The National Center for Traditional Arts (NCFTA) launched its inaugural edition of the four-year residency program with the aim of cultivating successors of traditional performing arts. To mark the completion of the program, a certificate presentation ceremony and mentor appreciation ceremony were held on Jan. 4.
At the event, Culture Minister Lee Yung-te issued certificates of completion to 24 trainee artists, while troupe mentors accepted appreciation gifts and passed down traditional accessories to these young talents.
The mentors included Yi-Shin Taiwanese Opera Troupe (一心戲劇團) leader Suen Rong-huei (孫榮輝), Minkuan Taiwanese Opera Troupe (民權歌劇團) leader Lin Jin-quan (林金泉), Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group (明華園戲劇團) project mentor Sun Tsui-feng (孫翠鳳), Tang Mei-Yun Taiwanese Opera Company (唐美雲歌仔戲團) leader Tang Mei-Yun (唐美雲), Chen Shih-huang Traditional Puppet Troupe leader Chen Hsi-huang (陳錫煌), Contemporary Legend Theatre (當代傳奇劇場) artistic director Wu Hsing-Kuo (吳興國), Rom Shing Hakka Opera Troupe (榮興客家採茶劇團) artistic director Cheng Rom-shing (鄭榮興) and project mentor Liu Li-chu (劉麗株), Taipei Puppet Theater (臺北木偶劇團) leader Lin Yong-zhi (林永志) and Shintrun Taiwanese Opera Troupe (薪傳歌仔戲劇團) director Chang Meng-yi (張孟逸), among others.
NCFTA director Chen Yue-yi (陳悅宜) said the NCFTA promotes various projects with the strategy of improving the entire traditional art industry chain, and the residency program is the first step in cultivating new talents. 24 trainees were selected into nine troupes, covering talents of the front and back stage in Taiwanese Opera, Puppet Show, Peking Opera, Hakka Opera, to name a few. Every trainee received nearly 6,000 hours of training and half of them were further selected into a bridging program.
Minister Lee said that traditional opera is one of the art forms that features the most of Taiwan’s characteristics. To alleviate the risk of the continuation of traditional opera, former Culture Minister Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君) launched the four-year residency program in 2019. Today, the certificate ceremony was held to demonstrate that the government attaches great importance to the continuation of traditional performing arts and has the determination to keep up with the times and seek innovation. Lee added that “the most important responsibility of MOC is to provide a favorable environment and more performance opportunities.”