Tamsui Art Festival that will last through October provides delightful programs ranging from fine arts exhibitions, chamber music, and theaters to outdoor performances. Art lovers can pick up an Art Pass that will enable them to visit the homes of various artists as well as to participate an array of DIY arts and crafts workshops.

Chamber music concerts and theater performances are usually held at 2 pm on every Saturdays and Sundays of October in the Auditorium at the Tamsui Township Library and the Carrie Chang Fine Arts Music Hall of TKU. In the latter venue, renowned pianist, Chen Guan-yu, will play some popular tunes—from love songs to theme music of several well-known Japanese plays on the Sunday, October 17. On October 24, there will be a five-men performance (Lin Lun-wei, Wang Wen-zhong, Lu Chao-lun, Liu Zhong-hsin and Lee Wei-han) of exotic romantic dance music. The last performance will take place on October 31 by Chen Rui-bing, who has won countless prestigious music awards for Best Song, Best Album and Best Performance. He will be joined by Mrs Yoko Nanno doing a piano duo act in the final music performance of the Festival in TKU. Music fans can go to the Carrie Chang Fine Arts Center 10 days prior to each of the performance for tickets.

Apart from these indoor performances, there are numerous outdoor performances spreading along the Lao Jieh (Old Street in the historical quarter of Tamsui). On Saturday evenings this month, artists busking with various instruments, from harmonica to Chinese Gu Zheng (a string instrument), will entertain spectators on spots in front of the Township Magistrate, the 7-11 by the MacDonald’s, Fu-You Temple, entrance to the Red Castle and MacKay Statue.

If some people have always been wondering how artists live, can get a rare glimpse at artists’ home with an Art Pass attained at various exhibition venues. With the pass, pass holders can be shameless voyeurs wandering in and out artist’s home. The artists that are brave enough to open their doors to fans include Chen Hsi-kun, who allows for the first time strangers to peek into his over one century old home on top of the MacKay Street. There are also Ma Ming-hau a professor at TKU’s Chinese Department who opens his calligraphy studio; Wu Rong-ci, a graduate student of TKU who shows his wood carving workshop and Chao Zhong-yong who opens his arts park. These are only a few among many studios of other artists open to the public. A detailed list can be attained from the venues where passes are available.

There is also a DIY arts and crafts workshop at the Zhong-cheng Market on the Lao Jieh at 10 am every Saturday and Sunday. This week, visitors can learn pressed flower technique and the application of the technique in making soap, candles, Chinese knot ornaments, diaries and key rings from Yang Ching-yi, a faculty at TKU specializing in this craft. Next week, Lin Jin-zong, another faulty from TKU, will demonstrate the skill of stone carving. Those interested just show up at the venue at the time specified. Advanced registration is not required.

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