Cultural Bureau Orders Removal of Election Stickers at Theater Venue

The Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs recently expressed concern regarding a public space display controversy at the Shui-yuan Theatre. The incident stems from the ongoing theater series titled "Noise Storm" currently being staged at the venue by the renowned performing arts troupe Our Theatre. On the audience feedback and opinion exchange bulletin board inside the theater, stickers promoting a specific political election intent, labeled "Ocean Current," were discovered. This incident not only touches upon the sensitive nerve of administrative neutrality in public arts and cultural venues, but has also once again sparked widespread public discussion regarding the boundaries between freedom of speech and public resources within performing arts spaces.

As an important medium-sized black box theater venue in Taipei City, Shui-yuan Theatre has long been under the jurisdiction of the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs and operated through outsourcing, providing a professional platform for domestic and international performing arts troupes to showcase their creativity. The residency of Our Theatre at Shui-yuan Theatre for the "Noise Storm" series aims to stimulate audience contemplation and reflection on contemporary social phenomena through avant-garde theatrical aesthetics and experimental performances. However, the bulletin board established by the theater to foster audience interaction—originally intended for viewers to leave genuine feedback on performance content, post-show reviews, or dialogues with creators—unexpectedly became a vehicle for expressing differing stances through the posting of stickers carrying electoral implications.

According to current relevant laws and management regulations for public venues in Taiwan, public arts and educational facilities strictly prohibit any form of political campaigning or partisan propaganda based on the principle of administrative neutrality. This is to maintain the neutrality of public spaces and prevent specific political positions or candidates from utilizing public resources for promotion. Upon learning of the election stickers on the bulletin board at Shui-yuan Theatre, the Department of Cultural Affairs immediately dispatched personnel to investigate, expressed its concerns to the troupe, and, from the standpoint of venue management, suggested that the stickers be removed. This administrative action, balancing venue regulations and public interest, aims to ensure that public arts and cultural spaces are not disrupted by specific political symbols and to preserve the purity of the art appreciation environment.

Faced with the concern and suggestions from the Department of Cultural Affairs, Our Theatre Artistic Director Wang Chao-chien demonstrated a high degree of communication sincerity and a mature artistic attitude. Wang publicly stated that the troupe fully understands the considerations and recommendations made by the Department of Cultural Affairs based on venue management and administrative neutrality. At the same time, he emphasized that the troupe consistently respects the personal political stances and freedom of expression of every audience member. In the process of performing arts creation, Our Theatre has always encouraged the collision and dialogue of diverse voices; the original intent of the "Noise Storm" series was precisely to break frameworks and accommodate various noises and cacophony. Nevertheless, the troupe stated that it respects and will cooperate with the management regulations of the theater's public space, demonstrating good communication and tacit understanding between the arts troupe and the government regulatory authority.

Although this incident was merely a minor episode sparked by a sticker, it deeply reflects the delicate balance currently faced by Taiwan's performing arts sector when confronting issues of publicness, freedom of speech, and venue administrative regulations. With social pluralization and division, theaters are no longer merely places for the one-way appreciation of performances, but have become public spheres where social currents converge. How to navigate the administrative boundaries of public venues within theatrical spaces that have always championed creative freedom and open dialogue tests the wisdom of government regulators and the adaptability of arts troupes.

Looking toward the long term, the proper handling of this matter by Our Theatre and the Taipei City Department of Cultural Affairs has established a precedent for rational communication in the management of public arts and cultural venues in the future. Art requires soil, and public theaters are an important driving force in providing that soil. Seeking the greatest common denominator between creative freedom and administrative regulations so that art can continue to dialogue with society without interference is the shared direction for all cultural workers and management units.