An agreement aimed at expanding Taiwan-France cultural cooperation was inked by the Ministry of Culture and National Center for Contemporary Arts July 28 in Nantes.
Concluded by representatives from the MOC’s Taiwan Cultural Center in Paris and NCCA in the western French city, the pact paves the way for the two sides to establish a framework for facilitating sustainable arts activity exchanges and promotions.
TCCP Director Lien Li-li believes the agreement will open the door for more exciting cultural tie-ups benefiting the people and sectors of both countries.
The arts circles of Taiwan and Nantes are close and will become even closer, Lien said. This synergy is expected to help showcase the country’s creative talents outside of Paris and propel them onto the global stage, she added.
According to Lien, Nantes—the sixth largest metropolis in France—stages 86 arts festivals annually and boasts 126 historic buildings perfectly suited for hosting cultural events. Case in point is the home of NCCA, she said, adding that the former biscuit factory is enjoying a new lease of life as a world-class multidisciplinary venue for dance, literature, music, theater and visual arts.
Nantes is also renowned as place where a number of top Taiwan film directors first tasted success, as well as for the Festival des 3 Continents, Lien said. Established in 1979, the highly touted celebration of world cinema focuses on features produced in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
NCCA Director Patrick Gyger, a longtime Taiwan visitor with extensive local arts scene experience, said the pact dovetails with plans to expand center’s event lineup. Additional Taiwan content should see an increase in attendance beyond the current 600,000 per year, he added.
An upcoming project set to pay handsome dividends is Focus on Taiwan. Scheduled for 2021, the event comprises a contemporary art exhibition—co-curated by National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts based in the central city of Taichung, as well as a series of dance, drama and music performances.
Once realized, Gyger said, Focus will be known as the largest Taiwan-related arts and cultural festival in Europe. (TYT-E)
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