Creative arts curriculum developed with UK's Artis

559 creative arts teachers trained since 2017

Teachers participate in the 2026 CMK Arts Class creative arts education teacher training session. [Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation]
Teachers participate in the 2026 CMK Arts Class creative arts education teacher training session. [Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation]

The Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation held the "CMK Arts Class 2026 Creative Arts Education Teacher Training" at Bloom Vista in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, from Aug. 3 to 7, the foundation announced Monday.

The four-night, five-day residential program brought together 49 elementary school teachers selected from across the country and eight mentors from Artis, a British creative arts education organization.

The foundation rebranded the program this year from "OnDream Arts Class" to "CMK Arts Class." The revamped initiative moves away from one-off, knowledge-focused sessions and operates as a leadership development program in which teachers research ways to integrate artistic techniques with general school subjects and drive change in their own classrooms.

The 49 participants this year were selected across three tracks: 32 in the new-teacher track, 14 in the alumni track and three in the Korean mentor track.

The new-teacher track targets educators encountering creative arts teaching methods for the first time and looking to introduce integrated lessons in their classrooms. The alumni track is designed for experienced participants who wish to continue advanced study and research after completing earlier training. Teachers in the Korean mentor track learn Artis's mentoring expertise and go on to serve as teacher mentors leading the development of K-creative arts education.

The training featured hands-on integrated lessons that applied a range of artistic techniques and tools — including theater, music and drama — to general school subjects. Drawing on their classroom experience, teachers worked through discussions and practice sessions with the eight Artis mentors and fellow participants to develop approaches that encourage students' voluntary engagement and creative thinking.

The foundation will run follow-up programs throughout the year, starting with this residential training. These include small-group teacher support for developing creative arts curricula, capacity-building workshops for sharing classroom experiences, and online and in-person teacher meetups. Outstanding participants will also be offered an overseas training opportunity to visit elementary schools in the United Kingdom, where they can observe and demonstrate creative arts lessons firsthand.

"Rebranding the program as CMK Arts Class this year reflects our commitment to cultivating education leaders who can shift the paradigm of creative arts education and building a distinctive teacher community where they can communicate continuously," a foundation official said. "Grounded in Honorary Chairman Chung Mong-koo's people-centered philosophy of social contribution, we will continue to provide unwavering support to strengthen teachers' educational capabilities and bring positive change to classrooms."

Meanwhile, the foundation held the "Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Scholarship Achievement and Strategy Presentation" last month at OnDream Society in Myeong-dong, Seoul, sharing the results of its 15-year scholarship program and announcing its talent development direction and new operational strategy going forward.

The foundation plans to nurture 1,000 future talents over the next five years across five fields: science and technology, culture and arts, international cooperation, global affairs and Heroes.


eyre@heraldcorp.com