Established in 2006 as a non-profit, public foundation for the development of the performing arts in Korea, and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, KAMS offers multi-faceted assistance to bolster the sustainability of arts groups and organizations as well as that of international exchange. At the same time, it works to strengthen competitive advantages through effective and diverse support systems for more efficient arts management. The range of services provided includes knowledge and information (e.g. newsletters, seminars); training and consulting; and, international development (e.g. funding, mobility support, organization of networking events). Training and consulting activities promoted by KAMS as regards entrepreneurship are particularly interesting. Services in this area include, among others, the provision of tailored advice (on, for instance, funding, legal and financial management) and the identification and analysis of best practices(on issues such as management, programme development and fundraising for professional arts organizations). A particular scheme worth mention fosters the certification of arts and cultural organizations as social enterprises in order to secure their self-sufficiency and competitiveness. It is also worth noting that support in the area of international development includes opportunities for Korean artists and arts organizations to present their work abroad, thus contributing to their visibility, creating networking opportunities and potentially broadening markets. The Center Stage Korea Focus funding programme, for instance, supports the presentation of Korean performing arts at major festivals and performing arts venues abroad. Long-term relationships and projects between performing artists and organizations from Korea and other countries have been established through the Connection programmes with the United Kingdom and Finland, among others. The Performing Arts Market in Seoul (PAMS) is another well-regarded initiative. Held every October, this international networking platform for performing arts professionals consists of performances, information booths and seminars. KAMS’ experience points to several key issues for the development of arts organizations and entrepreneurs. An important learning is the value of specialized bodies gathering intelligence on the specificities of arts management and the international dimension of the creative sector.
Knowledge management by the organization can subsequently be exploited in the form of training, publications, tailored advice, funding and networking opportunities, among others. Whilst being part of the public sector, KAMS is also in a position to establish partnerships with a wide range of actors in Korea and abroad(e.g. arts organizations, individual advisors, trainers, researchers, etc.)and to fulfil a set of varying roles. This broad ecosystem of actors and relations clearly demonstrate how creative entrepreneurship can be related to the operations of different actors in the creative sector, including public and private bodies, large and smaller stakeholders.