Tsing Hua University's "Spring Tsing Hua Art Festival" has entered its second year, expanding in scale and reaching beyond the campus to venues in Hsinchu City and even the National Concert Hall in Taipei. University President Wei-Yuan Gao noted that the festival not only reflects a cultural renaissance at Tsing Hua but also deepens ties with the local community, aiming to co-create stories of “Tsing Hua and Me” through art.
Dean of the College of Arts, Fang-Yu Chang, shared that this year’s festival is held in collaboration with the Hsinchu City Cultural Affairs Bureau. The opening ceremony took place at Wind Live House, a popular local venue, with the goal of attracting wider public participation and allowing art to bloom in more open spaces.
One of the most eye-catching events is the "Painted Drum Barrel Project," which uses small metal barrels as the medium for artistic expression. Curator Su-Chen Hsieh explained that by encouraging hands-on participation, the project invites everyone to become an artist. The works are currently on display at Wind Live House, showcasing creations from a diverse group including Tsing Hua students, faculty, staff, kindergarten children, local citizens, and professional artists.
Tsing Hua highlighted some standout pieces: Atayal students from Xinle Elementary School in Jianshi used red, orange, yellow, and green barrels to form the word "Atayal," symbolizing a rainbow bridge connecting them to their ancestors; former NTHU president Li-Chiun Chen transformed his publications into a “waterfall of words”; and 87-year-old honorary professor Ti-Yuan Huang created a collaborative piece with his family, capturing over fifty years of Tsing Hua’s history.
This year’s festival also features a wide variety of performances. A highlight is the university's anniversary concert on May 15, which will be held for the first time at the National Concert Hall in Taipei. Russian maestro Vladimir Verbitsky will conduct the Tsing Hua Symphony Orchestra in a program of Russian classics. Music students will also stage pop-up performances at places like MacKay Memorial Hospital and Big City Mall, bringing unexpected moments of art to the public.
(News source: China Times, April 22, 2025)