Introduction of Korean Association for Disabled Artists(KADA)

KADA has about 1,000 disabled artist members who are actively working in various fields like literature, art, music, and public arts. 

The association has also done its best to support the creative activities of disabled artists in Korea.

Emiji, a disabled arts magazine, is being published for the popularization of disabled arts.

Sotdae Literature 100 (1991~2015), a quarterly for literary works by disabled literarians, previously published and now kept in the library of Stanford University.

Continued by Sotdae Literature 100, Sotdae Review which deals with critical reading of literary works by disabled artists is being published.
Also, the biggest performance for the stable creative activities of disabled artists is to enact the “The Act on the Support for Cultural and Artistic Activities of Artists with Disabilities” (Disabled Artist Support Act) in 2020 for the first time in Korea and the world.

Every year, we are also holding the ‘Ku Sang Sotdae Literature Award’ and ‘Lee Won Award’ to discover such competent disabled artists. 

Projects of Korean Association for Disabled Artists

As the disabled literature promotion projects for the popularization of disabled culture and arts, our association is publishing the Emiji, Sotdae Review, and Series of Who which is planned for the goal of 100 types of storytelling books by disabled artists.

Also, Directory of Artists with Disability in Korea introducing total 199 disabled artists was published in 2010.

and Booklet of Artists with Disability in Korea containing the career experiences of 343 artists was published in 2018 for the purpose of establishing the infrastructure of disabled artists.

The Booklet of Disabled Artists published in 2022 is introducing 550 artists.

On top of conducting annual campaign for the popularization of disabled arts through the character of disabled artist, we are concentrating on the promotion project to introduce disabled artists together with various companies.

Future Activities of Korean Association for Disabled Artists
To proceed the research project that develops the disabled arts policies for the enforcement of the “Disabled Artist Support Act,” the ‘Disabled Arts Research Institute’ has been newly established. Through the opening of (www.onemiji.com) which is a new presentation space for disabled artists, the disabled arts will be vigorously developing without limitations.

BANG Gui-Hee, President of KDAD said “Our goal is to create the environment where the disabled artists can freely and safely perform their creative activities and their creations get love from the public, and also to globalize the disabled arts of Korea.”