The Ministry of Culture announced today the details of a program that subsidizes cities and counties to improve local cultural centers' management and operations and transform them into professional theaters. The program will also serve as a platform for cities and counties to exchange ideas and encourages a healthy rivalry among them.
The Ministry said the evaluation criteria for the subsidy include comprehensiveness and practicality of a city or county's proposal, the evaluation results of the previous year, the potential of expanding local cultural and art markets, networking with cultural industries, sponsorship from enterprises and effectiveness in improving its theater operations.
The ministry decided to subsidize 12 cities and counties for a total of NT$60 million (US$2.01 million) in 2013 for equipment procurement, production of programs, marketing and promotion, as well as personnel training. Tainan City, one of the five subsidized cities and counties in southern Taiwan, obtained the highest subsidy amount of NT$10 million.
The other subsidized counties and cities are Kaohsiung, Hsinchu City, Keelung, Taitung, Chiayi, Pingtung, Taoyuan, Yunlin, Hsinchu, Penghu and Yilan County.
Compared with large performance venues, the theaters in local cultural centers are more accessible to the public. The Ministry aims to reinforce the centers' functions with long-term sponsorship so that they can provide better services and venues for performers.
Tainan, for example, used last year's subsidy to organize performances and support local performance groups. Its cultural center also hosted a performing arts tour around its 34 districts and brought cultural programs to remote communities.
Taoyuan Cultural Center, which also received the subsidy for two consecutive years, made better use of its spaces, renovated the theater and other facilities, and worked with enterprises to sponsor more performances. It also invited street performers to perform in front of the center on weekends. Last year, the center co-organized various outdoor performances, including a program by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, which drew tens of thousands of people.