TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Executive Yuan announced plans to invest NT$1.4 billion to recover Taiwan's art history and cultural identity on Thursday (Sept. 12).
The Executive Yuan announced the launch of a four-year Reconstruction of Taiwan's Art History project 2.0 during a post-Cabinet meeting press conference that will run from 2025 to 2028.
Deputy Minister of Culture Lee Ching-hwi (李靜慧) announced that the Tainan Art Museum (台南國家美術館) would open on March 25 next year, focusing on Taiwan's art history, particularly modern and contemporary artists' works.
They recounted how President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) had emphasized the importance of history and cultural revitalization during his campaign and advocated for the 2.0 project.
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) noted the significant achievements since the original project began in 2018 and pledged continued support to realize President Lai's vision of cultural prosperity through art.
Ministry of Culture Arts Development Department Director-General Chou Ya-ching (周雅菁) explained that the 2.0 project would expand to include five areas: art history, music history, literature history, architectural history, and Taiwanese opera history.
The Ministry of Culture initiated the establishment of the Tainan Art Museum in response to long-standing advocacy from academia and the descendants of senior artists.
The Ministry of Culture has formed a preparatory team, aiming to establish a preparatory office by the end of the year and officially open on March 25, aligning with the Art Festival.
Besides the Tainan Art Museum, the Ministry of Culture will collaborate with local art museums to systematically present Taiwan's modern and contemporary art development. They will also work with the National Science and Technology Council (國科會) to enhance Taiwan's generative AI, promoting art history discussions globally through digital tools.
