History

The Taiwanese Canadian Association of Toronto (TCAT) was looking at ways to engage the community and introduce Taiwanese culture to Canadians. Working alongside Harbourfront Centre and the Asian-Canadian Special Events Association (ACSEA), The Taiwanese Cultural Festival was brought to the shores of Lake Ontario utilizing the multi-purpose facilities at the Harbourfront Centre to present visual … Read more

TCAT built on the success of last year’s debut and co-produced the 2006 edition of the Taiwanese Cultural Festival under the theme “Ho-Hai-Yan Taiwan” with Harbourfront Centre. Local and international artists were brought together to celebrate culture and arts, engaging with over 45,000 people over the weekend.

In 2007, the Taiwanese Cultural Festival was rebranded as TAIWANfest. TCAT worked alongside ACSEA in bringing the premier Rock band in Taiwan, Mayday, to make their Canadian debut at the festival. The live concert helped reach new audiences and helped elevate other festival programs such as the “Noodles of the World” concept that included various … Read more

Inspired by the multi-cultural aspects of Canada, the programming of 2008 TELUS TaiwanFest: World in an Island explored Taiwan’s ever-evolving identity through its many influences in history, such as the Dutch, Japanese, Canadian and Aboriginal, and how these influences have contributed to the development of the island. The festival showcased multifaceted and vibrant culture with … Read more

“A New Journey” was the theme for 2009 TELUS TAIWANfest. In its 5th year co-produced with the Harbourfront Centre, TCAT worked closely with ACSEA to  work on a new vision that expanded the artistic mandate, engaged diverse communities and committed to the environment for the festival’s present and the future. As one of the largest … Read more

In 2010, the world had their eyes on Canada; when TAIWANfest was called to take over the Winter Cultural Olympiad, Taiwanese-Canadians were ecstatic. This is not a battle for the dignity of the city, province or nationality, but the opportunity to “speak to the world” has truly touched us; embracing the “great dream” will never … Read more

As an immigrant nation, Canada prides itself on values of diversity and benefits from our country’s cultural harmony. Taiwan, an island nation, has its share of stereotypes due to the complexity of its history. A hot spot of energy and connectivity, the influxes of various cultures have not only impacted the formation of the new … Read more

Continuing the direction of changing the stereotypes of society, TAIWANfest is prepared to start a new dialogue on Canada’s multifaceted lifestyles between the new immigrants and Canadians who have been here for generations. Lifestyles encompass the arts in taste, sounds and sights, the ways we live, move and communicate, and the beliefs in spiritualities, physicality … Read more

Culture is the acronym for the lifestyles in a civilization; it is beyond just stories of the past and the customs of the ancestors. The wisdom found beneath a culture truly embodies the foundation of the future and constantly steers the formation of a new culture. While earth’s global ocean is the largest confirmed surface … Read more

TAIWANfest celebrates its 10th Anniversary! TCAT in collaboration with Harbourfront Centre and ACSEA welcome back this summer staple. This year, the festival used the flower Myosotis, a non-Taiwan native plant, to show the foreign influences on the island and to set the stage for a vibrant, colourful and ever-evolving culture today. Like Myosotis, Taiwan may … Read more