Visual Artist Kim Yeoung-eun Awarded ACC Future Prize 2026

Visual artist Kim Yeoung-eun, who studied Fine Arts at the School of Visual Arts, has been awarded the 2026 ACC Future Prize by the National Asian Culture Center (ACC).

Established by the ACC, the ACC Future Prize supports interdisciplinary arts and aims to discover and nurture artists who pursue innovative visions for the future through creative artistic practices. It explores the transformations in contemporary society across the humanities, technology, and the environment through ab artistic lens, while connecing arts with media and technology to expand its potential. Since its launch in 2023, the program has been presented as a biennial exhibition.

Kim Yeoung-eun (born 1980, Seoul), recipient of the 2026 ACC Future Prize, is a multidisciplinary artist working with sound, video, and installation. She majored in Sculpture and Media Art at Hongik University and K-Arts, and later completed a program in Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire of The Hague. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she focuses on experimental research that reinterprets the historical significance of listening and sound.

Kim examines the complex societal and historical contexts of modernization, militarism, and migration through sound and listening, revealing suppressed narratives through auditory archives. Her works have been showcased at major arts institutions around the world and have garnered significant critical attention. Her accolades include awards from Prix Ars Electronica and the SongEun Art Award. This year, she was selected as a recipient of support from the Korea Art Prize 2025, co-organized by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and SBS Culture Foundation.

The ACC will fund the production of Kim Yeoung-eun’s new works, supporting her upcoming solo exhibition at ACC Creation Space 1 (1,560 ) from August 2026 to January 2027. The institution will also provide extensive resources, including planning and production studios, digital media facilities, and technical support from its in-house production team.

Kim Sangung, Executive Director of the ACC, stated, “Kim’s works lead us to unheard histories and forgotten voices. They are widely recognized for expanding the boundaries of contemporary Asian art and embodying a forward-looking creative discourse. We are committed to fully supporting her as she continues to expand her artistic practice internationally.”