"65 Crafts Festival" Opens, Aiming to Make Crafts Accessible to All

(CNA reporter Xiao Boyang, Nantou County, 5th) The "65 Crafts Festival" opened today at the Caotun Craft Center. A variety of activities allow the public to easily engage with crafts through exchanges, hands-on experiences, and performances. The National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Center stated that the festival is built around international exchange, cross-domain diversity, and lifestyle tourism, creating an annual celebration.

After the Ministry of Culture designated June 5 as the national holiday "65 Crafts Festival," the annual craft event opened today at the National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Center. Attendees included Lin Hong-yi, Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Culture; Chen Dian-li, Director of the Craft Center; Ye Zhi-cheng, President of the Taiwan Craft Alliance; and representatives from related craft associations and industries. The second phase of the "Craft Pilgrimage" plan was also launched simultaneously.

Lin Hong-yi stated in his speech that June 5 becoming the official national holiday "65 Crafts Festival" is a significant milestone in the development of Taiwanese crafts and the result of long-term collective efforts by the craft community. He noted that June 5 coincides with the birthday of craft pioneer Yan Shui-long and World Environment Day, highlighting the spirit of harmony between humans and nature that crafts embody. He expressed hope that the festival would make craft culture a shared life value for all citizens.

Chen Dian-li said that this year's "65 Crafts Festival" is centered on the theme "Let SLOHAS Bloom into the Flowers of Life," promoting crafts into daily life through the core values of simplicity, lifestyle, originality, health, aesthetics, and sustainability. He emphasized that crafts are not just the accumulation of skills but a dialogue between humans and nature, hoping that the establishment of the national holiday would bring crafts closer to everyday life and make them a part of daily culture for everyone.

Ye Zhi-cheng stated that the "65 Crafts Festival" becoming a national holiday symbolizes a new development stage for Taiwanese crafts and sets an important milestone for the craft community. He noted that crafts have long been deeply rooted in people's lives and expressed hope that the festival would unite the craft community, promote intergenerational exchange and传承, and jointly advance the sustainable development of Taiwanese crafts.

The Craft Center announced that two phases of activities, from June 5 to 7 and June 19 to 21, will be held at the Taiwan Craft Culture Park. These include a "Craft Feast, Cultural Banquet," a "Craft Market," and a "Craft Tour Theater," allowing the public to easily engage with crafts through exchanges, experiences, and performances.

The Craft Center also stated that it has brought together 65 artisans from northern, central, southern, eastern Taiwan, and outlying islands for an "Artisan Experience Workshop," offering a limited 1,300 slots. The 1-2 hour hands-on courses are designed for toddlers, teenagers, adults, and seniors. For international exchange, craftspeople from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan will engage in in-depth exchanges in metalworking, lacquer art, ceramics, fiber arts, and wood/bamboo crafts. (Editor: Chen Renhua) 1150605