The National Theater and Concert Hall Inclusive Arts Workshop concluded July 11 in Taipei City, spotlighting government efforts to ensure equal access to cultural resources.
Co-organized by the Ministry of Culture, the one-day event featured keynote speeches and roundtables attended by around 150 industry professionals. Discussions centered on topics spanning accessible facilities, inclusive performance programs and welcoming environments for all.
Liang Jin-zhi, deputy director-general of the MOC’s Department of Arts Development, said the ministry is committed to upgrading amenities and offering comprehensive services at Taiwan arts venues. The 3D-printed models and specially designed audio guides provided at National Taiwan Fine Arts Museum in central Taiwan’s Taichung City are examples of measures taken to improve inclusivity, he added.
The keynote speakers at the workshop included visually impaired radio broadcaster Hsu Jia-feng and hearing-impaired TV producer Chen Li-yu. Both shared their personal perspectives on living with disabilities and expertise in producing specialized content.
Also in the lineup were Ann Yi-ruu Liu, executive and artistic director of NTCH; Yi Chun-shan, a doctoral candidate in disability and human development at the University of Illinois at Chicago; and Cymie Yeung, universal accessibility project coordinator for West Kowloon Cultural District Authority in Hong Kong.
The seminar is part of a series of events aimed at enhancing facilities and management at arts venues nationwide. Funded by the MOC under the urban-rural component of the government’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, this program will continue with a workshop on promoting local arts development at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in southern Taiwan in October.
Launched in 2017, the FIDP is targeted at meeting Taiwan’s development needs for the next 30 years. It covers eight categories: aquatic environments, child care facilities, digital infrastructure, food safety, green energy, human resources, railways and urban-rural projects. (CPY-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw