by Taipei Performing Arts Center (TPAC)
The 27th Annual Conference of AAPPAC was hosted by Taipei Performing Arts Center (TPAC), from 4 – 6 September 2024. The 2024 Conference focused on the theme Mind the Gap – Lead the Path, addressing four key challenges faced by performing arts venues worldwide: continuous innovation, local connections, sustainability, and AI technology. In addition to the keynote speech and panel discussions, the event also included featured performances and showcases, the Connecting Series pitching session, and a compelling roundtable discussion.
Attendees came from 19 countries and regions gathered to represent 66 esteemed art and cultural organisations, bringing over 200 professionals from the performing arts industry, including AAPPAC members and representatives of domestic and international artistic communities. In total, the event welcomed more than 4,000 participants. Through enriching exchanges of professional knowledge and experiences among important leaders of international theatres and organisations, as well as dedicated art and cultural workers, meaningful international connections were forged. These collaborations aim to foster the joint promotion and long-term development of performing arts venues in the Asia Pacific region.
This year’s conference was held in conjunction with Trendy Taipei, a collection of events that brought together elites from the global music, film and television, and technology industries in a lively, extraordinary, and artistic start to autumn in Taipei. Taipei Mayor Wan-An Chiang graced the opening event, emphasising the importance of promoting Taiwan’s arts and cultural industries on the international stage. In his remarks, he highlighted AAPPAC’s vital role not only in fostering artistic exchanges and collaborations among performing arts venues but also as a platform for creativity and cultural diplomacy, strengthening ties among nations. He expressed pride that Taipei is once again hosting the AAPPAC conference after 12 years. This year’s conference invited members and representatives of heavyweight performing arts centres and venues from many countries, including Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay (Singapore), Arts Centre Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, New National Theatre Tokyo, along with Taiwan’s National Theater & Concert Hall, National Taichung Theater, and National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying).
Taipei is home to esteemed professional performing arts venues such as the Taipei Music Center (TMC) and Taipei Performing Arts Center (TPAC).
It also hosts the Taipei Film Festival, Taipei Fashion Week, and Taipei Biennial. Trendy Taipei was launched this year to extend the city’s art and cultural energy with focuses on the music economy, industry forums, and urban planning to develop an all-new brand for Taipei.
Day One of the conference commenced at the Globe Playhouse with an opening performance by Sangpuy and the Bulareyaung Dance Company. This was followed by an opening welcome address by AAPPAC Chairman, Douglas Gautier AM, and Chairman of TPAC, Victoria Wang where they both highlighted the importance of the network and encouraged exchanges and collaborations at the conference.
Keynote Speaker Katherine Hui-ling Chou, Distinguished Professor of English Department at National Central University in Taiwan was invited to share the results of a preliminary investigation and case studies of online theatre in Taiwan. She specifically mentioned the Inspector Pig series by IfKids Children’s Theatre Company on the CloudTheatre Taiwan online platform. During the break, pre-recorded and live versions were shown. The interactive online version was consistent with that of the live version and audience members could comment in real time. As online performances typically carry a lower cost than their live counterparts, they have the potential to draw in younger audiences and families. Additionally, these virtual offerings, while not diminishing the appeal of live performances, open doors for new experiences and skill-building opportunities. They transcend geographic boundaries to attract international audiences.
We kicked off the first panel discussion with the Continuous Innovation in the Arts: Keeping Tradition Fresh forum. Jian-Hong Kuo, Artistic Director of Singapore’s The Theatre Practice, talked about her parents. Growing up, she was influenced by Eastern and Western cultures and believes that a timeline tradition is the past. Without the past, there is no present. Without modernity, there is no tradition. Tradition and modernity are intricately interwoven, each informing and enriching the other in our daily lives. They manifest in the questions we ask and the answers we seek, guiding our choices and shaping our identities.
In addition, Taiwan’s indigenous Paiwan choreographer and Founder of Bulareyaung Dance Company Bulareyaung Pagarlava shared that he lost the opportunity to learn about his culture due to the impact of Chinese-speaking policies while growing up in Taiwan. It was not until he returned to Taitung in eastern Taiwan, where he founded a dance company, that he was able to rediscover his roots. Every day, alongside his dancers, he studies traditional songs and Western physical training methods, incorporating these indispensable nutrients into his dance creations. Bulareyaung’s choreography has drawn from indigenous Amis, Bunun and Paiwan cultures and various cultures are nourished in his dance company. He also expressed that the beauty of Taiwan is due in large part to its indigenous people.
