As we present the eighth edition of the Play Arts Festival, we ask ourselves how else can we play? How else can we gather? How can a venue be open, rolling, and unpredictable? These questions form the core of this festival. It is hoped that every gathering during this festival produces chemical changes between audiences and venues and between works and the body. The critical point of such change is what this year’s festival is all about, the “Sweet Spot.”
“Sweet spot” is a sports term that refers to the best landing point for a ball that has been hit or pitched. It is a dynamic balance produced by the precise coordination of force, angle, and speed. However, the sweet spot that we are looking for is not just a landing point or one way. Rather, it is a state generated through intersection, interaction, and participation.
“Some moments, although not especially perfect, are just right and meant to be held onto. Those are your sweet spots.” Audiences are invited to explore how art creates sparks through games and gatherings. Look for sweet moments that happen through communication between audiences and performers, when all is right between the individual and the collective and between control and chance.
This festival is not viewing-oriented. Rather, participation is the starting point and everyone can generate their own sweet spots depending on choice, rhythm, and perception. While watching a solo performance, you may discover that you were once that invisible character. Or, while fixing something old, you may think of a memory that you have never shared with anyone else. Or, as you are standing on the lawn, swaying to live music, you may exchange silent glances with a stranger. These are not deliberately created moments. However, due to your participation, they become moments of resonance with yourself, others, and the world.
This year’s activities include an outdoor concert, which is a soundscape of emotion and rhythm. There are also numerous solo performances and various hands-on workshops for participants to make memories using their hands. This year’s alternative activities include immersive games and live podcasts, to open up opportunities for exchanges and lead audiences in perceiving the rhythms of creation and experiencing empathy through participation. Find your own sweet spots through games and gatherings.
In 2025, the Play Arts Festival continues. If you are willing to put yourself out there, there is no need for anyone to tell you what is the sweetest. We invite you to tune in and create together, and let us know what is the sweet spot!
CHEN Yow-Ru
Curator
More information can be found at：
Official website：https://playarts.clab.org.tw/
Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/playarts.clab