Tomorrow I set sail (well a train and two planes) to Taiwan. Expectations are high but so they should be – Taiwan has an extremely vibrant art scene, particularly in Taipei – a city which boasts its own artist village, high end institutions and museums but more over, particularly for me, an excitment around a real ground level and DIY arts scene, thought up by artists, led by artists, supported by artists and continually ciritiqued and challenged by artists.
As part of my research trip I am honoured to be presenting on behalf of Chinese Arts Centre, a talk at the Tapiei Contemporary Art Centre. As part of their curatorial forum series, I will be presenting the role of Chinese Arts Centre within its regional context, and presenting the dynamic cultural programme of Manchester to Taiwan. Discussing the roles of various cultural venues, with everything from the large institutions such as the Whitworth Art Gallery to the very self-led and subculture arts organisations such as Islington Mill, I hope to address the cultural balance of the Manchester art scene, and Chinese Arts Centre’s place within it. More over with plans to develop more sustainable and engaging links with Taiwan, I hope to bring new opportunities for interntaional dilaogue and projects between Manchester and Taipei.