Post lunch on Day One, we started the second session on Neighborhood Life: The Choreography of Cultural Venues and Communities forum, Gregorio Lucena Scarpella, Director of the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN), noted that cultural districts possess relevant cultural knowledge that can be brought into venue-organised events. Then, how do cultural districts serve as bridges? The nature of a cultural district requires that it be integrated with the local cultural environment and ecology. Using an example of a cultural center serving indigenous peoples, even if perceived as not needed, it must strive to provide performance opportunities that are in line with its positioning and participate in discussions with stakeholders, enterprises, vendors, and artists to become part of the ecosystem.
From the perspective of online communities, Yvonne Tham, CEO of Esplanade —Theatres on the Bay in Singapore, believes that past marketing efforts focused on ticket sales, whereas now they are focused on establishing relationships between communities and programmes. Audience members should be able to see each other and share common experiences, rather than management starting from ticket sales. In addition, it is necessary to maintain a social network and update performance/venue information to attract audiences. Jean-Louis Bleau, Executive Director of the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, believes that students are future audiences. If they are not encouraged and guided, it may be difficult to find audiences in the future. As young audiences tend to consume content in short-form works online, in contrast to most theater works, this creates a challenge. Therefore, it is necessary to think about ways of connecting with schools.
Day Two, the delegates gathered in the Globe Playhouse for the sixth edition of the AAPPAC 2024 Connecting Series hosted by Professor Yi-Wei Keng, Dramaturg of National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) and Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at National Taipei University of Arts. The AAPPAC Secretariat received 28 submissions of high quality, thoughtful and exciting works and ideas. AAPPAC extends its heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed selection panel: Jeff Khan from Asia TOPA, Arts Centre Melbourne, Bruce Guthrie from National Centre for the Performing Arts Mumbai and Joanna Wang from National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) for lending their expertise and time to select the 8 works of various disciplines to be presented at this year’s pitch session:
- BIRDY by Hung Dance
- ICE AGE by Resident Island Dance Theatre
- Goldfish by Terrapin
- This is not an Embassy by National Theater & Concert Hall
- U>N>I>T>E>D by Chunky Move
- Two Blood by Australian Dance Theatre
- Samsara by The Esplanade Co Ltd
- Beastosis by National Taichung Theater
Ariel Yonzon, Associate Artistic Director of Production and Exhibition Department at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), noted that 80% of these new works featured young people, which should be considered in terms of associate or new membership. During the pandemic, people were forced to stay at home. Following the pandemic, young creators have continued to conduct online and hybrid meetings, exchanges and dialogues. These are the next generation of content creators.
Do reach out to aappac@esplanade.com if you would like to have details on the selected works.
After lunch, the participants visited Taipei Music Centre (TMC) for a tour and had the roundtable discussion on Constant Sustainability: Forever Is a Verb. How can sustainability be promoted within venue operations and management? How can performing arts groups take green action? The suggestions that came out of the discussions included recycling and reusing theatre props and costumes, reducing the use of printed promotional materials, considering renewable energy (i.e. solar energy), establishing green organisations internally, promoting sustainability-related policies from bottom up, and encouraging musicians to use local instruments when performing to reduce transportation costs.
On Day Three of the conference, we delved right into the emergence of AI technology on Algorithm Theater: AI’s Creative Journey. Pierre Caessa, Google Arts and Culture Program Manager, shared the creative process behind the dance production LIVING ARCHIVE, developed in collaboration with British choreographer Wayne McGregor, in a pre-recorded message.
Google trained an AI model using McGregor’s choreographed works to create original movements. This AI model imitated the movements in the database, then extended new vocabulary to develop unprecedented dance movements. Similarly, AI technology has been used to create new choreographic methods. Kathy Hong, Executive Director of The Cloud Gate Culture and Arts Foundation, presented the case of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre’s new work, Waves, which was choreographed using AI computing. Artistic Director Tsung-lung Cheng and new media artist Daito Manabe incorporated music and visuals into the choreography. Manabe noted that traditional methods of physically creating dance steps often imposed limitations, whereas digital choreography opened up new possibilities. By leveraging the dance movements developed by Cloud Gate, these constraints were transcended. Through digital learning, the entire work, not just the music or visuals, was based on data obtained from dancers’ bodies.
Elevating the use of digital technologies is a process of mutual understanding. For Choreographer Hiroaki Umeda, “aesthetics” serve as the driving force behind artistic creation. He poses a critical question: how can the application of technology enhance a work or inspire new dance movements? This challenge underscores the importance of personal growth, emphasising that artists should not solely rely on technology. Chieh-hua Hsieh, Artistic Director of Anarchy Dance Theatre, echoed this sentiment when discussing whether technology might replace the creative methods of artists. He said that the most interesting thing about his work lies in returning to the human perspective for understanding, thus negating any notion of replacement. In the process of artistic creation, many things are discovered during decision making and AI can play a supportive role in this journey.
We look forward to seeing you in Daejeon, South Korea in 2025!
