April Spring Friendship Art Festival

April Spring Friendship Art Festival
4월의 봄 친선예술축전
DatesApril 10–18
FrequencyBiennial
LocationPyongyang
Years active1982–present
Organised byOrganizing Committee of the April Spring Friendship Art Festival
SponsorsApril Spring Friendship Art Festival Fund
Websitehttp://www.korart.sca.kp/index.php/april?language=english

The April Spring Friendship Art Festival (Korean: 4월의 봄 친선예술축전) is an international arts and cultural competition held biennially in the DPRK (North Korea) since 1982.

It hosts various artistic performances ranging from solo and group (art troupe) vocalist performances, instrumental, acrobatic, dance and other stage arts in various genres such as classical, folk and etc.

History

The first commemorative festival was held in Pyongyang on Juche 71 or 1982, in celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung (Day of the Sun).

At the time, the name of the festival was the "4.15경축 세계 여러 나라 예술인들의 친선음악회" or in English, the "April 15th Celebration Friendship Concert by Artists from Around the World" but was changed in 1985 at the direction of the Chairman of the National Defense Commission, Kim Jong Il.

On June 3, 2011, the April Spring Friendship Art Festival Fund was established and has continuously provided sponsorship for the event since then.

Editions

The festival has been held in Pyongyang every year under the idea of independence, peace and friendship on the occasion of the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung from 1982.

Over the past four decades, the festival has been held mainly in Pyongyang but also other cities across the country. In particular, the capital city of the country has hosted the festival 34 times, and a total number of 2090 art troupes and 2000 artists from 114 countries have taken part.

Edition Date Opening Day Closing Day Scale Notes
1 1982 April 6th April 20th 390 artists, 12 organizations, 8 countries Inaugural Ceremony held at the 4.25 House of Culture in Pyongyang with the attendance of Kim Il Sung
2 1983 April 7th April 17th 155 artists, 20 organizations, 14 countries
3 1984 April 7th April 17th 155 artists, 20 organizations, 14 countries
4 1985 April 6th April 18th 377 artists, 57 organizations, 37 countries
5 1987 April 7th April 19th 536 artists, 99 organizations, 75 countries
6 1988 April 7th April 18th 452 artists, 69 organizations, 44 countries
7 1989 April 7th April 18th 597 artists, 79 organizations, 60 countries
8 1990 April 7th April 18th 820 artists, 90 organizations, 60 countries Since the 8th Festival, the 축전 대회상컵 and the 축전 상장 has been awarded to groups that have given excellent performances
9 1991 April 7th April 18th 784 artists, 84 organizations, 55 countries
10 1992 April 7th April 19th 783 artists, 70 organizations, 45 countries
11 1993 April 7th April 18th 554 artists, 55 organizations, 40 countries
12 1994 April 9th April 18th 493 artists, 45 organizations, 32 countries The last edition of the ASFAF which Kim Il Sung attended in person
13 1995 April 9th April 18th 642 artists, 53 organizations, 35 countries
14 1996 April 7th April 17th 577 artists, 52 organizations, 30 countries
15 1997 April 7th April 18th 596 artists, 60 organizations, 38 countries Since 1997, the person conducting the ‘Song of General Kim Il Sung’ at the opening performance has been given a ‘conductor’s baton’ and a ‘magnolia (chrysanthemum) sash.’
16 1998 April 8th April 18th 675 artists, 83 organizations, 48 countries The Pyongyang International House of Culture is opened as a venue for cultural exchange with foreigners
17 1999 April 10th April 18th 675 artists, 83 organizations, 48 countries
18 2000 April 10th April 18th 680 artists, 72 organizations, 40 countries
19 2001 April 10th April 18th 745 artists, 85 organizations, 46 countries Kim Yon-ja, the first South Korean singer to perform at the 19th and 20th festival
20 2002 April 14th April 25th 1,129 artists, 100 organizations, 60 countries The largest known gathering of foreign artists, organizations and different nationalities known to date
21 2003 April 10th April 18th 597 artists, 75 organizations, 36 countries British opera singer Suzannah Clark became the first British singer to perform in Pyongyang
22 2004 April 10th April 18th 632 artists, 82 organizations, 40 countries
23 2005 April 10th April 18th 650 artists, 71 organizations, 36 countries
24 2006 April 10th April 18th 652 artists, 66 organizations, 38 countries
25 2007 April 10th April 18th 660 artists, 65 organizations, 30 countries In 2009, the first American Christian rock band named 'Casting Crowns' was invited to participate in 2007 (25th Edition) and 2009 (26th Edition).
26 2009 April 10th April 18th 651 artists, 52 organizations, 24 countries In 2009, alongside the American Christian rock band 'Christian Crowns', a second American Christian rock band was invited, namely the 'Annie Moses Band'
27 2011 April 10th April 18th 441 artists, 44 organizations, 16 countries April Spring Friendship Art Festival Fund (ASFAFF) is founded on June 3, 2011, Austrian conductor Wolfdieter Maurer also conducted the National Symphony Orchestra, which played the Song of General Kim Il Sung
28 2012 April 11th April 19th 803 artists, 52 organizations, 24 countries Kim Il Sung's 100th birth anniversary is celebrated
29 2014 April 11th April 17th 467 artists, 36 organizations, 21 countries
30 2016 April 11th April 17th 343 artists, 37 organizations, 21 countries the 30th Edition of the ASFAF Opening Ceremony was held at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre
31 2018 April 11th April 17th 628 artists, 45 organizations, 19 countries '평양국제성악콩클' or the 'First Pyongyang International Vocal Competition' is held
32 2022 April 10th April 20th 63 organizations, 28 countries, ??? artists The first edition of the festival where recorded performances begun broadcast via TV and the internet
33 2024 April 10th April 18th 63 organizations, ??? artists
34 2026 April 11th April 30th 67 organization, 26 countries, ??? artists

