Organizer Information

Tsung-yeh Arts and Cultural Center is a government-run arts institution in Madou District, Tainan, Taiwan, housed in the former factory and headquarters of the Japanese Meiji Sugar Manufacturing Corporation, which began operation in 1911–1912. The sugar refinery closed in 1993, and in 1999 the Tainan County Government designated several of its structures — including the Red-Brick Office, the Guest House, the Red-Brick Craft Hall, the factory manager's dormitory, a Japanese garden, and a grove of century-old camphor trees — as protected historic landmarks. The site was reopened as an arts and cultural center in 2001, and its Artist Village residency program was established in 2015. Operated by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Tainan City Government under the advisory of Taiwan's Ministry of Culture, the center now functions as a hub for cross-disciplinary art-making, craft, and cultural exchange, combining exhibition halls, studios, and artist accommodation within its historic grounds.

Title & Description

AIR in Tainan — Artists-in-Residence Program 2027

This is an open call for the 2027 edition of the Tsung-yeh Arts and Cultural Center's international Artists-in-Residence program. Resident artists are given working space at the historic Tsung-yeh site and are encouraged to communicate and interact with the local community, with the aim of positioning the center not only as an exhibition venue but as a gathering point for international artists. Applicants must submit a residency project plan responding to the 2027 theme and are encouraged to draw on Tainan's cultural assets or the Tsung-yeh environment itself in their work.

Theme

"Site-Specific Art." Applicants are asked to observe and respond to Tainan City's hydrology (river basin and water management), physiography (archaeological, soil, meteorological, and topographical features), ecology (aquatic, amphibian, and terrestrial flora and fauna), and humanities (indigenous, agricultural, river-related, or ecology-related culture) before creating their work.

Categories

Eligibility

  • Open internationally to artists of all artistic disciplines
  • Applicants must have basic communication skills in English or Chinese
  • Applicants must be capable of conducting independent field research and independently planning, executing, and managing their residency project
  • Applicants must disclose at the time of application if they have already participated in another domestic or international residency in the current year

Program Benefits & Awards

  • Living and creation grant of up to NT$30,000 per month, for up to three months (maximum NT$90,000 total); exact amount determined by the review committee and inclusive of foreign income tax (6–20%) and Second-Generation National Health Insurance fees
  • Grant paid in installments per contract, subject to government reimbursement/accounting approval timelines
  • Free accommodation in a private suite (room and utilities included; personal items such as towels and toothbrushes not provided)
  • A bicycle provided for the duration of the residency
  • Dedicated exhibition space, including lighting rails, air conditioning, and related equipment
  • Free access to multimedia equipment (projectors, monitors, speakers, lights), a shared artist studio, and hardware tools for art-making
  • Administrative support from Tsung-yeh Arts and Cultural Center
  • A separate production budget of up to NT$150,000 (VAT included) for exhibition/workshop materials, procured directly by the center rather than disbursed to the artist

Application Fee

None

How to Apply?

Online Application

Key Dates

  • Application Deadline: 31 August 2026
  • Review Period: September 2026
  • Results Announcement: Late November 2026
  • Residency Period: January 4, 2027 – August 30, 2027 (tentative), selected from three preferred terms:
    • Term 1: January 4 – April 9, 2027
    • Term 2: April 7 – July 6, 2027
    • Term 3: May 31 – August 30, 2027
  • Minimum residency length: 45 days; maximum: 90 days

Location

Tainan City, Taiwan

Additional Details

  • Selection is conducted by a review committee of experts and scholars appointed by the Cultural Affairs Bureau; review meetings are closed to the public and individual feedback on selection results will not be provided
  • Selected artists must hold one achievement exhibition and at least one parent-child workshop at Tsung-yeh before the end of their residency
  • Artists must reside for at least two-thirds of the contracted residency period or be disqualified
  • Accommodation is for the artist only — not for companions, family members, assistants, or pets
  • If a project requires assistants, this must be disclosed in the project plan (reasons, number, job description); assistant costs are covered within the existing grant amount, with no additional funding
  • Copyright and ownership of works created remain with the artist, but Tsung-yeh retains the right to exhibit, present, and publish the works for educational and promotional purposes; artists are liable for any losses arising from copyright infringement in their work
  • Works requiring assembly or disassembly must be accompanied by an artist-provided assembly guide
  • Artists must participate in AIR exchange activities arranged by the organizers, except in notified special circumstances
  • Artists are advised to prepare at least one month's living expenses in advance (approximately NT$15,000–20,000) due to government reimbursement timelines
  • The Tainan City Government Cultural Affairs Bureau reserves the right to amend the guidelines and retains final interpretation

Website Link: https://air-culture.tainan.gov.tw/index.php?lang=en