Department of Cultural Affairs

By Gobby Wang
Staff writter

The 2012 Taipei Buskers Festival hosted by the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of the Taipei Municipal Government took place at Songshan Cultural and Creative park on December 1 and2.

The opening ceremony featured a brief speech by Deputy Director Lin Hui-fen thanking and encouraging all the buskers who helped to prepare and present the 2012 festival. Lin awarded the "2012 Taipei Buskers Friendship Ambassador" prize to Isaac Hou, who first performed fire dancing and crystal-ball juggling in Taipei's Ximending four years ago. Balloon artist Chen Yi-wei of Delon Balloons & Gifts, who is a Guinness World Record Holder, and 88-year-old paper-cutting master Lee Huan-chang were also on hand for the opening ceremony.

"In order to let people approach the busker art and let buskers have an opportunity to learn from each other, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs began holding the annual buskers festival in 2005, inviting different kinds of buskers to show their skills," said Lin.

Isaac Hou performed with a crystal ball, bringing his palms together and letting the ball hang suspended between his fingers to offer viewers the beauty and imagination in his movements. His crystal ball dance was shown in CCTV's Spring Festival Gala features in China this year.

"I love to perform on the street because that makes me feel like there is no distance between me and the audience. I feel glad that the buskers art has been given more importance than in the past," Hou said in an interview with reporters after the opening ceremony.

There were three performing areas for the 2012 Taipei Buskers Festival, in the form of an Artists' Garden, Artists' Stage and Artists' Street, where buskers gathered to show their skills. Japan's famous drummer Waka and the Sitar Prince performed together on the Artists' Stage, while other buskers peddled their handicrafts on Artists' Street.