2023 Taipei Buskers Festival: The Multiverse of Busking
Since 2005, Taipei City has opened up its popular attractions to street performers. In 2021, the street performer certification process was changed to a registration system, making small-scale public performances more vibrant and accessible. This change has allowed many enthusiastic individuals to easily become street performers and contribute to shaping the city’s urban landscape. Street performers showcase urban culture, enhance cityscapes, revitalize urban spaces, bring art into daily life. The Taipei City Government is organizing the 2023 Taipei Buskers Festival to encourage broader public participation in street art, elevate the overall quality of performance among street performers, increase public recognition of street art, and provide opportunities for street performers to share their experiences and improve their skills. The event will be held in collaboration with the Songshan Summer Festival at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, highlighting outstanding street performances and fostering a diverse street performance culture. The 2023 Taipei Buskers Festival will take place from August 25 to 27. This year’s curator Lin Hsing-Yu is also the current president of the Taiwan Street Arts and Cultural Development Association and has chosen the theme, “The Multiverse of Busking”. Breaking free from the constraints of time and space, the festival will present a world of street performances juxtaposing past, present, and future. As part of this theme, traditional spinning top master Master A-Hai (Lin Sen-Hai) and emerging street performers will come together to showcase the significant continuity of street art culture. The Multiverse of Busking will immerse the audience in a fantastical world of street art, allowing them to experience the charm of the festival and witness how street performers open doors to imaginary universes through creativity and skill. The event will be held at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, which will be divided into four main areas: Cultural Street, Baroque Garden, Small Roundabout, and Songshan Gate. These areas will host three performance stages and one street art workshop, and feature over 30 street performers and craft artists. The performance stages will encompass a wide range of traditional and modern acts, including highlights such as international diabolo champion Wu Haw Jong, Tuan Chih-Min from the Cirque du Soleil with yoyo performances, traditional top spinning master Lin Sen-Hai, and Kendama Shi-Screw. The street art workshop will feature 12 street art and craft experts who will provide on-site teaching as they guide participants to engage in and experience the creative process before showcasing their finished works. The August 25 opening ceremony will feature performances by three generations of diabolo performers—Huang Chia-Ping, Wu Hao-Chung, and Tang Jing-Yuan—symbolizing the transmission of knowledge and skills across generations. The August 27 closing ceremony will feature an unparalleled performance by yoyo artist Yoyo Yang. As the pandemic gradually subsides and everything gets back to normal, street artists emerge like cicadas from their long hibernation, ready to transform and radiate the beauty of street art this summer. On this boundless stage of endless possibilities, the torch of tradition ignites with every performance, illuminating every corner of the universe. The three-day buskers festival encourages public engagement through street performances. Visitors are invited to give feedback, vote for their favorite performers and acts, and enter a lucky draw called the Cosmic Carousel for a chance to win exquisite prizes. We look forward to seeing you there. For more information, please visit the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park website. Added Bonus Neighboring New Taipei City and Taoyuan City will also be hosting a series of street art and cultural events in August and September. These events will allow the public to experience a wealth of street art feast in different cities. New Taipei City will present the 2023 Just FUN New Taipei Street Culture Festival on August 19, 20, 26, and 27 in Banqiao Fuzhong Square. The festival will include iconic events such as the MADSTREET street rap competition, the INK NOMAD international graffiti competition, and the New Taipei FUN Street dance competition. The event will also feature DJ performances, graffiti, street skateboarding, dance workshops, and an American-style street creative market, with a lineup of 120 street artists. Taoyuan City will hold the 2023 Taoyuan Buskers Festival on September 24 in Xingren Parent–Child Park in Zhongli District. The festival will showcase a series of street performances, street art competitions, creative markets, and lectures, aiming to bring together various forms of street art from different counties and cities. Through these shared artistic expressions, creativity will spark unique inspirations on the streets. 2023 Taipei Buskers Festival The Multiverse of Busking Dates丨August 25, 6:30 pm to 9 pm August 26 & 27, 4 pm to 9 pm Location丨Songshan Cultural and Creative Park (No. 133, Guangfu S. Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City) Songshan Cultural and Creative Park website: https://www.songshanculturalpark.org/ 2023 Just FUN New Taipei Street Cultural Festival Dates丨August 19, 20, 26, 27 Location丨Fuzhong Station Exit 2 and 3, Bannan Line https://www.justfun-ntpc.com.tw/ 2023 Taoyuan Buskers Festival Dates丨September 24 Location丨Xingren Parent–Child Park, Zhongli Dist., Taoyuan City https://taobuskers.azurewebsites.net/Home/Index2
2023 Taipei Buskers Festival Key Visual
Curator of the 2023 Taipei Buskers Festival Lin Hsing-Yu delivers an impressive performance at the opening press conference of the Songshan Summer Festival.
Traditional Top Spinning Master Lin Sen-Hai.
Graffiti finals at the 2022 Just FUN New Taipei Street Cultural Festival
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