“How to achieve collective good among groups?”

Economy is the driving force for urban development, and art and culture are the foundation for shaping the soul of a city. A great city relies on economic prosperity and development, but also requires profound cultural heritage and rich artistic expression. In 2024, the association invited four Asian Art Festival curators to conduct an in-depth discussion on the communication patterns between different groups. From art activities in the streets to large-scale cultural cooperation, how these groups can make the city more prosperous through mutual exchanges and collaborations. Sounds and colors are more vivid.

Japanese Delegate –  甲賀雅章 Masaaki Koga

Producer of C.C.C. Frontier Festival

Founder of C.I. Center Inc. (Social Design Research Institute)

Korean Delegate –  이준상 Lee Jun-Sang

Producer of Circus Day Festival

A member of Korea’s Circus D. Lab, primarily responsible for international affairs.

Skilled in diabolo and ball juggling, he has created five original solo and duo performances and actively participates in international arts festivals and Korean television programs.

Thailand Delegate – กฤษณ์ สงวนปิยะพันธ์ Louis

Producer of Bangkok Street Performer Festival

Advisor at Thailand’s House of Mask & Mime Studio, primarily responsible for curation, marketing, and management.Specialized in mime performance and conducts performance training courses. Currently collaborating with the Bangkok city government to promote street art.

Host – Moyo Lin (Chairman)

Chairman of the Taiwan Street Arts and Culture Development Association

Curator of the Moyo Stage Yo-Yo & Diabolo Juggling Classic and the Yuli Street Arts Festival. Leader of W.H.O Theatre, deeply engaged in the development of yo-yo and street performance for many years, with extensive experience in event organization.

Establishing an Asian Street Arts Network

Moyo Lin :

Taiwan Street Arts and Culture Development Association executes the “Street Act Laboratory” project annually, which includes training street performers, connecting local organizations and businesses, and fostering mutual understanding. Additionally, the association serves as a bridge for communication with various local governments.

After hearing the three international speakers introduce their respective festivals and environments, we are considering: Is there an opportunity for us to establish an “Asian Street Arts Network”?

Masaaki Koga :

We can collaborate on events. While partnerships usually happen within arts festivals, festival curators often change. In the past, I was the curator of the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup, but I no longer hold that role. However, I can still come here and share my experiences with everyone. Next year (2025), we have also invited a board member of your association (Kai-Hsuan) to be a speaker at our international forum. This is all about human connections—as long as the connections between people are strong, any kind of event can become possible.

Louis :

I have prepared a three-page presentation to answer this question.During the first half of the discussion, while sharing about the street arts scene in Thailand, I feel like I might have painted too bleak a picture. In reality, it’s not that bad. By 2025, we will be completing a theater space dedicated to hosting street artists, and I want to invite everyone to come—because this will be my home.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when performing outdoors was not possible, I started performing at home. The current venue looks just like what is shown on the screen—it can accommodate about 30 audience members. This is an area where we, as artists, can collaborate, though other aspects of collaboration remain uncertain.

In the future, there will be a new theater with over 200 seats. I have a business partner who is converting a factory into a theater, and everyone is welcome to come. However, I am unsure whether the government will provide any funding support.

This photo represents our economic system. If you want to perform in Thailand, I guarantee there will be an audience willing to buy tickets. If street performers from Taiwan wish to do ticketed performances in Thailand, the tickets will definitely sell.

In 2025, we plan to invite international artists to perform in a small theater, and everyone is welcome to join. The three projects on the right are government collaboration initiatives. If anyone is interested in participating, I can help with negotiations, but the event duration will not be just one or two days.

In Bangkok, there is only one major event organized with the assistance of Japanese producer Mr. Koga.

My arts festival will be held at the venue shown in the photo below. This event is coordinated with multiple districts in Bangkok and has the greatest potential for collaboration. We can assist our Taiwanese partners in negotiating with the government, and there is sufficient funding to support joint performances. We also have private venues of various sizes. This is what I am currently working on, and I will keep you updated on any future developments.

Lee Jun-Sang:

It’s a great pleasure to be here today with partners from Japan and Thailand. I’d like to take this opportunity to share a personal story about my experiences in these two countries. Surprisingly, my very first street performance took place in Bangkok, Thailand.

