Shaping the Urban Aesthetic Corridor: Taichung City Completes 238 Public Art Installations in 8 Years

In recent years, Taichung City has witnessed rapid development in public infrastructure, with major projects such as the Waterfront Trade Park, district sports centers, and various municipal constructions being completed one after another. The city government has also actively promoted public art by installing diverse types of artworks in public buildings and large-scale public engineering projects. Over the past eight years, 238 permanent public art installations have been completed, shaping an urban aesthetic corridor. Through the principle of 'artistic equity' and the infusion of cultural resources, these artworks have reached deep into communities, schools, and distinctive areas, allowing public art to enter citizens’ daily lives and encounter people at street corners across the city.

According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, for example, 15 public art pieces within the Waterfront Trade Park were completed last year, successfully connecting the outdoor art corridor of Central Park. Themed 'Taichung’s New Face,' the project fully embodies the concepts of 'low-carbon, smart, and environmental symbiosis.' The artworks not only won the Gold Award at the U.S. MUSE Design Awards but also received multiple international design accolades from countries including the UK, USA, France, and Switzerland. Recently, the project earned widespread recognition by securing multiple nominations at the Ministry of Culture's '10th Public Art Awards,' including nods for Excellence Award and Art Planning Award, with several individual works nominated for Art Creation Award and Environmental Integration Award—achieving outstanding results.

Moreover, to implement artistic equity and bring more cultural resources to relatively underserved areas, the Cultural Affairs Bureau has extended its reach to remote mountainous, coastal, and rural schools, launching a public art campus-rooting program. Starting in 2024 (Minguo Year 113), the bureau initiated the 'Qingshui Art Walk Season,' using art interventions and spatial activations to help the public rediscover Qingshui District’s rich coastal ecology and profound cultural heritage, receiving enthusiastic responses from residents.

This year’s 'Qingshui Art Walk Season' features Gaomei Wetlands, Yuliao Ancient Homestead, and Lighthouse Park as exhibition zones, presenting eight art installations that respond to the coastal ecosystem and local cultural landscapes. The initiative integrates participation from local kindergartens, university-level USR (University Social Responsibility) programs, and community residents, enabling citizens of all ages and backgrounds to access art without barriers. This strengthens identification with local ecology and public art, creating an outdoor museum where art and nature thrive together.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau emphasizes that urban aesthetics is an ongoing path of municipal development. Going forward, it will continue deepening public art integration into major construction projects, schools, communities, and unique sites, aiming to create internationally recognized urban artscapes and bring art into everyday life, allowing citizens to experience the diverse charm and delightful surprises public art brings to Taichung.