The National Guimet Museum of Asian Arts, Valérie Chevalier of the Montpellier National Opera Orchestra, and Avignon Festival director Tiago Rodrigues are this year’s recipients of the 2026 Korea-France Culture Award.
The honors, announced by the South Korean Embassy in France and the Korean Cultural Center, recognize contributions to the preservation of Korean cultural heritage, support for artists, and the promotion of Korean performing arts.
The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Korean Cultural Center in France. Established in 1999, the Korea-France Culture Award honors individuals and organizations that have elevated the status of Korean arts and fostered bilateral cultural exchange.
The National Guimet Museum of Asian Arts, which opened its Korea gallery in 1893, was recognized for its long-standing role in collecting and researching Korean cultural heritage. In celebration of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, the museum hosted the year-long special program “K-arrément Corée!”, which introduced French audiences to a range of works including Silla artifacts, Joseon Dynasty chaekgeori, and contemporary art.
In the field of performing arts, Valérie Chevalier was selected for her work with the Montpellier National Opera Orchestra. Since 2014, she has provided Korean artists with performance stages and residency opportunities, while introducing traditional and contemporary Korean works to Montpellier.
Tiago Rodrigues, artistic director of the Avignon Festival, was also named a recipient. During the 80th edition of the festival this year, Rodrigues designated Korean as an official guest language, the first time an Asian language has received this status at the event. This initiative allowed various Korean theater and dance productions to reach international audiences.
The South Korean Embassy and the Korean Cultural Center said that the awards serve to highlight the achievements of bilateral cultural exchange, spanning from traditional heritage to contemporary performance. Both institutions said they will continue supporting the expansion of Korean arts in France and helping cultural organizations and artists from both countries collaborate.
