Issuing Unit: Department of Cultural and Tourism
To continuously promote the inheritance and innovative development of Taiwan’s glove puppetry culture, the Yunlin County Government held the award ceremony for the “Taiwan Glove Puppetry Heritage Center Flagship Project – Script Creation Selection” and the press conference for the “Flagship Program Production Team Selection” this morning (14th) at the colonnade in front of the Department of Cultural and Tourism Affairs. The event publicly honored the outstanding scripts selected this year and simultaneously announced the launch of subsequent key projects, including the “Flagship Program Production Team Selection” and “Classic Play Touring Promotion,” further strengthening Yunlin’s cultural energy as the stronghold of Taiwan’s glove puppetry.
Today’s event was attended by County Magistrate Chang Li-shan, Deputy Magistrate Chen Bi-jun, Acting Director of the Department of Cultural and Tourism Affairs Chen Shih-hsun, script selection judge Chen Cheng-hsiung, host of the Yunlin Talent Creative Design and Aesthetic Cultivation Program Tsai Wang-chin, Assistant Professor Chen Fang-ju from the Department of Visual Communication Design at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Associate Professor Pai Nai-yuan from the Department of Digital Media Design, Li Jing-yeh, head of Zhen Yunlin Ge Glove Puppetry Troupe, Lin Cheng-hsing, head of Sheng Ping Wu Zhou Yuan, and many senior glove puppetry experts and enthusiasts.
The first phase of the “Script Creation Selection” program received an enthusiastic response since its announcement, with a total of 61 submissions covering diverse themes such as traditional adaptations, contemporary issues, fantasy narratives, and cross-disciplinary expressions, showcasing the abundant creative energy of Taiwan’s glove puppetry. After careful evaluation by professional judges, five works were selected:
First Prize: Chou Neng-chang, Cloud Dragon and Wind Tiger Turn the World Upside Down
Second Prize: Chen Hsiao-yu, Born of the Vast Sky
Third Prize: Chung Ning & Chen Ying-hsi, Flying Fish Warrior
Honorable Mentions: Tsai Kun-fu, (Smoke-Free, Drug-Free, Happy Life) Xiao Ming’s Most Valuable Father’s Day Gift for Dad; Liao Chih-chien, The Hands that Perform.
These works will serve as the creative foundation for subsequent flagship productions. County Magistrate Chang presented certificates and awards to recognize the creators’ professional dedication and artistic achievements.
The county government also announced the “Classic Play Touring Promotion” program. After evaluation, three troupes were selected:
Zhen Yunlin Ge Glove Puppetry Troupe, Heroes of Taiwan: Yan Si-chi
Zhen Wu Zhou Glove Puppetry Troupe, Legend of the Six Harmonious Heroes
Sheng Ping Wu Zhou Yuan, Mu Gui-ying and the Dragon-Slaying Wood.
Certificates were awarded by County Magistrate Chang. Future tours will bring these representative classic works to different cities and venues, expanding audience reach and fostering generational exchange and cultural heritage in traditional opera.
County Magistrate Chang Li-shan stated that the “Taiwan Glove Puppetry Heritage Center Flagship Project” systematically promotes the creation, production, and dissemination of glove puppetry. Starting from script creation, it connects professional performance troupes, gradually completing stage productions and presenting them to audiences. Through a comprehensive creative support mechanism, the project aims to cultivate glove puppetry works with contemporary expressiveness and cultural depth, ensuring the continued development of traditional art in modern times.
Deputy Magistrate Chen Bi-jun announced the official launch of the “Flagship Program Production Team Selection,” which will use the selected scripts as the creative foundation and openly recruit glove puppetry troupes with professional production capabilities. Through stages such as creative mentoring, trial performances, and official presentations, the annual flagship production will be completed. Each troupe may receive up to NT$2 million in subsidies, with a total subsidy cap of NT$6 million, as determined by the review committee. The county government hopes this mechanism will foster collaboration between creators and performance teams, enhancing overall production quality and stage presentation.
Acting Director Chen Shih-hsun stated that today’s press conference also promoted the “Yunlin Talent Creative Design and Aesthetic Cultivation Program.” In addition to flagship productions of traditional arts, the county government continues to focus on talent development, strengthening young people’s creative energy and local aesthetic literacy. The program is based on the core concept of “Creative Design × Aesthetic Literacy × Local Culture,” offering systematic courses and practice-oriented training to cultivate design thinking, aesthetic ability, and cross-disciplinary integration skills, thereby enhancing local innovation potential. The learning structure follows a progressive path: “Visual Awareness → Design Practice → Application of Results,” with four major thematic courses:
Creative Ideation and Design Thinking
Spatial Creativity and Design Communication
Brand Style and Packaging Aesthetics
Image Creation and Marketing Output
The program will be officially announced on January 30 on the Department’s website, along with enrollment information.
Chen emphasized that through the “Taiwan Glove Puppetry Heritage Center Flagship Project,” the county government will continue to systematically support glove puppetry development in creation, production, and promotion, deepening scriptwriting and performance capabilities while steadily advancing the continuity and innovation of traditional arts. At the same time, the “Yunlin Talent Creative Design and Aesthetic Cultivation Program” will strengthen creative development and aesthetic literacy, cultivating talents with design thinking and practical skills to provide long-term momentum for local culture and creativity.
Flagship Program Production Team Selection Information:
Submission Period: From now until February 13, 2026 (Friday) at 17:30
Subsidy Amount: Up to NT$2 million per team, subject to committee approval
Details and Registration: Please visit the Yunlin County Government Department of Cultural and Tourism Affairs website: https://reurl.cc/6bxgxb
Yunlin Talent Creative Design and Aesthetic Cultivation Program:
Announcement and enrollment details will be published on January 30 on the Department’s website
Target participants include local youth, university students, young entrepreneurs, returning youth, community workers, cultural workers, and public sector employees. No design background is required; all passionate individuals are welcome to apply.
The program consists of four thematic modules combining lectures, hands-on workshops, and field visits, each guided by professional instructors and connected to local youth workshops and real-life settings to strengthen cross-disciplinary learning and local practice.
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