Page 5 - 2025大墩美展30年．巨匠名作特展專輯-電子書

Mayor's Preface

Since its inception in 1996, the Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition of Taichung City has now reached its
30th year. What began as a local art exhibition aimed at Taichung citizens expanded into a national
competition in 1999 and further evolved in 2002 into an international contest open to global submissions.
To encourage artistic creation, the total prize fund was increased last year to NT$5.69 million, making it
the top public art competition in Taiwan in terms of total prize money and overall scale. The Da Dun Fine
Arts Exhibition has become not only a shining stage for artists to showcase their talent but also a vital
platform for international cultural exchange.
Organizing a fine arts competition requires significant investment in both resources and manpower, and
must evolve with the times. The Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition has continuously adapted its execution and
systems in response to changing trends. For instance, in 2005, recognizing the rise of new media, the
exhibition added a Digital Arts category, bringing the total to 11 submission categories. Following the
onset of the pandemic and the rapid advent of the digital age, we first launched an online registration
system in 2020 to streamline the application process. Then, in 2023, we introduced a digital judging
system. These changes have significantly reduced paper usage, better aligning with the today’s rising
environmental awareness and sustainable development goals.
To enhance international visibility and establish the Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition as a cultural brand of
the city, we have hosted annual cultural exchange exhibitions abroad since 2007. Over the past decade,
these exhibitions have traveled to 17 cities across 11 countries, including Mainland China, Japan, the
United States, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Canada, Thailand, and South
Korea. In 2025, the cultural exchange exhibition was held in Brisbane, Australia. I am honored to be the
first mayor since the merger of Taichung City and County to personally lead a delegation abroad and
officiate the opening ceremony. Through the ongoing global tour of the Da Dun Fine Arts Exhibition, we
aim to place Taichung on the world stage, engage in continuous international dialogue, and steadily climb
the mountain of art as we march confidently toward the next thirty years.

Mayor, Taichung City

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