Contemporary Performance in Taiwan

This book explores how contemporary performance in Taiwan has become an important cultural space for negotiating identity, community, and international visibility. Focusing on the period from 2008 to 2023, and especially the years since 2017, it shows how performance has developed in close relation to Taiwans social changes, cultural policies, and complex geopolitical position. Taiwan occupies a unique place in the world. While it is deeply connected to global economic and cultural networks, its political status remains contested. In this context, contemporary performance including in experimental theatre, dance, exhibitions and interdisciplinary artistic practices has taken on a role that goes beyond artistic expression. It has become a way of communicating Taiwanese perspectives internationally, building regional connections, and reflecting on questions of history, belonging, and cultural sovereignty. The book examines how artists, curators, and cultural institutions have shaped this development. It pays particular attention to new large-scale performing arts centres and festivals, which have transformed how performances are produced, presented, and shared. These institutions do not simply host artistic work; they actively create networks between local communities, Indigenous knowledge systems, and international partners. The Taipei Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is a central case study in this regard. As one of the most ambitious cultural infrastructure projects in Taiwans recent history, TPAC represents a shift in how performance is curated, produced, and positioned internationally. Conceived as an experimental institution rather than a traditional repertory theatre, TPAC actively supported research-based artistic work, long-term residencies, and transregional networking in the examined period. An important figure in the study is the curator and performance maker River Lin, whose work illustrates how contemporary performance in Taiwan has become increasingly interconnected across the Indo-Pacific and Europe. Through detailed case studies, the book looks at the Taipei Arts Festival and the artist-led platform Asia Discovers Asia Meeting for Contemporary Performance (ADAM). These examples show how performance can function as a space for dialogue, experimentation, and cultural exchange. Based on five years of research and close collaboration with practitioners in Taiwan, this book is the first comprehensive study of Taiwanese contemporary performance as a field. It demonstrates how artistic practices can help societies reflect on their past, imagine alternative futures, and position themselves within global cultural landscapes. By making these processes visible, the book contributes to a broader understanding of how culture and the arts matter in shaping international relations and social life.