MATO Arts Festival

The MATO Arts Festival is Anjeong-ri's representative cultural and arts festival, whose name means “an arts festival held on the last Saturday of the month.” A separate theme is selected for each edition in June and October, and the event operates as a themed festival reflecting the characteristics of the season and the local area. In October, under the theme “Broadway in Anjeong-ri,” Anjeong-ri Art Square is transformed into a single musical stage through musical-centered performances and uniquely conceived activities and events. The festival offers a variety of performance programs, including a themed performance featuring professional musical actors and an ensemble, a wind 5tet by the U.S. 8th Army Band, and performances by local artists. It also provides participatory cultural and arts content that citizens, foreign residents, and visitors can enjoy together, including a stamp-tour activity in which visitors can become Broadway actors themselves, distinctively themed activities and events, and a red-carpet photo zone. In particular, the U.S. 8th Army Band performance, reflecting the character of the Anjeong-ri area, creates an opportunity for cultural exchange between the local community and U.S. military personnel, while the diverse cultural and artistic content offers a festival experience spanning generations and nationalities.