Mapping the Multidimensional Approach to International Cultural Exchange —— A Preliminary Research

SEA plateaus launched a research project on international exchange strategies of Taiwan in 2022, to take stock of the distribution of resources for regional cultural exchange work in Taiwan and to pave way for the formulation of the international exchange mechanism of the Cultural Taiwan Foundation. 

The project aims to identify the methods and perspectives of international exchanges in different regions, countries, and artistic genres. It was developed through literature research  and data analysis, case studies of international organizations, and interviews with domestic professinals. 

In the early stages of the project, different intermediary organizations, experts, and scholars from Taiwan were successively invited to share their experiences in international cultural exchange and their observations on the distribution of cultural exchange policies and resources in Taiwan. After consolidating the preliminary data, the project took off in three major directions: 1. Data analysis 2. Case discussion of international organizations, and 3. In-depth interview and panel discussion. Analyzed data was collected from the Ministry of Culture’s international exchange grant programs and the National Culture and Arts Foundation’s (NCAF) regular and project grants related to international exchanges. Interpretation and analysis of data inventory were conducted for understanding the collaborating countries, grant recipients, and grant amounts to understand the current distribution of domestic resources. The case studies of international organizations of Japan, Singapore, Thailand, and Australia were applied to provide insights into the cultural and diplomatic policies of the region. Four experts experienced in international exchange were invited to share and discuss their approaches to cultural exchanges with countries in the Southeast Asian region. The project is a comprehensive overview of the existing diversity of international exchange methods, and a complex mapping of the possible exchange methods of Taiwan with Southeast Asian countries.