The members of the Ministry of Culture's Southeast Asia Advisory Committee (SEAAC) gathered at the National Taiwan Museum on May 30 for the first time after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic. This year, the event saw the participation of 15 advisory committee members from 10 countries including Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and New Zealand.
Deputy Minister of Culture Sue Wang (王時思) expressed her gratitude to the committee members for breaking down barriers and uniting through art during the pandemic. A total of 16 exchange programs were implemented, including a virtual residency program where Taiwanese and Thai artists collaborated virtually – their artwork is currently on display at the Jim Thompson Art Center in Thailand and Hong-gah Museum (鳳甲美術館) in Taiwan; the production of books on Taiwanese and Filipino art history and contemporary art in both Chinese and English; as well as cultural exchanges in traditional music between Taiwan and Vietnam.
Four sessions of cultural forums revolving around the theme of "We ART together" were held. Members of the fifth committee were invited to speak on the prospect of post-pandemic cultural exchanges. Various topics were also discussed, such as the promotion of traditional arts, narratives in the changing times, and more, hoping to deepen future arts and cultural exchanges with New Southbound countries, in addition, harness the power of art and culture to transcend national boundaries and deepen the exchange network between Taiwan, Southeast Asia, South Asia, New Zealand, and Australia, enhancing mutual understanding and generate significant cultural and artistic outcomes.
The committee members participated in various thematic events from May 29 to June 2. In addition, they have been invited by the National Taipei University of Technology, National Chengchi University, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei to deliver a series of lectures.
