2024 Taipei Children’s Arts Festival Starts June 29: Taipei Performing Arts Center Switches to Kids Mode!
The 25th Taipei Children’s Arts Festival (TCAF), organized by the Taipei City Government, will take place from June 29 to August 1. With the theme “Kids Mode ON!,” the festival aims to provide an opportunity for adults and children to enjoy exploring art and relive the joys of youthhood. This year’s TCAF has expanded to feature 13 programs, including 11 main performances and two children’s creative bases, covering circus, music, drama, and musicals. The Art Wonderland (藝術樂園) will be extended to 4 weeks, with performances every Saturday and Sunday at various venues within the Taipei Performing Arts Center (TPAC). The Community Outreach (前進社區) will bring free performances to ten districts in Taipei, allowing audiences to enjoy a wide range of shows, even on weekdays. The Interactive Exhibition – Secret Base of Forgotten Time (互動式展覽—忘記時間的秘密基地) will be held in the Antarctic Theater (南極座) and the second-floor public space of the TPAC, enabling audiences to enjoy a small summer paradise (夏日小型樂園). Additionally, on July 20 and 21, Formosa Circus Art and Body Phase Theatre (身聲跨劇場) will present free outdoor performances at the Daan Park Outdoor Music Stage. Midsummer Concert – Relaxed Performance The Evergreen Symphony Orchestra will perform Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor at the TPAC Sphere Theater (球劇場) on July 6 and 7. At this relaxed performance, audience members are free to enter and exit the auditorium as they please, providing an inclusive and pressure-free environment where everyone can enjoy the beauty of music. Dear John – Never Say Never (Family Version) A playful sound laboratory where the audience can closely observe deconstructed musical instruments and explore the musical concepts of American composer John Cage. This walk-through performance will be held at the TPAC Blue Box (藍盒子) from July 5 to 7. Not Home Yet Presented by House Peace, this play will be performed at the Wellspring Theater on July 6 and 7. The story follows Xiao Bao (小寶) on a special adventure on his birthday, exploring themes of loss, regret, and single parenthood. See You A solo performance by Fang-Fang Lin (林方方) of Ling Long Animal, presented in a colorful tent at the TPAC rehearsal room from July 11 to 14. The audience is invited to bring toys and participate in the performance. My Deer First Love An original musical for young audiences, to be staged at the TPAC Blue Box (藍盒子) from July 12 to 14. The story revolves around high school student Ah Zhu (阿朱), who becomes involved in a series of mysterious events and unexpectedly falls in love with a girl. Wolfgang’s Magical Musical Circus Presented by Circa Contemporary Circus, Australia’s premier circus team, this performance will be showcased at the sphere-shaped theater of the Taipei Performing Arts Center from July 12 to 14. This distinctive musical circus show is centered on the whimsical musical prodigy Wolfgang Mozart and showcases three performers blending physical feats with live accordion music in a delightful series of lively and playful musical compositions. LA BULLE This performance by Canada’s Corpus Theatre will be staged at the Blue Box at Taipei Performing Arts Center from July 18 to 21. The unique mime show features Artistic Director David Danzon in person dressed as a clown. He paints, dances, sings, and runs around, interacting with the audience and helping everyone experience the magical charm firsthand. Robocar Poli: Finding the Golden Trophy! This licensed musical from Korea, blending dazzling lights, projections, and stage effects, will be performed at the Grand Theater (大劇院) at Taipei Performing Arts Center from July 19 to 21. The story revolves around Boom Town (布姆鎮) facing a crisis as the Golden Trophy for the sports event is stolen. OMG Alien! A musical filled with surprises, emotions, and family bonds will be performed at the Wellspring Theater from July 20 to 21. This production by the Taipei Performing Arts Center features graduates of the TPAC Musical Theater Training Project. The story follows first-grade student Xiao-Yu (小魚), who enjoys happy moments at home until an alien appears and steals his mother’s love. LAB - Fairy Tells... The story centers on a bedridden boy who seeks happiness and joy by rewriting the endings of fairy tales. Art Wonderland Extended for Four Weeks (June 29–July 21): Art in Play The Taipei Performing Arts Center isn’t just a performance venue. Every summer, it undergoes a magical transformation into an Art Wonderland. The plaza is used as a hub for a diverse range of free activities like music, drama, dance, circus acts, puppet shows, and musicals, all spanning four weekends from June 29 to July 21. The Art Wonderland also bridges various projects and festivals managed by the Taipei Performing Arts Center, including the Circus Tent Project (馬戲棚計畫), TPAC Musical Theater Training Project, and Taipei Fringe Festival. This collaboration brings together artists and creators from different realms, sparking creativity and crafting delightful artistic journeys for both children and parents.