Xingbinshan Co-creation Studio - Perpetual Day Seaside Art Museum

[Keelung Zhengbin Fishing Port is a Century-Old Harbor] • An international maritime historical stronghold for nearly 400 years • The first major modernized fishing port during the Japanese colonial period • Zhengbin Colorful Houses have become an iconic landmark for Keelung tourism • Xingbinshan revitalizes the century-old harbor through art co-creation. Zhengbin Fishing Port was built in the 1930s as part of Japan's port construction plan, becoming Taiwan's first modern fishing port at the time. It marked a glorious chapter in Northern Taiwan's fishing history in the 1970s. Its advantageous geographical location and the implementation of the Japanese port construction plan, coupled with abundant marine resources, broadened the Taiwanese people's vision for maritime culture, gradually establishing a complete industrial chain around Zhengbin and Heping Island. During the Japanese colonial period, the prosperous Zhengbin Fishing Port featured an auction market by the pier, where fresh catches and seafood were traded on the shore. By the 1980s, Zhengbin Fishing Port was gradually replaced by the government's planned construction of Badouzi Fishing Port. Coupled with major environmental changes, fishing restrictions, and dwindling catches, Zhengbin Fishing Port declined, leading to the closure of its surrounding related industries. As Taiwan's oldest port and the only one with historical international connections, its development began in 1626 when Spain established a trading post here. Later, during the Japanese colonial period, it became Northern Taiwan's first modern fishing port. However, with the decline of the fishing industry, it began to fade from 1990 onwards. The port, once capable of accommodating thousands of long-range fishing vessels (commonly known as 'iron-hulled ships'), now has fewer than 10. In 2017, the Xingbinshan team encountered Zhengbin Fishing Port and observed cultural loss, an aging population, industrial decline, and idle spaces. They sought to preserve and promote the fading cultural landscape through art and design thinking. To date, they have established the Xingbin Seaport School, Spacemoor Residency Space, and a select shop. They organize local tours, art co-creation projects, cultural experience education, and publish local periodicals. They connect with local partners and businesses to promote the 'Perpetual Day Seaside Art Museum,' an annual street exhibition series, hoping to continuously bring diverse imagination to the area, encourage youth participation, and foster an innovative atmosphere for open discussion and practice. In recent years, the area around Zhengbin Fishing Port has undergone a significant transformation. Both sides of the nostalgic pier and along Zhengbin Road have developed into a hub for young entrepreneurs returning to their hometowns. New businesses such as dessert shops, cafes, and creative dining establishments are continuously emerging, showcasing new possibilities for local revitalization. Xingbinshan hopes to continue playing a key role in transforming this century-old harbor into a diversified venue for leisure tourism, youth entrepreneurship, and cultural promotion.