In an effort to raise Taiwan's cultural profile in the international community, Minister of Culture Lung Ying-tai met with the leaders of five Taiwanese performance groups on Jan. 25 to discuss the outlook for the performing arts sector in Taiwan.
The five groups - Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Ming Hwa Yuan Arts & Cultural Group, Ju Percussion Group, Paper Windmill Theater and U Theatre - were recently chosen by the Ministry to receive a combined grant of NT$100 million (US$3.39 million) to help them focus on productions, marketing and management.
"The NT$100-million subsidy is a cultural investment by the country because art performances are much easier to be recognized by the international community,” Lung said while meeting with Cloud Gate founder and artistic director Lin Hwai-min, Ming Hwa Yuan director Chen Sheng-fu, Ju Percussion Group founder Ju Tzong-Ching, Paper Windmill Cultural Foundation chief executive Lee Yung-feng and U-Theatre founder and artistic director Liu Ruo-yu.
Nurturing local performance groups is a project to consolidate national strength, and is no less important than taking care of the labor force, managing banking institutions, investing in freeway projects or implementing the Taoyuan Aerotropolis project, Lung noted, adding that her Ministry has already taken a series of supporting measures to help develop local performance groups.
The Culture Minister said she was pleased that the five groups are willing to work together and exchange information on international performances, and expressed the hope that they will lead the way for more world-class performance groups in Taiwan.