The newly launched podcast "Art Connect" is one of the projects under "Cultural Exchanges and Collaborative Projects between (the Regions of) South East Asia and Taiwan (新南向海外交流專題計畫)," in collaboration with the Bamboo Curtain Studio(竹圍工作室). "Art Connect" has a total of 13 audio episodes, hosted by Yipei Lee (李依佩), founder of suaveart studio, and artist Yu-Ting Yao (姚羽亭).
The podcast features conversations with 12 groups of arts and cultural workers from Taiwan and Southeast Asia. The speakers share with listeners on how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the artistic circles, and how artists and cultural organizations are dealing with the challenge. The speakers also talk about their knowledge on performing arts, visual arts, art space, design, art critics, research on cuisine, dances, art galleries, and international exchanges as well as artist residency programs.
The Ministry of Culture pointed out that the "Cultural Exchanges and Collaborative Projects between (the Regions of) South East Asia and Taiwan (新南向海外交流專題計畫)" received warm responses from committee members, and the project has rolled out online. The ministry said, Taiwan has been successful in pandemic control, and, therefore some physical activities were able to proceed as usual and showed the results of cultural exchange between people in Taiwan and those from the other countries.
According to the Bamboo Curtain Studio, the rampaging Covid-19 pandemic has tremendously affected people's lifestyle and the cultural industry. The venue-based sectors have been the hardest hit, with many places shut down and activities forced to postpone or cancel.
The studio added that, many countries in the Southeast Asia region are still trapped in the pandemic crisis, and artists from the region need to consider new possibilities of art development in a post pandemic world.
"Art Connect" podcast launched in October 2020, and it will be continuously available on Apple podcast, Spotify, SoundOn, and Google podcast.