Since its debut in 1999, the Cheongju International Craft Biennale (CICB) has run under a variety of different themes: ‘Hands of Harmony,’ ‘The Breath of Nature,’ ‘Use,’ ‘Temptation,’ ‘Creative Evolution,’ ‘Deeply and Slowly,’ and ‘Outside the Box.’

This year, CICB explores the delicate balance of aesthetic beauty and usefulness, going beyond fads and pursing the harmony of design, environment, and life. In the fall of 2011, the city of Cheongju will once again come alive with the Cheongju International Craft Biennale and the eclectic spirit of international craft cultures. The theme will be ‘Not the New, Just the Necessary,’ which is a statement against the industrialization and materialism of society. The theme tries to deliver a message through crafts. The message being, in this modern era we need just the right amount of artistry—not too much or too little.