Taiwan Good Foundation Chishang Granary Art Museum Introduction
In 2009, "Taiwan Good" arrived in Chihshang with the mission of "Taiwan Good Begins with Townships," uncovering local stories and depth, working collaboratively with the community to transform Chihshang from Taiwan's highest rice price township into a renowned arts and cultural destination both domestically and internationally. Each year, the "Chihshang Artist Village" attracts artists for residency; the "Chihshang Barn Art Museum," the first professional art museum converted from a barn in Taiwan; and the "Chihshang Autumn Harvest Rice Art Festival," which has gained international attention, allowing Chihshang to become more than just "above Dapo Pond," but inspiring many small towns to aspire to "become Chihshang." 1. Local Supporters, Growing 15 Years of Autumn Harvest Rice Art Festival After "Taiwan Good" came to Chihshang in 2009, it initiated seasonal cultural activities: spring plowing, summer weeding, autumn harvesting, and winter storage. Among these, the "Chihshang Autumn Harvest Rice Art Festival" features performances from Chen Guan-yu's piano solos to dances from the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, emerging from the soil. Each year, thousands are attracted to enjoy performances in the cultural landscape of 175 hectares of golden rice waves. "Autumn Harvest" has become a brand and major event for Chihshang, rallying a large volunteer team of over 300 people. "Taiwan Good" also supported the establishment of local associations, allowing team experiences to be passed down to local residents, serving as a successful example of local revitalization, also making Chihshang a model for beautiful living in Taiwan's townships. 2. Advancing Rice Township, Taiwan's Version of Barbizon Art Village To deepen cultural and artistic development, "Taiwan Good" promoted the "Chihshang Artist Village" in 2014, revitalizing idle spaces in the village, inviting artists for residencies to bring new creative impulses to the small town, aiming to achieve localized art. Aesthetic master Jiang Hsun serves as the chief advisor and the first resident artist of the artist village. Barbizon, a small village at the edge of a forest in France, attracted many artists who created a rural painting style; the "artist village" has also drawn many aspiring creative artists for residencies. Over the past decade, 48 artists have participated, enriching Chihshang’s artistic resources and promoting cultural development, while spreading the beauty of Chihshang through their works! 3. Taiwan's First Art Museum Established with Residents' Consensus With the anticipation and support of local residents, the "Chihshang Barn Art Museum" opened in 2017. This is Taiwan's first art museum born from the consensus of residents, with its transformation from dereliction to completion being a community-driven effort. In 2019, it won the first prize and the owner award at the "Far East Architectural Award – Special Prize for Old Building Renovation." So far, it has hosted 17 exhibitions with diverse themes, including large-scale joint exhibitions of resident artists, significant exhibitions by heavyweight figures representative of Taiwanese art culture like Hsieh Teh-chin, and co-creation exhibitions involving 300 local residents. The museum has become an important artistic highlight in the Hualien-Taitung valley and a vital aesthetic education base for schools in the eastern region. 4. Students Enter the Countryside, Learning from Chihshang Due to "Taiwan Good's" deep engagement in the community, resources have been attracted. Starting in 2021, Professor Hsiao Yu-chih from Shih Chien University’s Department of Architecture has led a 5-year project, collaborating with "Taiwan Good" and the "Chihshang Township Cultural and Arts Association" to integrate resources. This allows students to produce research and projects through fieldwork, transforming these into reference cases for local development and local revitalization.
Exhibition Tour - If You Hear Me One Step Ahead
V-10 Wu You @ Chihshang Photography Exhibition