Seeing the photos of Bangkok’s street art scene in the Thai curator’s presentation just now reminded me of my own first performance there. The atmosphere, the streets—it’s a scene I can never forget. My experience in Thailand inspired me to improve my craft and pursue street performance more seriously.

In 2015, I attended the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup in Japan as an audience member. The four-day festival brought together over a hundred performance groups, and I felt incredibly lucky to witness it. That year, I planted a dream in my heart: “One day, I want to perform at the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup.”

For me, the ideal performance stage is not just a place with a high footfall of tourists, but a space where the audience comes specifically to see the performance in a well-curated environment. In such an environment, I can not only deliver my best work but also connect with fellow artists.

Eight years later, in 2023, I finally performed at the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup—a dream come true. This year, in 2024, I will perform there again. The moment I got to chat with artists I had admired for years, I knew I had achieved my dream.

If I had confined myself to performing only in Korea, I would never have had the chance for international exchange. My first street performance in Bangkok and my dream of performing in Shizuoka have both been key motivations driving me to refine my work.

Circus D. Lab is a collective of five members, including myself. Every performance we create is a fusion of ideas from all five of us. We believe that rather than relying on a single person’s limited perspective, the combined vision of five individuals allows for a more well-rounded and creative approach.

And today, it’s no longer just about the five of us—we now have partners from four different countries coming together to share ideas. This is truly inspiring. I believe that seeing this forum today might spark a dream in some of you—to one day perform in Korea, Thailand, or Japan.

I have visited Taiwan many times and received so much support. In fact, I learned my diabolo skills in Taiwan, so I consider Taiwan my second home. I’m deeply grateful for the strong relationship we’ve built and for the opportunity to keep growing together. This strong bond between us has become the foundation for future collaborations, enabling us to host international arts festivals in Korea and around the world—together with everyone here today.

Building a Culture Over Time

Moyo Lin :

I started out learning yo-yo and diabolo, and this year (2024) was my first time attending the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup. What really stood out to me was how both locals and visitors who came specifically for the festival were willing to wait an hour before a performance, happily tipping and interacting with the performers. This was quite different from the Japan I had known before—it felt like the audience was much more open and engaged, and that was my biggest takeaway from this trip. So, I asked my Japanese friends, “Are all Japanese people this invested in street performances?” Their answer surprised me: “Not really. It’s because Shizuoka has a unique environment that has fostered this culture over time.”

One story that left a deep impression on me was about a Japanese diabolo performer I met. He told me that a few years ago, the festival invited Alex, a diabolo artist from France. One day, two elementary school students passed by and were chatting, saying:

“Did you see Alex’s performance yesterday? His vertical diabolo trick was amazing!”

Hearing ordinary school children casually talk about diabolo techniques was shocking to me. It was then that I truly understood how, over 20 to 30 years, a city could cultivate a deep appreciation for performance art among its residents. To me, this was the most valuable lesson from my experience in Shizuoka.

My own performance style was initially inspired by Japanese yo-yo performers. However, after joining the association a few years ago, I had the chance to interact with performers from different countries. For example, Jun from Korea has developed a completely unique style over the past five years. And just last month, when I saw a video of the Thai performance group that was invited this year, I literally got goosebumps. It was incredible!

There are so many outstanding performers in this world, and I’m truly grateful for opportunities like today, where we can all sit down, talk, and exchange ideas. I hope we can continue to have more in-depth discussions like this in the future.

Masaaki Koga :

The Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup has been running for 30 years. Even if you organize a festival for three or five years, it’s still difficult to reach this level. It wasn’t until about 10 years in that I started to see real changes in Shizuoka.

Back then, when we invited people to attend, most would keep their heads down and ignore us. But now? If we ask kids if they want to go on stage, they all eagerly raise their hands! They’ve grown up familiar with the world of performance.

History is crucial. It’s only in recent years that street performance has become a natural part of daily life in Japan. 30 years ago, making a living as a street performer in Japan was nearly impossible. The tipping culture we see today took decades to nurture.

Now, we are also seeing more young audience members in Shizuoka. In the first ten years, the festival mainly attracted elderly people and their grandchildren. That was our starting point. But those children have now grown up and become parents themselves, and they are bringing their own kids to the festival.

