Department of Cultural Affairs

Taipei Children’s Arts Festival

Affectionately known as “Children’s Arts Fest,” the Taipei Children’s Arts Festival is an annual celebration of creativity hosted by Taipei City Government

Since its inception in 2000, the festival has become a beloved summer tradition, offering affordable ticket prices and a wide array of free events. What sets it apart is its unwavering commitment to artistic quality, crafted with the same level of care as adult theater and never compromising on imagination or value.

Each July through early August, it’s as if a grand “castle of the arts” gently descends over the city. Inside this enchanting realm, artists from Taiwan and abroad present performances, workshops, and interactive experiences designed with heart and precision. Friendly staff—some smiling, some playfully mysterious—welcome children and families to step through the gates and discover the many faces of art.

Since 2018, the Taipei Performing Arts Center has curated and produced the festival, guided by the values of creative diversity and shared joy. Animated by a vision of shared joy in the arts and a commitment to diversity and innovation, the festival embraces the principle of “Imagination Only” and crafts a new theme each year. Through in-house productions, commissioned works, and curated international performances, it builds a magical castle of the arts for children and grown-ups alike. 

In 2019, the festival introduced two signature programs, Art Wonderland and LAB, developed in collaboration with artists to explore new forms and themes in family theater. The programs blur the line between play and art, embedding creativity into the rhythm of everyday life. 

The festival encourages everyone to engage with art in their own way—capturing moments through the senses, taking part in inclusive, interactive performances, and stepping into imaginative spaces where they can experience change, examine the bond between humans and nature, and venture into speculative futures.

Everyone is invited to create their own stage, participate in interactive installations, and move freely through spaces brimming with creative energy. Children and adults alike are encouraged to use their bodies to explore, respond to prompts, and move with the moment.

From outdoor parks and indoor venues to roving performances that weave through the city, the Taipei Children’s Arts Festival transforms every corner into a space for wonder. You can see with your eyes, listen with your ears, and feel with your heart. 

It’s also a rare opportunity for parents and caregivers to step into new roles—playing, imagining, and connecting with children in fresh and meaningful ways. Here is where the richest aesthetic education unfolds, and the most cherished memories take shape.

About the 2025 Taipei Children’s Arts Festival

Message from the Commissioner

We were all children once. Hold on to that, and you’ll carry tenderness with you for life.

As I wrote this, I was reminded of the many nights I spent telling my daughter stories. I can still see the light dancing in her eyes, her endless curiosity, and the way her imagination painted the world around her.

One day, our children will look back on those moments—the softness in our voice as we whispered bedtime stories, the warmth of our fingertips gently brushing their cheek. And more than that, I hope they’ll grow up to find that same tenderness in the world.

Yes, tenderness. It matters so deeply. When children feel it, they give it back. They reach out with their tiny hands to touch our faces, take unsteady steps toward us, and throw themselves into our arms. Thinking of this, I begin to understand what the Taipei Children’s Arts Festival saying “KIDS MODE ON!” means. It’s a mode that invites us to treat one another, and the world, with tenderness.

So, it’s no surprise that every year, a group of artists arrive, as tender and devoted as with their own children, to craft artistic experiences that embrace our own little ones. This year, 29 groups from Taiwan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Spain will present over a hundred performances across all 12 districts of Taipei. From exquisite theater productions and intimate community shows to colorful outdoor parties and full-day interactive exhibitions that stimulate both hands and minds, this festival is designed to awaken the childlike spirit in each of us.

This summer, let us meet in art—side by side with our children—as we step together into “Kids Mode.” As we lose ourselves in the magic of stories and creativity, may that shared joy and warmth settle in our hearts, turning into a lasting gentleness that becomes the most precious gift of this summer.

Shih-Ping Tsai, Commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government

An Invitation to the Child Within Us All

In the “Open to All” spirit, the Taipei Children’s Arts Festival is throwing its doors open to every grown-up who still has a child-like spirit. This July, Taipei is turning into a vast city of adventure, inviting you to freely explore and engage in spaces filled with playfulness and creativity. That’s what “Open to All” means to us at the Taipei Performing Arts Center—a gateway to innocence and imagination, designed for each unique you.

Art is about taking part, not just looking on. This year, we shine a light on the poetic dance of shadow and light, the emotive storytelling of puppetry, and the immersive worlds of picture books brought to life. These enchanting forms open windows for children to discover the world. With programs from around the globe, we’ve curated a vibrant, interactive lineup that sparks meaningful conversations on topics such as the environment, technology, culture, and emotions. Through story and spectacle, art becomes a bridge for heartfelt dialogue between parents and children, an invitation to imagine the future together.

To help everyone stay in “Kids Mode,” we’re introducing new ways to play. This year’s program guide features a “children’s edition” that helps young audiences plan their own schedule. Two brand-new interactive exhibitions, “You Choreograph: Young Choreographers” and “Bat Night Market,” offer more flexible hours so families can better tailor their artistic adventures. Outdoor performances take place under the stars and moonlight, while community shows bring the magic of theater right to your neighborhood. In theaters and parks, from daylight to twilight, the Festival turns the city into one giant map of discovery.

These diverse forms of engagement guide audiences from play to reflection, from theaters to hidden corners of the city—encouraging wide-eyed wonder with every step. It’s not just about watching a show; it’s about embarking on a journey where art leads the way to rediscover the world with fresh, joyful eyes.

Taipei Performing Arts Center