The Ministry of Culture has teamed up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote Taiwan's original artworks overseas, starting with an inaugural exhibition at the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore on Oct. 26.
Art Bank Taiwan is a Ministry of Culture initiative established in 2013 to assist the nation's emerging young artists in receiving more exposure and opportunities. The first phase of the program includes an annual budget of NT$70 million (US$2.4 million) dedicated to purchasing local art pieces of great potential.
By collaborating with the private sector, Art Bank Taiwan has begun securing new exhibition spaces in corporate headquarters, hotel chains, and children's hospitals. It is also working in partnership with the Ministry of Transportation to disseminate Taiwan's culture through public spaces like Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport.
The program is now entering its third phase, where the Ministry of Culture is actively pursuing cultural diplomacy by loaning art pieces to foreign agencies as well as the nation's embassies and cultural offices around the world.
In this first formal collaboration between the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore has adorned its hallways and the representative's official residence with 37 art pieces by 29 artists on loan from the Art Bank Taiwan collection.
Singaporean visitors seeking consular services or more information on Taiwan will be able to review a unique collection tailored to reflect the wide range of diversity and topics under discussion in Taiwan's contemporary art scene.
Minister of Culture Cheng Li-chiun noted that the collaboration embraces the spirit of "Cultural Taiwan” - one of Premier Lai Ching-te's five policy pillars. She added that the nation's representative offices in Washington, D.C. and New York will also unveil Art Bank Taiwan exhibitions before the end of the year, with more locations scheduled for 2018.
Since its inception in 2013, Art Bank Taiwan has purchased 1,822 artworks by 870 local artists. More information on the Taichung-based program can be found at http://artbank.ntmofa.gov.tw.