Japan’s two most famous art festivals are Kagawa Prefecture’s Setouchi Triennale (Setouchi International Art Festival) and Niigata Prefecture’s Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (Echigo-Tsumari Art Field). On December 31, a representative of Setouchi Triennale, Mr. Takafumi Shimooka, paid a visit to Hsinchu County Magistrate Chiu, Ching-chun accompanied by Taiwanese artist Lin, Shun-long and invited Hsinchu County to be the third art festival host. Magistrate Chiu responded by saying he will be happy to see this happen and instructed all the bureaus and departments of the county government to give full support and cooperation to put Hsinchu County on the international stage.
Mr. Takafumi Shimooka said these art festivals are held once every three years with Setouchi and Echigo-Tsumari holding the event alternately, with a break taken every third year. Next year (2017) it will be the turn of Setouchi to host the event and the Japanese hope that Hsinchu County, with its mountain, sea, lake and strong cultural atmosphere, will become the third art festival host; organizing a grand Japanese art festival alternately with Setouchi and Echigo-Tsumari.
Magistrate Chiu said he will be happy to see Hsinchu County on the international stage and instructed all the bureaus and departments of the county government to give their full cooperation to make it happen. The first stage will see international volunteers sent to Japan to provide service and to learn. The 2016 autumn exhibition Provincial Highway 3 Landscape Art Festival is already being planned and will include Hsinchu County’s famous wind, bamboo, forest, mountain, sea and lakes and will feature international drumming elements, making an all-out effort to promote Hsinchu County.
Artist Lin, Shun-long said that Setouchi Triennale will have 210 art troupes from 24 countries taking part and will feature 200 works of art, have over 7000 volunteers and receive over 1 million visitors, creating 13.2 billion in revenue and a new travel form.