In 2020, the event was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. It was originally planned to be held in the period of April 11th-17th but due to countries world wide enacting restrictions on travel, including the DPRK, it was cancelled.

Prizes

Awards, certificates, prize money, souvenirs alongside gold, silver and bronze medals are presented to victors at the ASFAF.

안삼불상 (Ensemble Award), 단체상 (Group/Organization Award) and the 개인상 (Individual Award) are presented to art groups and individual artists who received high evaluations during the festival period.

Qualification and application

The festival is open to all musicians, dancers and acrobats around the world, individually or in groups.

The Organizing Committee of the April Spring Friendship Art Festival oversees, organizes, prepares and assembles a jury for the event around the period of March, a few weeks before the April Spring Friendship Art Festival.

Artists who wish to participate in the event have to fill out an application form at least a year prior to the beginning of the festival. This includes personal information, performance photographs for festival promotion, video records of performance made on the spot for the festival, and explanation of each item of program for the festival, and the theatre name where the performance was given.

References

  1. ↑ "《4월의 봄 친선예술축전》". Uriminzokkiri. Archived from the original on 2020-10-29. Retrieved 2020-11-09.
  2. ↑ "조선대백과사전". levitate-qian.github.io. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  3. ↑ "북 신문, 4월의봄 축전...'권위·특색 겸비한 국제적 대예술회합'". 통일뉴스 (in Korean). 2018-04-11. Archived from the original on 2025-02-17. Retrieved 2026-05-30.
  4. ↑ "Korean Art | International Art Exchange". www.korart.sca.kp. Archived from the original on 2026-01-21. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  5. ↑ "Newstream". KCNA Watch. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  6. ↑ "4월의 봄 예술축전 개막식에 입장하고 있는 몽고예술단". NKchosun. 2013-10-29.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Christian band performs in N. Korea, includes song from show in latest album". Hankyoreh (in Korean). Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  8. ↑ "Casting Crowns Heads Home After North Korea Trip". www.christianpost.com. Archived from the original on 2025-11-13. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  9. ↑ "April Spring Friendship Art Festival". KKF Online English. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  10. ↑ "조선예술 | 4월의 봄 친선예술축전". www.korart.sca.kp. Archived from the original on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  11. ↑ "N. Korea cancels art festival over coronavirus | Yonhap News Agency". Yonhap News Agency. 2020-03-21. Archived from the original on 2025-08-26. Retrieved 2026-05-31.
  12. ↑ Hyang Sim, Om (2017). Understanding Korea 6 Culture (PDF) (6 ed.). Pyongyang, DPR Korea: Foreign Languages Publishing House. pp. 67–68. ISBN 978-9946-0-1615-3.
  13. ↑ "34th April Spring Friendship Art Festival – Guidelines" (PDF). iccr.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-12-07. Retrieved 2026-05-31.