Taiwan Season Celebrates 13th Year at Edinburgh Festival Fringe - International Arts Professionals Gather to Strengthen Taiwan’s Performing Arts Network
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan Season marks its 13th year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year. Through long-term brand development, venue partnerships, and the accumulation of an international professional network, it continues to deepen connections between Taiwanese performing arts and the global creative industry. This year, four Taiwanese companies present works spanning magic theatre and contemporary dance across prominent cultural venues, including Underbelly, Assembly @ Dance Base, and Summerhall. Since performances began on 5 August, the season has garnered acclaim from local media and audiences whilst drawing interest from curators, producers, and performing arts professionals worldwide, continually expanding the international network for Taiwanese performing arts.
The four participating companies —LU Production, LEI Dance Theater, Seed Dance Company, and Mailantia Dance Company— have received sustained praise from major UK arts media and industry figures. Their works have been covered by leading Fringe publications such as The Scotsman, The Guardian, The Herald, and Broadway Baby. Notably, Seed Dance Company’s The Wall and LEI Dance Theater’s Proximities earned five-star reviews from Scottish Field. Lu Production’s The Birthday Party received a four-star rating from World Magic Review, whilst Mailandia Dance Company’s UNDER MASK was listed as a "Must-See" show by FringeReview, which described it as "a 45-minute show you shouldn't miss." These four productions showcase the vibrant, distinct creative energy of Taiwan’s contemporary performing arts scene, highlighting the rising profile of Taiwanese works within international arts media at the Fringe.
On the afternoon of 17 August, Taiwan Season hosted the "Meet the Artists" professional networking session at Dance Base. The four companies shared their work and international touring experiences, attracting numerous curators, producers, and performing arts specialists. Attendees commended the high production quality and cultural perspectives presented, whilst engaging in in-depth discussions on international marketing, show promotion, and cross-border exchanges—laying the groundwork for future collaborations.
In the evening, the Taiwan Season Reception convened international delegates from the UK, the US, Norway, Germany, Japan, India, Belgium, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland, and South Korea. Guests included Rep. Vincent Yao of the Taipei Representative Office in the UK; Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society; Edinburgh City Councillors Cammy Day and Jason Rust; Glasgow City Councillor Paul Leinster; Jodie Adams, Senior Programmer at Underbelly; Tom Forster, Fringe Producer at Summerhall; Tony Mills, Artistic Director of Dance Base; Flora MacKeddie, Programme Director at Assembly; as well as representatives from key venues and arts festivals.
The reception opened with a relay of excerpts performed by the four Taiwanese companies. In his welcoming remarks, Rep. Yao praised the teams for their standout performances in Edinburgh. He noted that Taiwan Season’s long-standing presence at the Fringe gives Taiwanese artists the opportunity to share their work with global audiences and, crucially, provides an international platform to build lasting connections with cultural professionals worldwide.
Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, remarked that the true significance of the Fringe lies not merely in the scale represented by millions of ticket sales, but in the authentic connections forged between artists and audiences on every stage and in every moment. With around 70 countries participating this year, approximately 17 present official showcases, with Taiwan Season amongst them. These international showcases offer countries a stage to share the cultural heritage they cherish, take pride in, and most wish to present to the world. He went on to describe artists, audiences, and the international professionals who take works around the globe as "joy-makers, joy-absorbers, and joy-spreaders," applauding Taiwan Season’s sustained commitment to bringing outstanding Taiwanese works to Edinburgh and enabling art to bridge geographical and cultural divides.
Long-term venue partners also spoke highly of Taiwan Season’s achievements over the past 13 years. Tom Forster, Fringe Producer at Summerhall, noted that Taiwan Season represents one of the Fringe’s "longest and most enduring international partnerships," allowing the global market to witness the continuous growth of both artists and their repertoire. Tony Mills, Artistic Director of Dance Base, commended Taiwanese artists for bringing tradition, culture, and contemporary creation into fresh dialogue, embodying the distinctive cultural identity of a "small country, but with a big identity."
Marking its 13th edition at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Taiwan Season continues to evolve from presenting performances to building long-term international networks. This sustained presence not only enriches Taiwanese artists with valuable international touring experience, but also expands opportunities for future tours, curatorial projects, and cross-border collaborations through ongoing dialogue with venues, media, and industry professionals—deepening the visibility and influence of Taiwanese performing arts on the global stage.
More details please visit https://linktr.ee/taiwanseason .