This is a positive cycle that we have worked hard to establish. It is the result of long-term efforts, and that is why continuing this journey is so important.

Q&A

1. Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government :

To the three producers and artists—compared to other types of performances or arts festivals, what do you think is the biggest difference between street performances and street arts festivals? What makes them special for a city and its people?

Masaaki Koga :

For us, Shizuoka was not originally a place that people wanted to visit. But thanks to the festival, more and more people are now coming here to watch performances. When the festival first started, restaurants were completely packed, and hotels were fully booked. Many visitors could only stay for one night because they couldn’t extend their reservations. From an economic perspective, the festival has been extremely beneficial.

During the festival, outdoor food stalls selling oden pop up, and the conversations among visitors are all about the performances. At that moment, the locals start to feel that this festival truly belongs to them. To me, that sense of belonging is even more important than money or economic benefits.

However, we do face some challenges. Organizing a festival requires funding. If we invite high-quality performers, business owners complain that their stores become overcrowded. But if we invite less impressive performers, people complain that there aren’t enough tourists. It’s a difficult balance to strike.

Louis :

I believe that every festival is a form of art, and our job is to find a place where different artists can gather.

Art has a special ability to bring together people from all professions. I can’t think of anything else that unites people in the same way. For me, street performances have the power to make children laugh. When I hear children’s laughter, I feel incredibly warm inside. And when children laugh, the adults around them start laughing too.

This is something that only a special kind of festival can achieve. But in street art, this kind of magic happens all the time. That’s what makes street performances so fascinating to me.

Lee Jun-Sang :

The biggest advantage of street art is equality—regardless of economic status or age, everyone can enjoy happiness together. If you want to watch a TV show, you need to buy a TV. If you want to watch YouTube, you need a phone or a computer. But street performances? They are free for everyone to enjoy.

For busy modern people, going to a theater show can be a complicated and time-consuming process. One of the greatest strengths of street performances is that they happen as people are going about their daily lives—on their way to and from work, they can stumble upon a performance.These brief moments can change lives.

Before I turned 27, I had never been exposed to circus performances. I never imagined that I could be a juggler or acrobat. And yet, here I am today, living as a circus performer. That change happened because I saw a street performance. I believe many performers here today have had similar experiences—perhaps our performances on the streets can change someone’s life too. I don’t think any other kind of performance has this level of impact. When we see outstanding performances, we are inspired to improve ourselves. And in turn, we create performances that might inspire others to change their lives.

I sincerely hope that government officials here today can offer more support to street performers. That’s all I ask. Thank you.

Masaaki Koga :

Being able to watch a performance on the street is a privilege. As Jun said, no matter your age, financial status, or background, street art is accessible to everyone. There are no barriers—you don’t have to make an effort to seek it out. Art simply comes to you. But in Japan, street performance is seen as a side dish or dessert—not the main course. In France, however, art is considered essential, like bread or a main meal—something that nourishes and enriches life. I believe that creating an environment where people can encounter art effortlessly—without having to deliberately seek it out—is incredibly important.

That said, I also believe performances should be paid for. Theaters have their own role to play, and they are essential. That is the true value of art. Art enriches our lives, but it also has a financial aspect—sponsors and investors care about revenue, ticket sales, and whether a performance is profitable. For example, the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup receives 100 million yen in subsidies. But this funding doesn’t come from the Cultural Affairs Department—it comes from the City Promotion Office. Because of this, we are constantly asked whether the festival brings economic benefits. But the truth is, art cannot be measured in monetary terms. And that is our biggest challenge.

2. Producer of 2024 Taoyuan Busking Festival : When organizing street art events, how can we prevent local cultural characteristics from being diluted by mainstream international culture?

Louis :

We face the same issue in Thailand. In the performance industry, we have both traditional arts and new-era arts, but the problem is that some people believe that if one exists, the other cannot—that it must be one or the other. However, I believe the solution is to first adopt the mindset that both can coexist. Some people want to see traditional culture, some want to see modern transformations, and some want to experience both at the same time. That’s why we need to tell the government “Everything needs funding. Every form of art deserves to exist.”

If you have the freedom to choose what you want to do, you will find your audience. But the only entity without an audience of its own is the government—because its audience is everyone, and it must take care of all people.

