88 Art Therapy Center

Get to know Tainan, starting with the 88 Art Therapy Center. The predecessor of the 88 Art Therapy Center was "Ren-An Hospital," established in 1950. It is located at No. 88, Puji Street, Wutiaogang Li, West Central District, Tainan City. This land is a microcosm of Taiwan's history and a core starting point for Tainan's cultural heritage. Tainan is Taiwan's oldest city, and Wutiaogang is the earliest developed area in Tainan, boasting a rich history and cultural heritage. Dr. Tsai Lai-chang served as the first superintendent of Ren-An Hospital. As no descendants took over, the clinic gradually declined, and the site fell into disuse. In 2012, Mr. Chiang Wen-cheng, who was then the Executive Director of the Puji Cultural and Historical Association and a senior designer in Tainan, had a dream. He hoped to contribute to Taiwan's culture and dedicate his life to the cultural preservation of Tainan. He always believed that for culture to develop sustainably in the long term, there must be a base for Tainan's cultural heritage. When he heard that the Ren-An Hospital building was abandoned, he decided to revitalize the site and establish it as a base for Tainan's local cultural heritage. Finally, in 2024, he raised sufficient funds and, with his own money, purchased the old site, naming it the 88 Art Therapy Center. This site now serves as a base for organizations that have long led Tainan's cultural development, including the Puji Cultural and Historical Association (organizer of the Puji Lantern Festival), the Da Di Art and Culture Association (home to internationally renowned children's choirs), Rong He Studio, and Jiao Rao Integrated Marketing Studio (a long-established design studio in Tainan), all led by Mr. Chiang Wen-cheng. **Cultural Features and Stories** Among the most renowned activities hosted by the 88 Art Therapy Center is the "Puji Lantern Festival," a major annual event in the Tainan area. The Puji Lantern Festival has been held for 13 years to date. It is not merely a lantern festival but a community practice initiated by local residents, bringing temple courtyard culture back into everyday life. The festival's display is part of living memory, symbolizing the collective memory of public participation, allowing more people to see the stories and value of this land. The Puji Lantern Festival was also voted one of Taiwan's top ten lantern festivals by the media. It has expanded to include many dynamic and static activities, such as the Taiwan-Japan Exchange Sendai Art Lantern Exhibition, the 88 Art Therapy Center Old House Restoration Documentation Exhibition, Light and Shadow Healing Photography Exhibition, Seasonal Festival - Puppet Show Performances, Tainan's Centennial Commercial Music - Zhengsheng She Nanguan Music Concert, Painted Lantern DIY workshops, Spring Festival Creative Product Market, and a series of lectures, all of which are concrete cultural achievements of the 88 Art Therapy Center. **Transformation and Practice of Art Therapy** The core philosophy of the 88 Art Therapy Center is to integrate art and culture into daily life, achieving the goal of "public participatory art for living." Therefore, we invite domestic and international artists to reside at the center, transforming old houses into cultural and art exhibition venues. At the same time, art courses suitable for all age groups are established, and numerous exhibitions and performances are arranged, allowing residents to reconnect emotionally with the local community through participation. **Vision for Cultural Reenactment** The 88 Art Therapy Center serves as a cultural space that carries the memories of life, building upon the past and pioneering the future. It is dedicated to bringing temple courtyard culture back into daily life, accompanying community residents with diverse art healing methods, and re-establishing a deep connection with the land. The 88 Art Therapy Center will continue to nurture this land, becoming a sustainable force for local culture and art. "Every day is a cultural day, and everyone is a cultural person."