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A former distillery in central Taiwan’s Taichung City is a thriving hub of the cultural and creative industry.

Opening a studio at Taichung Cultural and Creative Industries Park (TCCIP) in 2016 invigorated the career of ornamental metalworker Ho Tang-li (何堂立‬). The store and workspace at the site in central Taiwan’s Taichung City attracts a steady stream of visitors eager to explore his assortment of handcrafted decorative and practical goods. Ho’s Fu Chi Ornaments Workshop also facilitates regular exchanges with fellow residents, prompting him to hone his skills in materials such as jade, lacquer and wood.

“With the park’s packed schedule of events drawing audiences from Taiwan and abroad, I’ve ample opportunity to showcase my creations to new customers,” said Ho, who previously worked out of his home for 12 years. “Since setting up shop, I’ve also expanded my repertoire by tapping into the experiences of artists in many different disciplines.”

According to the metalworker, other benefits of residency include the site’s prime location in downtown Taichung, affordable rent and marketing support. “TCCIP provides an outstanding environment for business development,” Ho said. “The artists feel a shared responsibility to do good work so as to bolster the reputation of the park and foster collective growth.”
 

 

A total 16 of the park’s 28 buildings at TCCIP are listed as historic structures by the local government. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)

Historic Setting

Situated near Taichung Railway Station in the city’s South District, TCCIP was built as a distillery in 1916 during Japanese colonial rule (1895-1945). After World War II, the facility was administered by the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau, incorporated and renamed Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp. (TTL) in 2002. Environmental and urban redevelopment considerations saw alcohol production relocated from the site in 1998 to Taichung Industrial Park.

In 2002, the city government took steps to preserve the then unoccupied distillery by designating 16 of its 28 buildings as historic structures. The following year, the Cabinet selected it to host one of five national-level cultural and creative parks planned across Taiwan. Redevelopment work began in 2007 when the Ministry of Finance, TTL’s sole shareholder, completed transfer of site ownership to the Ministry of Culture (MOC).

After undergoing comprehensive restoration and redesign, the 5.6-hectare park opened to the public in 2009. It has since emerged as one of Taiwan’s most dynamic cultural centers, offering a melange of art, educational, entertainment and historical attractions. A variety of activities are regularly staged at the complex like bazaars, exhibitions, lectures, performances and workshops. In addition to art studios offering handcrafted products and do-it-yourself (DIY) classes, the site boasts an array of dining options as well as a museum highlighting vintage distillery equipment and the history of alcohol production in the area.
 

 

Diverse products by resident artists are shown at a park exhibition space and store. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)

“TCCIP aims to preserve and promote the nation’s tangible and intangible heritage, as well as propel cultural and creative industry development,” said Yang Hong-hsiang (楊宏祥), deputy director of park operations. “We provide diverse spaces and services for artists and visitors, while also staging some of the nation’s most important cultural activities.”

Among related efforts, TCCIP is slated to host this year’s Taiwan Design Expo, one of the leading events on the cultural and creative industry calendar. Running Aug. 15 to Sept. 16 and co-organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taichung City Government, the exhibition is themed Here is the Future and expected to feature hundreds of companies and talents from home and abroad.

State Operated

Unique among Taiwan’s five nationally designated cultural and creative parks, TCCIP is operated by the central government. The others—Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Taipei City; Hualien Cultural and Creative Industries Park in the eastern Taiwan county; Chiayi Cultural and Creative Industries Park, better known as G9 Creative Park, in southern Taiwan’s Chiayi City; and Tainan Cultural and Creative Park in the southern metropolis—are administered by private enterprises under contract from the state.
 

 

Woodcarver Sparrow Chueh works at his TCCIP studio. (Photo by Chen Mei-ling)

Conversely, the Taichung facility is directly funded and run by the MOC’s Bureau of Cultural Heritage. Yang said this arrangement results in less pressure to maximize revenues, allowing management to offer cut-price rents to emerging talents and organize events spotlighting underappreciated or little-known aspects of local culture.