For me, balancing tradition, modernity, and their fusion is extremely difficult. Ultimately, the government should support cultural exchange in all its forms. As for your question, you can choose the path that best suits you.

Lee Jun-sang:

This is a difficult question for me because, as both a performer and a festival organizer, I find myself in an awkward position. But I still want to share why we are committed to hosting an international arts festival.

It is challenging to create a festival that retains a strong Korean identity while also embracing international cultural exchange. Why? Because everyone naturally thinks their own culture is the best. But the truth is, there are always better performances and artworks around the world.

That being said, embracing international influences does not mean we have to sacrifice our own cultural identity. By engaging in international exchange, we can learn from each other’s strengths—every country has imperfections, and by sharing experiences, we can improve and refine our artistic expressions. I’m not saying this as a performer—but as a festival producer, I hope we can create artistic performances that audiences desire even more than we do. Through international exchange, we can present audiences with fresh, new perspectives and inspire them to pursue their dreams. That’s just my personal opinion.

Masaaki Koga:

This is a tough question. For example, Jun learned diabolo in Taiwan. But when I watched Jun’s performance, I didn’t think, “This is Taiwanese diabolo.” Instead, I saw it as Jun’s unique style. Why? Because he has learned from so many influences. He actively watches international performances. Additionally, Circus D. Lab, where he is a member, engages in group discussions and collaborative creation with all five of its members. This is a highly innovative process.

In Japan, this kind of collective creation doesn’t really exist. Performers tend to say, “I am the performer”—working independently, rather than collaboratively.

Another unique aspect is the Street Act Lab—its name, concept, and the existence of an association for street artists. In Japan, there is no such association for street performers. To me, this is a brand-new idea.

Just two days ago, the association organized an event where three festival producers critiqued four Taiwanese performers’ works. This kind of discussion is unheard of in Japan—it’s truly incredible. Taiwan has tremendous potential. If the government can provide more support for organizations like this, Taiwan will be able to develop its own unique street art culture—distinct from the rest of the world.

3. Producer of the Taipei Magic Festival : It is important for arts and cultural performances to be promoted beyond their niche communities. With that in mind, may I ask:

🔹 What percentage of your festival budget is allocated to publicity?

🔹 Do you have any promotional strategies or tips?

Louis :

I usually allocate 20 – 30% of the budget, which I believe is the bare minimum. However, I think the most important question is: Who truly understands the essence of the event? Even if someone understands the event, can they keep up with the fast-changing modern landscape?

I believe we need someone who fully grasps the event’s content and can convey it effectively. In this era, numbers are no longer the most important factor—the role of the event organizer is what truly matters. Finding the right person is key. I hope everyone here has the chance to work with the right people.

Lee Jun-sang :

Circus D. Lab is also looking for a curatorial team that can help us with promotions. That’s all from me.

Masaaki Koga :

From a festival perspective, the Shizuoka Daidogei World Cup has already reached a certain level of recognition. I have been the producer for 26 years, continuously building its brand. Over time, it has developed an image as Japan’s most unique, exciting, and performer-rich street festival.

If a festival maintains a strong brand identity, it doesn’t even need aggressive publicity—because people will already know when the festival takes place.

For example, if your Instagram or Facebook has 10,000 followers, then target those 10,000 people with your promotions. With today’s advanced technology, as long as you have SNS (social networking services), you can achieve a lot without spending any money.

2024 Asia Street Forum – The Sound and Colors of the City

Organizers｜Taiwan Street Arts and Culture Development Association

Co-organizers｜Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government, Huashan 1914 Creative Park

Host｜Moyo Lin 林興昱

Panelists｜Japan – Masaaki Koga 甲賀雅章 / Korea – Lee Jun-Sang 이준상 / Thailand – กฤษณ์ สงวนปิยะพันธ์ Louis

Chief Planner｜Hsu Kai-Hsuan 徐開炫

Visual Design｜Moyo Lin 林興昱

Photographers｜Chang Chen-Lin, Koukos Yang

Interpreters｜Japanese – Sasa / Korean – Saleisha / Thai – Ting Lu

Transcription｜Hsu Kai-Hsuan 徐開炫

Writer｜Hsu Kai-Hsuan 徐開炫