🗓️5-31 August
📍multiple venues in Edinburgh
臺灣季第13年深耕愛丁堡藝穗節 國際專業人士齊聚 深化臺灣表演藝術合作網絡
由文化部支持的「臺灣季 Taiwan Season」今年邁入第13年參與愛丁堡藝穗節，透過長期的品牌經營、場館合作及國際專業網絡累積，持續深化臺灣表演藝術與國際產業的連結。今年四組臺灣團隊作品橫跨魔術劇場與當代舞蹈，分別於Underbelly、Assembly @ Dance Base及Summerhall 等重要藝文場館演出，自8月5日演出以來，除獲當地媒體及觀眾好評，也吸引來自世界各地的策展人、節目製作人及表演藝術專業人士關注，持續拓展臺灣表演藝術的國際合作網絡。
今年參與臺灣季的拾陸製作、艸雨田舞蹈劇場、種子舞團及麥藍堤亞舞團，開演以來陸續獲得英國重要藝文媒體及專業人士肯定，四組團隊獲得The Scotsman、The Guardian、The Herald、Broadway Baby等藝穗節重要媒體關注與報導；其中，種子舞團《那面牆》及艸雨田舞蹈劇場《親密近地》獲Scottish Field 五星評價，拾陸製作《生日派對》獲《World Magic Review》四星評價，麥藍堤亞舞團《UNDER MASK》則由FringeReview將其列為必看節目，形容為「不容錯過的45分鐘」。本次四組節目展現臺灣當代表演藝術多元而鮮明的創作能量，也顯示臺灣作品在愛丁堡藝穗節國際藝術媒體中的能見度持續提升。
8月17日下午，臺灣季於Dance Base舉辦 Meet the Artists專業交流活動，四組團隊分享作品及國際發展經驗，吸引多位策展人、製作人及表演藝術專業人士參與。與會人士除肯定臺灣團隊的演出品質及作品所呈現的文化視角，也針對國際行銷、作品推廣及跨國交流等議題深入交換意見，為後續合作建立更多可能。
晚間舉行的臺灣季酒會則匯聚來自英國、美國、挪威、德國、日本、印度、比利時、丹麥、捷克、波蘭及韓國等地的國際專業人士。除駐英國臺北代表處姚金祥大使，重要賓客包括愛丁堡藝穗節大會執行長Tony Lankester、愛丁堡市議員Cammy Day與Jason Rust、格拉斯哥市議員Paul Leinster、Underbelly資深節目策劃Jodie Adams、Summerhall藝穗節節目製作人Tom Forster、Dance Base藝術總監Tony Mills、Assembly節目總監Flora MacKeddie以及相關重要場館與藝術節代表等。
酒會由今年四組臺灣季團隊接力演出作品片段揭開序幕，隨後姚金祥大使致詞時肯定四組團隊今年在愛丁堡的亮眼表現，並指出，臺灣季長期參與藝穗節，不僅讓臺灣藝術家有機會與世界各地觀眾分享作品，更重要的是透過藝穗節這個國際平台，與來自不同國家的文化專業人士建立連結。
愛丁堡藝穗節大會執行長Tony Lankester表示，藝穗節真正重要的並不只是數百萬張票房所代表的規模，而是在每一個舞台、每一個時刻之中，藝術家與觀眾發生的真實連結。今年藝穗節約有70個國家參與，其中約17個以官方Showcase形式呈現，而臺灣季正是其中之一；這些國際Showcase向世界展現一個國家所珍視、引以為傲，也最希望與世界分享的文化。他另以「創造喜悅（Joy-makers）、感受喜悅（Joy-absorbers）以及傳遞喜悅（Joy-spreaders）的人」形容藝術家、觀眾以及將作品帶往世界各地的國際專業人士，並肯定臺灣季長期將優秀臺灣作品帶進愛丁堡，讓藝術成為跨越地域與文化的連結。
長期合作場館亦高度肯定臺灣季13年來累積的成果。Summerhall 節目製作人 Tom Forster 表示，臺灣季是藝穗節「最長久且最穩定的國際合作關係之一」，長期合作更讓國際市場看見藝術家與作品持續成長；Dance Base 藝術總監 Tony Mills 則肯定臺灣藝術家將傳統、文化與當代創作重新碰撞，展現「國土雖小，卻風格獨具且特色鮮明（small country, but with a big identity）」的文化辨識度。
臺灣季參與愛丁堡藝穗節今年邁入第13年，持續從作品演出與展示，進一步走向國際專業網絡的長期建立，不僅為臺灣藝術家累積國際演出經驗，也透過與國際場館、媒體及專業人士的持續交流，拓展未來巡演、策展及跨國合作的更多可能，深化臺灣表演藝術在國際舞台的能見度與影響力。
