in-person event production and community programming, supplemented by a monthly newsletter (웹간 손재주) and a bimonthly Naver Blog history series (수.없.공). The organization has no app, API, or SDK.

The business model is anchored in two revenue streams, both government-derived: (1) commissioned public projects from municipal and provincial agencies (managed services covering youth employment, social value programs, and cultural event operations, typically on multi-year contracts), and (2) social enterprise professional services (cultural planning, design, and event organization for public institutions and local governments). Pricing is project-based, negotiated through government procurement, and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments split between primary personas (small-scale creators/craftspeople and unemployed youth aged 19-39 in Seoul) and secondary institutional buyers (government/public institutions and local communities). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on physical markets, direct government relationships, social-economy network partnerships, and modest digital channels (Naver Blog, Instagram, monthly newsletter, Google Forms registration). The team is small, comprising CEO, CCO, project managers/directors, and a fair-planning head. Geographic reach spans Seoul (Mapo-gu headquarters), Gyeonggi Province (Suwon, Bucheon), and Incheon/Ganghwa, all within South Korea.

Name

Living & Arts Creative Center

Legal name

일상예술창작센터

Website

https://livingnart.or.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Seoul-based non-profit social enterprise operating cultural markets, maker fairs, youth employment programs, and design commission services since 2002, generating revenue primarily through Korean government project contracts and public-institution professional services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Community Services

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAO

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAHAC

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYTHAJADAJ

Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYMPAGAFAJ

Arts, Crafts & Maker Fairs

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Exhibitions, Fairs & Expos (Consumer/Public)

SECONDARYEDAAAFAD

Cultural, Arts & Humanities Community Education (Museums/Arts Councils)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

Keywords

• Cultural community services
• Handmade craft markets
• Social enterprise programs
• Youth employment support
• Public event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Project Contracts: Operates commissioned public projects from government agencies, implementing social value policies and cultural arts programs. Revenue comes from government contracts for managing cultural events, youth employment programs, and social economy support services.
2. Social Enterprise Operations: Certified social enterprise (since May 2010) that generates revenue through cultural planning services, design work, and event organization for public institutions and local governments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Living & Arts Creative Center is a non-profit incorporated association and certified social enterprise that operates cultural markets, craft fairs, maker events, and youth employment programs. It generates revenue primarily through commissioned public projects from government agencies and delivers cultural planning, design, and event management services for public institutions and local communities in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.

Product overview

Living & Arts Creative Center (일상예술창작센터) is a non-profit foundation certified as a social enterprise since May 2010, operating a diverse portfolio of cultural creation programs. The organization functions as a unified cultural enterprise rather than a platform architecture, centered on its original Hongdae Art Market Freemarket (2002) and expanded through annual flagship events like the Seoul International Handmade Fair and Maker Faire Seoul. The portfolio includes retail spaces (Living Creation Store KEY), educational programs (Daily Life Tips Notes, Future Youth Jobs), community spaces (Jihadahae shared space), and cultural markets across various Seoul and regional locations. Monthly newsletter (Monthly Sonjaejwoo) and history documentation series (Su-eops Gong) maintain community engagement. Design commission services extend the organization's cultural expertise to public institutions. The ecosystem collectively supports small-scale creators, promotes handmade culture, and fosters social economy development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 신이어마켙: 새해 마켓 프로모션 프로그램
• 생활창작가게 KEY
• 생활창작공간 새끼
• 월간 손재주

