ART TAIPEI 2022 Embraces Digital Shift and Sustainability Amid Pandemic Recovery

ART TAIPEI, one of Asia's oldest contemporary art fairs, opens on 21 October 2022, with director Oliver Chang discussing its evolution. The fair, organized by the Taiwan Art Gallery Association, marks its 30th anniversary, serving as a bridge between Taiwanese art and the international community. Pandemic impacts reduced overseas exhibitors from 50% pre-2020 to 38 galleries this year, due to strict quarantine policies affecting sales and exposure. In response, ART TAIPEI partnered with Artsy in 2020 for online rooms and boosted digital platforms like Facebook and Instagram, including live-streams and a five-day live podcast in Chinese and English. Sustainability efforts include reusing booth materials, digitizing tickets and VIP cards, and launching ART SOLO, a fair dedicated to solo exhibitions with standard 36 sqm booths to minimize waste. A new Taiwan Art Alliance, formed by non-profits including the Taiwan Art Gallery Association, aims to promote industry-wide change. Social fairness initiatives keep tickets affordable, with discounts for students and disabled attendees, and collaborations with the Ministry of Education for remote student visits. Chang notes Asia's growing art market, highlighted by Frieze's entry in Seoul, and ART TAIPEI's ambition to become a must-see fair behind Frieze and KIAF, embracing young collectors and gallerists. The fair runs from 21-24 October 2022, emphasizing local-international balance and educational projects.