Department of Cultural Affairs

[Visual Arts] Kitty Hartl - Animal Pride. Kitty Hartl, who served as the curator for La Nuit Blanche Paris in 2022 and 2023, has been invited to be guest curator for Nuit Blanche Taipei 2024. The “Animal Pride” performance plan will resonate with the theme of the “Nocturnal Animal Party.” Photographer: Joséphine Brueder / Paris City Government (巴黎市政府).

Nuit Blanche Taipei is set to enter its ninth year in 2024, drawing hundreds of thousands of people who ignite the nighttime charm of Taipei each year! 

The event will showcase the vibrant nightlife of districts such as Zhongzheng, Daan, Zhongshan, Neihu, Nangang, Shilin, Beitou, and Xinyi, each offering unique artistic programming that combines each district’s characteristics for an overnight celebration of free and participatory art actions.

The annual event has steadily built a collective energy, establishing Nuit Blanche Taipei as a significant large-scale art event in the city. This vibrant artistic energy will come together again on November 2, 2024, in Da'an District, where the public are invited to co-create a new artistic chapter to reconnect with nature under the theme of the “Nocturnal Animal Party,” using the city as a starting point to connect with natural ecology.

Da'an District features numerous cultural institutions, artistic venues, ecological green spaces, trendy shopping areas, and cultural heritage sites, which together offer a diverse range of activities. This area embodies Taipei’s rich urban culture and creativity, supported by an excellent and capacious public transportation system. 

Building on this foundation, the “Nocturnal Animal Party” aims to discover new coordinates that link urban texture, artistic culture, and natural ecology through “inclusive ecological cultural action,” calling for an environmental awareness rooted in the land.

[Performing Arts] SwingTaiwan. Social swing dance has become a common means of communication for urban residents, fostering genuine connections through dance and making Nuit Blanche an event that brings people closer together.

This year’s overall planning focuses on three main contexts: First, utilizing Da'an Park, the “lungs of the city,” as an artistic base to foster dialogue between the city and nature through ecological investigations and contemporary art. Second, linking artistic performance bases to promote international exchanges that emphasize Taipei’s role as a key cultural connection point. And third, integrating campus activities with creative elements from trendy shopping districts to showcase the city’s diverse energy. 

These layered planning contexts will unfold into a rich interdisciplinary artistic feast, encompassing ecological investigations, contemporary art, performing arts, outdoor cinema, creative markets, and artistic lectures. 

The ecological investigation events planned by Every Being will include a range of ecological walks, lectures, and discussions, guiding participants to awaken animal spirits within the city. 

For contemporary art, Nuit Blanche Taipei will deepen its collaboration with the Bureau Français de Taipei (French Office in Taipei). Kitty Hartl, curator of La Nuit Blanche Paris, has been invited to act as guest curator and present the Asian premiere of “Animal Pride,” which will combine costuming, ice skating, and musical performances in an artistic parade. 

Curator Hsiang-wen Chen will focus on sustainability, ecosystems, animal parties, and public participation, bringing in artists from Taiwan and abroad, including Fuyuhiko Takata, UxU Studio, 2ENTER, Chia-ling Kuo, I-ju Chen, Yu-chu Chan. The vibrant celebration will also feature a rich lineup of music and talks, featuring Panai, Jubah Hitam, ChuNoodle, XTRUX, Sonic Deadhorse x Craftweak, ET Chen, Unid, Thumen Tsetseg, Kai-cheng Tai, and Hsiang-shen Hsiao. 

For performing arts, curator Ying-tzu Chen is putting an emphasis on surrealism, interactivity, sports culture, and a connection to nature. She has invited a variety of performance groups, including MeimageDance, Eye Catching Circus, Acroera, SwingTaiwan, Han Beat, and street performer Isaac Hou, to inspire everyone to get moving together.

[Performing Arts] Eye Catching Circus - E-Generation Paradise. Circus performers use their bodies, skills, and unique apparatus to communicate with the audience, creating unique moments of spontaneous interaction.Many key responding organizations in Da'an District have also prepared a range of performances as an important highlight to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Da'an Park. Eco-related initiatives include an Eco Fair organized by the Friends of Da'an Forest Park Foundation, the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute collaborating with the Hong Foundation and Fubon Cultural and Education Foundation to curate a rich lineup for the outdoor cinema, and the Jianguo Holiday Flower Market anniversary, along with the Jianguo Holiday Jade Market and Artist’s Corner hosting unique activities, alongside special face painting at the Taipei Zoo. 

Iconic cultural venues include the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), the Taipei Digital Art Festival, Jut Art Museum, Mongolian and Tibetan Gallery, NTNU Art Museum, and Taipei Tech Arts and Cultural Center, offering twelve hours of extraordinary activities. 

Trendy international shopping districts, including Yongkang Shopping District and Taipei East District, will also participate with special Nuit Blanche responses, sketching a variety of distinct paths for participants. 

We look forward to every nocturnal animal creating their own ecological journey at Nuit Blanche Taipei!