Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), under the management of the Taiwan Living Arts Foundation, held a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exchange ceremony with Ars Electronica Linz GmbH & Co KG of Austria on January 22. This creates new avenues of partnership in art, culture, technology, and talent cultivation, as both sides work together to promote interdisciplinary research, creative works, and international exchanges on art and technology, enhancing ties between Taiwan and Austria.
Ars Electronica Linz stands at the forefront of innovative experimentation through art and technology. It has launched the Ars Electronica Festival since 1979 and has also organized the internationally recognized annual Prix Ars Electronica since 1987. In addition to the Festival-Prix-Exhibition arm, its Ars Electronica Center, Futurelab, Solutions units establish the company as a global leader in art, technology, and social innovation, with notable successes in talent cultivation.
C-LAB, since its establishment in 2018, has been committed to a core mission of cultural experimentation. It promotes cultural arts, media technology, and social innovation across wide-ranging disciplines, contributing to diversity in the development of Taiwan’s arts and cultural environment and spearheading international exchange efforts. The signing of the MOU symbolizes a concerted effort by C-LAB and Ars Electronica Linz in the disciplines of art and technology to spark creative dialog, forging international collaborations on a deeper level and realizing unprecedented latitude for talent development on both sides.
Strengthening Taiwan-Austria Connections in Art and Shaping a Future Vision for Technology Art
The Ars Electronica company, represented by Christl BAUR, Head of the Ars Electronica Festival, visited Taiwan to deliver the signed memorandum of cooperation to HSIEH Tsui-Yu, Executive Director of the Taiwan Living Arts Foundation. BAUR states, “With C-LAB, we share common pursuits at the intersections of art, technology and society. This collaboration takes creative dialogues beyond our borders and drives new possibilities.” HSIEH also emphasizes that C-LAB places great emphasis on nurturing artistic talent and strengthening international connections. We hope this collaboration will prominent international institutions for digital art cultivation will lead to more creative collaborative projects that draw Taiwan closer to the global arts and culture communities.”
The Chairperson of the Taiwan Living Arts Foundation, PENG Chun-Heng, who represented C-LAB in signing the memorandum of cooperation states that many outstanding creators in Taiwan have participated in the Ars Electronica Festival, with some even winning the Prix Ars Electronica. This partnership will enable diverse and in-depth exchanges on technology art talent, technology and cultural arts management, and resource pooling. Drawing upon the strengths and experiences of both organizations, PENG looks forward to a future where art creators, cultural workers, technical experts, and new-domain innovators engage in dialogue on multiple levels to take on the challenges of a coming age.
New Era and New Challenges Means New Opportunities
In light of the cultural and creative revolution brought on by technological progress, C-LAB and Ars Electronica Linz look beyond exchanges at the Ars Electronica Festival exhibitions. Their plans include wide-ranging collaboration to host international workshops, technical innovation exchanges, and talent cultivation programs, enriching the dialogue internationally for technology art. Both parties shall address global issues related to technology, art, and emerging digital cultures, broadening the mindsets of creators and technology experts.