The Cultural Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia and ArtsEquator collaborated to invite 11 arts writers and critics from Southeast Asia to Taiwan in mid-April. On April 19, they attended the 2025 Observer Forum hosted by the Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), where they engaged in in-depth conversations with Taiwanese art professionals and organizations.
Chi Tung-yang (紀東陽), head of the Cultural Exchange Department at the Ministry of Culture (MOC), remarked that this collaboration with ArtsEquator reflects the MOC’s commitment to fostering international cultural connections and exchanges. He expressed hope that the forum would spark further dialogue and initiatives promoting freedom of speech.
Wahyuni Hadi, Executive Director of ArtsEquator, highlighted Taiwan’s vibrant arts scene and expressed a desire for more collaborative programs between ArtsEquator and Taiwanese arts organizations in the future.
The 2025 Observer Forum featured rich discussions across two forward-looking sessions: “The Contemporary Landscape of Art and Cultural Criticism in Southeast Asia” and “The Role of Institutions and Platforms: An Observational Study of the Ecosystem of Art and Cultural Criticism in Taiwan.” These insightful exchanges underscored the forum’s aim to foster active dialogue and meaningful connections in support of the development of art criticism across the region.