Products and services

• Hongdae Art Market Freemarket (홍대앞 예술시장 프리마켓) Outdoor marketplace launched in June 2002 in Hongdae, Seoul, connecting small-scale creators with citizens through sales of handmade crafts and upcycled goods.
• Seoul International Handmade Fair (서울국제핸드메이드페어) Large-scale international handmade craft fair featuring domestic and international makers, workshops, and cultural programs.
• Maker Faire Seoul (메이커페어 서울) Annual maker event organized in partnership with Seoul Museum of Science and Technology, featuring robotics, coding, crafts, and woodworking activities for makers.
• Future Youth Jobs Social Venture Program (미래청년일자리 소셜벤처분야) Employment matching program connecting Seoul youth aged 19-39 with social venture companies, providing work experience and career development support.
• Design Commission Services (디자인 의뢰 서비스) Design solutions for public institutions and local government events, including website development, visual design, character design, and promotional goods.
• Yeonnam-dong Village Market Warm South (연남동 마을시장 따듯한 남쪽) Community market held in Yeonnam-dong area, connecting local artisans with residents through shared cultural experiences.
• Ganghwa Sochang Culture Experience Programs (강화 소창문화체험관 프로그램) Local art markets and cultural programs at Ganghwa Sochang Experience Center, featuring local artisan products and cultural performances.
• Bucheon City Safari Art Market (부천 도시사파리 예술시장) Art market held across various Bucheon locations including grass plazas and Star Light Library, featuring local artists and creative experiences.
• Shini Year Market (신이어마켓) Annual New Year market event featuring group gift promotions, combining craft sales with social enterprise employment opportunities.
• Gyeonggi Craft Festa (경기공예페스타) Craft market festival as part of Gyeonggi Craft Week, featuring craft markets, workshops, performances, and craft demonstrations at Suwon Convention Center.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• Seoul Museum of Craft Art (서울공예박물관)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2025Collaborates on craft exhibitions, educational programs, and cultural events promoting craft arts and handmade culture in Seoul.
• Gyeonggi Craft Creation Support Center (경기공예창작지원센터)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Partnership to operate 2025 Gyeonggi Province Craft Week, managing the '손끝연대' (Solidarity of Handcraft) program and organizing the Gyeonggi Craft Festa event.
• Mapo-gu Social Economy Integration Support Center (마포구사회적경제통합지원센터)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Operates the Mapo-gu Social Economy Integration Support Center, providing comprehensive support services for social economy enterprises in the Mapo-gu district of Seoul.
• Big Issue Korea (빅이슈 코리아)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2024Partnership for Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup, where Living & Arts Creative Center handled tournament operations and event planning while Big Issue Korea served as the host organization. The collaboration brought together 45 countries and 500+ athletes for Asia's first Homeless World Cup in Seoul.
• Honguju Social Cooperative (홍우주 사회적협동조합)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Network partner in Hongdae cultural ecosystem. Living & Arts Creative Center contributed to its founding and participates as a member, supporting Hongdae cultural arts community activities.
• Maker Faire Seoul (메이커페어 서울)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Participates in organizing Maker Faire Seoul 2025, managing maker recruitment and event coordination. Maker Faire Seoul is hosted by Seoul Museum of Science and Technology since 2023.
• Seoul Women's Craft Center (서울여성공예센터)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Living & Arts Creative Center operated Seoul Women's Craft Center from 2017 to 2021 as a commissioned management organization, supporting female craft entrepreneurs and startup businesses.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture (서울문화재단): SFAC is a major Seoul municipal cultural institution that commissions and funds cultural programs including maker and craft initiatives. It is comparable to LACC as a Seoul-based cultural intermediary, though SFAC operates at substantially larger scale and as a government-backed foundation.
• Maker Faire (Make Community): Make Community operates the global Maker Faire franchise of large-scale maker events including Maker Faire Seoul, which LACC co-organizes. Comparable as a peer at the maker-fair ecosystem level, though Make Community is the global licensor and platform rather than a local operator.
• Asia Culture Center (ACC, 아시아문화센터): ACC is a government-funded multidisciplinary arts and cultural complex in Gwangju that runs exhibitions, markets, festivals, and creator programs. Comparable to LACC in operating cultural-community programming and public-sector partnerships, but at a national-museum scale.
• ARKO - Arts Council Korea (한국문화예술위원회): ARKO is the Korean national arts funding and policy body that supports performing arts, visual arts, and cultural community programs nationwide. It is comparable as a counterpart in the Korean cultural ecosystem, though at a much larger scale and with broader scope than LACC's community-craft focus.

Direct peers

• Seonyudo Foundation (선유도재단): Seonyudo is a Seoul-based arts and culture foundation operating a community cultural space and craft/maker programming on Seonyu Island. Comparable to LACC in mixing community cultural venue operations, craft markets, and creator support in Seoul.
• Hongdae Arts Center / Hongdae Culture Tourism Foundation: Hongdae-area cultural foundations organize community arts programs, festivals, and craft/market events in the same Mapo/Hongdae neighborhood where LACC originated. Comparable as geographically-overlapping community cultural programming peers in Seoul.
• Heyri Art Village (헤이리 예술마을): Heyri is a Korean artist community in Paju that hosts galleries, studios, craft fairs, and cultural programs. It is comparable to LACC as a multi-stakeholder cultural community supporting creators and operating public-facing markets and education.
• Daelim Changgo (대림창고): Daelim Changgo is a Seoul-based cultural complex housed in a converted warehouse that operates as a multi-purpose arts, crafts, and community event venue. Like LACC, it combines physical market/fair programming, creator support, and community cultural engagement in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Emerging players

• Etsy Inc. Etsy is a global online handmade and craft marketplace connecting independent creators with buyers. Comparable to LACC as a marketplace for handmade creators, but operating as a digital platform rather than as a community-building nonprofit with physical markets.

Others

• Korea Social Enterprise Promotion Agency (사회적기업진흥원): KoSEA is the national agency supporting and certifying Korean social enterprises. While not a direct competitor, it shapes the regulatory and funding environment LACC operates within, and similar regional support centers (e.g., Mapo-gu Social Economy Network) collaborate directly with LACC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/lacc_korea

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Living & Arts Creative Center