Organizer Information
The Guandu International Nature Art Festival is hosted at Guandu Nature Park, a wetland conservation park located at the confluence of the Tamsui and Keelung Rivers in Taipei. The park is administered under the Wild Bird Society of Taipei (WBST), a long-standing environmental NGO dedicated to bird conservation, wetland protection, and ecological education in Taiwan.
Since its establishment, the festival has played a pioneering role in Taiwan as the first large-scale natural art festival held within a protected ecological reserve. First launched in 2006 as the “Guandu International Outdoor Sculpture Festival,” it later evolved into the current “Guandu International Nature Art Festival,” expanding its curatorial scope beyond sculpture into broader ecological and interdisciplinary art practices.
The festival is deeply rooted in three interconnected frameworks: river culture, wetland ecology, and environmental art. It emphasizes not only artistic production but also ecological awareness, community participation, and knowledge exchange between artists, local residents, volunteers, and educators. Its long-term mission is to cultivate environmental sensitivity through art while embedding cultural memory and local identity into site-specific artistic interventions.
Title & Description
Call for Artists – 2026 Guandu Nature Art Festival
The 2026 edition invites international artists to participate in a four-week ecological residency and site-specific creation program at Guandu Wetland. The central theme explores wetlands as both ecological systems and mythological landscapes, where natural environments are intertwined with cultural memory, indigenous cosmologies, and evolving ecological narratives.
Artists will be selected to create outdoor, site-specific installations using natural or eco-friendly materials. The works will be developed through direct engagement with the wetland environment, including a field study phase, collaborative discussions, and community interaction.
The curatorial framework draws on ecological philosophy, mythology, and cultural semiotics, proposing that wetlands function not only as biological habitats but also as “mythic spaces” where human perception of nature is continuously constructed and reimagined. Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme through three possible approaches:
- Reinterpreting ancient myths and spiritual narratives from different cultures
- Creating new ecological myths responding to climate change and environmental crisis
- Engaging with the cultural and geographical history of Guandu and its surrounding communities
The program culminates in a public opening and long-term exhibition within the wetland landscape, where artworks remain integrated into the environment for several months.
Categories
- Environmental Art
- Land Art / Site-Specific Installation
- Sculpture (outdoor / eco-material based)
- Public Art
- Interdisciplinary Art Practices
- Community-Based Art
- Ecological and Conceptual Art
Eligibility
- Open to international and local artists
- Individual artists and collectives may apply (collectives share a single grant)
- Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in the relationship between nature, ecology, and human-environment interaction
- Artists must commit to environmentally responsible practices and avoid ecological damage
- Experience in community engagement (with volunteers, students, or local residents) is required or strongly preferred
- International applicants must have basic English communication skills
- Artists should be open to public interaction, workshops, and participatory processes
- Proposals must be original and not previously exhibited or published
Program Benefits & Awards
- Artist fee of NTD 80,000 (tax deducted according to Taiwanese law)
- Accommodation in a private room (Aug 14 – Sep 14, 2026)
- Transportation reimbursement (domestic flights, trains, public transport within Taiwan)
- On-site meals (lunch provided on working days)
- EasyCard with preloaded local transport credit
- Assistance with sourcing natural and recycled materials
- Shared production budget for additional eco-materials (subject to approval)
- Access to ecological field study, curatorial mentorship, and local community collaboration
- Public presentation opportunity and inclusion in the official festival exhibition
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit the following materials (PDF or DOC for text; JPG/JPEG for images, 500KB–1MB each):
A. Proposal Documents
- Motivation statement (max 1 page) describing interest in the theme and environmental concerns
- Artwork proposal including concept description, sketches, dimensions, and material list
- Description of proposed public engagement activity (workshop, performance, or participatory event)
B. Personal Information
- CV including education, exhibitions, awards, and contact details (nationality, address, phone, email)
- Portfolio of 6 relevant past works including title, year, materials, and exhibition venue
How to Apply?
Applications must be submitted by email: festival@gd-park.org.tw
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 15 June 2026
- Result Announcement: 05 July 2026
- Field Study: August 15–16, 2026
- Residency & Production Period: August 18 – September 13, 2026
- Opening Event: 13 September 2026
- Artist Departure: 14 September 2026
- Exhibition Period: September 13 – December 31, 2026
Location
Taipei, Taiwan
Additional Details
- Only eco-friendly and biodegradable materials are permitted
- Works must be structurally safe and designed to withstand outdoor conditions for at least 3 months
- Natural decay and environmental transformation are considered part of the artwork lifecycle
- Artists will collaborate with volunteers and local communities during production
- Public engagement is a mandatory component of the residency
- The organizer reserves the right to modify or dismantle works for safety or environmental reasons
- Artists are expected to participate in public events, press activities, and opening ceremonies
- The festival emphasizes long-term environmental education and community integration