Office and studio spaces at TCCIP are available for a monthly fee of about NT$150 (US$5) per square meter. At present, a total of 45 individuals and groups operate workshops at the park in areas spanning ceramics, leatherworking, metalworking, performing arts, photography, product design and woodcarving. The site also frequently hosts free activities ranging from glove and shadow puppetry performances to augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) showcases.

One ongoing event is “The New Space Discovered—Underwater Cultural Heritage AR+VR Exhibition.” Running until July 30, the show takes visitors on a tour of a submerged archaeological site at Dongsha Atoll, Taiwan’s first marine national park, in the South China Sea. The technology provides spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of colorful marine creatures and a historic shipwreck.

Previous VR exhibitions at TCCIP included an up-close look at the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage, a major annual religious procession in central and southern Taiwan honoring Mazu, the goddess of the sea. Equally captivating was a show offering visitors the chance to experience Yanshui Beehive Fireworks, a Lantern Festival event in Tainan during which participants dressed in protective clothing withstand volleys of fireworks. Yang said that TCCIP is working to develop further VR experiences as part of its commitment to highlighting Taiwan’s cultural heritage in innovative and captivating ways.
 

 

TCCIP regularly stages folk culture events such as shadow puppetry performances and temple parades. (Photos courtesy of TCCIP)

Support Services

According to Yang, TCCIP’s core mission is to enrich lives and foster community development by boosting public access to the arts and promoting the cultural and creative industry. “To this end, we work to strengthen the professional growth of local artists by offering a host of resources and networking opportunities,” he said, adding that related efforts span business and management courses, consulting services, publicity campaigns and skills training.

These support programs helped kick-start the career of resident artist Sparrow Chueh (闕河慈) of That Wood Studio. “The park administration offers invaluable advice and assistance to help young companies like mine get ahead,” said the 30-year-old craftsman specializing in wooden stationery and household goods.

Given the dust and noise generated by woodworking, it is difficult to find a suitable space in urban areas, Chueh said, adding that the advantages of TCCIP extend beyond conveniently located studios for low rent. Since moving to the park, the woodcarver has cooperated with more than 10 fellow residents, including a florist, leather artisan and photographer. One of the products that emerged from these collaborative efforts—a handcrafted wooden pen presented in a gift box decorated with dried flowers and leaves—featured among the top 10 souvenirs of 2016 as selected by the city government.
 

 

A volunteer guide, center, explains design features from traditional Chinese wooden architecture to visiting schoolchildren. (Photo courtesy of TCCIP)

Chueh also touted TCCIP’s regularly scheduled exhibitions of works by resident artists as major sales and marketing boons. “As small business owners, we can’t afford to spend large sums on promotion,” he said. “These events showcase our goods and services to new customers, allowing us to focus on creating products and honing our skills.”

Artistic Ecosystem

Like Chueh and Ho, educational services provider and toymaker Chen Han-zhun (陳翰諄) has seen his business go from strength to strength since relocating to the park. “My sales more than doubled and Facebook fans quadrupled after I launched Make Fun Studio at TCCIP in mid-2016,” he said. “Besides showcasing my products, I have enough space to host DIY workshops, something that simply wasn’t possible when I was working from home.”

The 37-year-old, who strives to advance science education through developing innovative toys and hands-on activities, has received numerous offers to organize camps or deliver lessons at schools thanks to the increased business exposure. In addition, daily interactions with customers help him refine existing products and come up with new ideas. “I’m also planning to work with resident lacquer and metalworking artists on developing innovative teaching aids,” he added.

Such collaboration is music to the ears of Yang. “Our mission is to create an ecosystem conducive to the overall development of the cultural and creative economy,” he said. “And in doing so, we also hope to nurture a premier visitor destination with unmissable cultural, educational and recreational experiences.”