SEOUL, South Korea — A global cultural initiative aimed at reviving the concept of an international “Art Olympics” was unveiled in Seoul on March 5, with organizers declaring the start of a new era of worldwide artistic cooperation.

Jong-wook Kim, chairman of the Global Strategic Planning Committee of the International Association of Art (IAA), announced the initiative during the Asia Artpiad Committee (AAC) Seoul General Assembly and Vision Declaration Ceremony held at the Korea Enterprises Federation conference hall in Yeouido.

The project, called Artpiad, is being promoted jointly by the International Association of Art and the Asia Artpiad Committee as a large-scale international arts platform intended to bring together artists from across Asia and the wider world.

Kim said the initiative seeks to revive the spirit of the Olympic art competitions, which once accompanied the modern Olympic Games but were discontinued after the 1948 London Olympics.

“The Art Olympics once symbolized humanity’s cultural ideals alongside the Olympic Games,” Kim said in his keynote address. “Artpiad represents a historic starting point that reconnects the tradition of the World Art Olympics after 78 years.”

The Artpiad initiative aims to reinterpret the historical Olympic art competitions in a contemporary global context. Organizers say the project will operate under the motto “More Beautiful, More Free, More Equal,” while promoting the philosophy “Art of All, Art by All, Art for All.”

According to organizers, Artpiad is designed not simply as a cultural event but as a long-term international platform for artistic collaboration.

Plans include building a regional Asian arts network, expanding interdisciplinary projects that combine art and technology, and strengthening international cultural exchange among artists.

Kim also highlighted the growing global influence of Korean culture, suggesting that Korean artistic communities could play a leading role in connecting international creative networks.

“Just as K-pop and Korean cultural content have reshaped global culture, the time has come for Korean art to contribute philosophical direction and vision to world culture,” he said.

He added that art remains a universal language capable of connecting societies and fostering international understanding.

“Through art, we hope to open a new era of cultural cooperation — a modern cultural Olympics where people across the world can communicate and collaborate,” Kim said.

Following the Seoul vision declaration, organizers said the Asia Artpiad Committee will work to develop Artpiad into a recurring international arts festival involving artists worldwide, with the long-term goal of expanding it into a global cultural platform comparable to a modern-day World Art Olympics.