The April Spring Friendship Art Festival () is an international arts and cultural competition held biennially in the DPRK (North Korea) since 1982.
It hosts various artistic performances ranging from solo and group (art troupe) vocalist performances, instrumental, acrobatic, dance and other stage arts in various genres such as classical, folk and etc.
History The first commemorative festival was held in Pyongyang on Juche 71 or 1982, in celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung (Day of the Sun).
At the time, the name of the festival was the "4.15경축 세계 여러 나라 예술인들의 친선음악회" or in English, the "April 15th Celebration Friendship Concert by Artists from Around the World" but was changed in 1985 at the direction of the Chairman of the National Defense Commission, Kim Jong Il.
On June 3, 2011, the April Spring Friendship Art Festival Fund was established and has continuously provided sponsorship for the event since then.
Editions The festival has been held in Pyongyang every year under the idea of independence, peace and friendship on the occasion of the birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung from 1982.
Over the past four decades, the festival has been held mainly in Pyongyang but also other cities across the country. In particular, the capital city of the country has hosted the festival 34 times, and a total number of 2090 art troupes and 2000 artists from 114 countries have taken part. +EditionDateOpening DayClosing DayScaleNotes11982April 6thApril 20th390 artists, 12 organizations, 8 countriesInaugural Ceremony held at the 4.25 House of Culture in Pyongyang with the attendance of Kim Il Sung21983April 7thApril 17th155 artists, 20 organizations, 14 countries31984April 7thApril 17th155 artists, 20 organizations, 14 countries41985April 6thApril 18th377 artists, 57 organizations, 37 countries51987April 7thApril 19th536 artists, 99 organizations, 75 countries61988April 7thApril 18th452 artists, 69 organizations, 44 countries71989April 7thApril 18th597 artists, 79 organizations, 60 countries81990April 7thApril 18th820 artists, 90 organizations, 60 countriesSince the 8th Festival, the 축전 대회상컵 and the 축전 상장 has been awarded to groups that have given excellent performances91991April 7thApril 18th784 artists, 84 organizations, 55 countries101992April 7thApril 19th783 artists, 70 organizations, 45 countries111993April 7thApril 18th554 artists, 55 organizations, 40 countries121994April 9thApril 18th493 artists, 45 organizations, 32 countriesThe last edition of the ASFAF which Kim Il Sung attended in person131995April 9thApril 18th642 artists, 53 organizations, 35 countries141996April 7thApril 17th577 artists, 52 organizations, 30 countries151997April 7thApril 18th596 artists, 60 organizations, 38 countriesSince 1997, the person conducting the ‘Song of General Kim Il-sung’ at the opening performance has been given a ‘conductor’s baton’ and a ‘magnolia (chrysanthemum) sash.’161998April 8thApril 18th675 artists, 83 organizations, 48 countriesThe Pyongyang International House of Culture is opened as a venue for cultural exchange with foreigners171999April 10thApril 18th675 artists, 83 organizations, 48 countries182000April 10thApril 18th680 artists, 72 organizations, 40 countries192001April 10thApril 18th745 artists, 85 organizations, 46 countriesKim Yon-ja, the first South Korean singer to perform at the 19th and 20th festival202002April 14thApril 25th1,129 artists, 100 organizations, 60 countriesThe largest known gathering of foreign artists, organizations and different nationalities known to date212003April 10thApril 18th597 artists, 75 organizations, 36 countriesBritish opera singer Suzannah Clark became the first British singer to perform in Pyongyang222004April 10thApril 18th632 artists, 82 organizations, 40 countries232005April 10thApril 18th650 artists, 71 organizations, 36 countries242006April 10thApril 18th652 artists, 66 organizations, 38 countries252007April 10thApril 18th660 artists, 65 organizations, 30 countriesIn 2009, the first American Christian rock band named 'Casting Crowns' was invited to participate in 2007 (25th Edition) and 2009 (26th Edition).262009April 10thApril 18th651 artists, 52 organizations, 24 countriesIn 2009, alongside the American Christian rock band 'Christian Crowns', a second American Christian rock band was invited, namely the 'Annie Moses Band'272011April 10thApril 18th441 artists, 44 organizations, 16 countriesApril Spring Friendship Art Festival Fund (ASFAFF) is founded on June 3, 2011, Austrian conductor Wolfdieter Maurer also conducted the National Symphony Orchestra, which played the Song of General Kim Il Sung282012April 11thApril 19th803 artists, 52 organizations, 24 countriesKim Il Sung's 100th birth anniversary is celebrated292014April 11thApril 17th467 artists, 36 organizations, 21 countries302016April 11thApril 17th343 artists, 37 organizations, 21 countriesthe 30th Edition of the ASFAF Opening Ceremony was held at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre312018April 11thApril 17th628 artists, 45 organizations, 19 countries'평양국제성악콩클' or the 'First Pyongyang International Vocal Competition' is held322022April 10thApril 20th63 organizations, 28 countries, ??? artistsThe first edition of the festival where recorded performances begun broadcast via TV and the internet332024April 10thApril 18th63 organizations, ??? artists342026April 11thApril 30th67 organization, 26 countries, ??? artists In 2020, the event was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. It was originally planned to be held in the period of April 11th-17th but due to countries world wide enacting restrictions on travel, including the DPRK, it was cancelled.
Prizes Awards, certificates, prize money, souvenirs alongside gold, silver and bronze medals are presented to victors at the ASFAF.
안삼불상 (Ensemble Award), 단체상 (Group/Organization Award) and the 개인상 (Individual Award) are presented to art groups and individual artists who received high evaluations during the festival period.
Qualification and application The festival is open to all musicians, dancers and acrobats around the world, individually or in groups.
The Organizing Committee of the April Spring Friendship Art Festival oversees, organizes, prepares and assembles a jury for the event around the period of March, a few weeks before the April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
Artists who wish to participate in the event have to fill out an application form at least a year prior to the beginning of the festival. This includes personal information, performance photographs for festival promotion, video records of performance made on the spot for the festival, and explanation of each item of program for the festival, and the theatre name where the performance was given.
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