Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun visited the construction site of the Kaohsiung Maritime Cultural & Pop Music Center on March 25. She thanked the Kaohsiung City Government and expressed hope for the center's future role as an incubation center for local music talent.
Noting that major music events like the Megaport Festival (大港開唱) are held in Kaohsiung every year, the Minister expressed confidence in the lively cultural vitality of southern Taiwan. The completion of the Maritime Cultural & Pop Music Center will extend the cultural corridor of the Port of Kaohsiung area that already encompasses the popular Pier-2 Art Center, she said.
The music center is expected to boost the local economy while enhancing Kaohsiung’s capacity for pop music creation. Minister Cheng has also pledged to budget resources to help the center cultivate professional personnel and enhance the overall cultural development in southern Taiwan.
As part of the Executive Yuan's forward-looking infrastructure program to spur economic growth, the Ministry of Culture has proposed a flagship "spheres of culture (文化生活圈計畫)" project that aims to link major cultural venues to local communities and artists. Under this framework, Minister Cheng will seek more funding from the central government to help ignite Kaohsiung City's cultural growth.