Under the wings of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), Taiwan’s premier performing arts center, the Weiwuying Circus Platform has been dedicated to promoting the circus arts since 2016. Its 2021 program was curated by Gwen Hsin-Yi CHANG under the curatorial theme of “Circus – Life.”

The month-long program presented more than a hundred circus performers and video artists from across Taiwan and the world.  The platform provided an opportunity for artists to showcase their responses to the social conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic through their creative works. Their final products showcased the global reach and diverse forms of circus and its potential as a vehicle to foster understanding, hope, and social progress.

Featuring live shows, online workshops, residency and training programs, and a short film festival, the Weiwuying Circus Platform also hosted numerous panel discussions about circuses in Asia and their connection to international communities. Our CEO Stacy Clark participated in a panel discussion, along with TOHU‘s Deputy Director of Programming for Circus Arts, Ruth Wikler, about their work developing the North American circus industry.