New comics museum will no longer be housed in Taichung's Central Taiwan Cinema Center
The new National Comics Museum (國家漫畫博物館), originally designed to be combined with the Taichung-based Central Taiwan Cinema Center (中臺灣電影中心), is to be established in a suitable new site. The decision came after the proposed construction blueprints failed to meet the requirements put forth by the Ministry of Culture. Comics professionals and architects also expressed concerns that the design of the complex would not deliver what is expected of the museum.
To preserve Taiwan's original comics and reconstruct the nation's history with this dynamic art form, the Ministry has been playing an active part delineating a holistic history of this unique cultural medium and collecting historical materials pertaining to its evolution.
As part of its efforts to promote Taiwanese comics and preserve related artifacts and documents, the Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with Taichung City in 2017 to establish the National Comics Museum in a facility inside the Taichung-based Central Taiwan Cinema Center, which is now under construction.
However, after nearly 30 meetings, the Ministry and the Taichung City Government have yet signed an administrative contract, as the center's design has failed to meet the specifications insisted upon by the Ministry.
Put forth by the Ministry at the outset of this joint effort to promote Taiwan's original comics, the requirements included having the museum facilities concentrated in one area and ensuring it has its own entrance, exit, and electromechanical systems. In addition, as the complex will include a shopping mall on its first floor, the museum should not share space with this commercial area.
However, the escalator leading to the museum's basement would pass through a shopping mall, and the center's freight elevators carrying food and garbage would also be used to transport Taiwan's invaluable comics archive.
Last year, the Ministry proposed solutions for the design to better meet the requirements. As design changes take time, the Ministry suggested the city government suspend construction or extend the construction period, but to no avail. The two sides thus failed to reach a consensus on the final layout.
To further examine the current design of the complex, the Ministry consulted a number of seasoned comic artists and professionals in the areas of museum studies and architecture. The majority of them expressed concerns that the layout of the complex is unlikely to meet the minimum operational requirements for running a national-level comics museum.
These experts also advised the Ministry to seek a new site for the museum exclusively dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of Taiwan's comics heritage. Taking into consideration of the museum's sustainability and the desire to uphold the high standards expected of such a venture, the Ministry has therefore decided to seek another site for the museum.
As to the establishment of the Central Taiwan Cinema Center, the Ministry said the previously agreed amount of subsidy for its construction remains the same. Aiming to promote the center as a driving force in Taiwan's audiovisual and animation industries, the area originally designated for the comics museum has been recommended for use as an ACG (animation, comics, games) center.
The Ministry emphasized that the construction of the National Comics Museum will continue. While calls have been made since 2017 for submissions or donations of comics-related historical documents, Tainan's National Museum of Taiwan History, which has been highly recommended by comic strip creators who have works preserved there, has been commissioned to set up an ad hoc group for the establishment of the museum.
With its professional capacity in research, exhibition curation, and the preservation of cultural relics, the Tainan-based museum is now also a temporary home for donated historical documents pertaining to Taiwan's comics heritage.
As for the location of the National Comic Museum, the Ministry is open to ideas from cities and counties across Taiwan. Any suggestions will be evaluated by a panel of professionals in related fields.
Read the original press release here.