Department of Cultural Affairs

Origin

The Puppetry Art Center of Taipei was established through a generous donation by Dr. Lin Ching-Fu, founder of the Taiyuan Arts and Culture Foundation. Dr. Lin donated his decades-long personal collection of puppets, meticulous planning was provided by the Taipei City Government, and facilitation came from the Core Pacific Group’s community feedback project. With the establishment of the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei, this valuable collection found a sustainable home. Since its opening in 2004, the center has actively showcased the collection, offering performances and educational activities and helping to promote and teach about puppetry.

Positioning

Since its inception in 2004, the Puppetry Art Center of Taipei has been using a variety of methods to promote puppetry to the public, guiding audiences to understand puppetry’s development in a straightforward manner. The center uses a multi-form space including exhibition areas, workshops, puppet-making studios, rehearsal spaces, and a black box theater. It promotes the transmission of both intangible cultural heritage and tangible assets related to puppetry. The center continues to develop cultural artifact collections, research exhibitions, educational outreach, and puppetry performances. It aspires to become a hub for puppetry arts in Taiwan, rooted in tradition while embracing contemporary perspectives. It acts as a platform for creative experimentation, artistic exchange, and skill-sharing across different art forms, fostering diverse interpretations of puppetry, facilitating multicultural exchange, making connections with international resources, and providing a fresh perspective on puppetry. The platform is open and inclusive, serving both audiences and creators as a hub for puppetry exchange.

Puppetry Platform: The center serves as an experimental platform for creative exchange, fostering interaction within the puppetry community, igniting innovation and collaboration.

Diverse Interpretations: The center uses its collection and puppetry content to drive innovative applications.

Cultural Equity: The center offers a friendly and inclusive environment, ensuring participation from diverse communities in various cultural activities.

International Connection: The center consolidates Taiwan’s puppetry resources, facilitating international connection and exchange.