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Announcing the Eternal Summer Arts Festival

Commissioner Liao and performing artists at the press conference
The city government’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DOCA) held a press conference for the 2006Eternal Summer Arts Festival at the Taipei Film House on June 14. This year, the government is combining four separate events – the Taipei Children’s Arts Festival, the 2006 Formoz Festival, the Taipei Film Festival, and the International Jazz Festival – into one long, summer event for all. The 2006 Formoz Festival, a gathering of bands and artists from both Taiwan and abroad will be a three days of concerts at the Taipei Children’s Recreation Center, from July 28 to July 30. The performances will feature artists such as Super Furry Animals from the UK and Aikawa Nanase from Japan. The Taipei Film Festival will run from June 24 until July 9. The films will be shown at four different venues around the city. The Taipei Children’s Arts Festival will take place between July 15 and August 12 at the Daan Forest Park. The International Jazz Festival will also occur at the Daan Forest Park between July 23 and August 4. The conference kicked off with a short skit, followed by a one-man show featuring Commissioner Liao Hsien-hao singing two songs: an English song (“Alabama Rain”) followed by a Chinese song (“Eternal Summer”). During the press conference, Commissioner Liao of DOCA noted that there are several reasons for consolidating the separate events into one major festival. One of the reasons is that in the past, DOCA has invested a lot of effort in organizing various cultural events throughout the summer seasons, residents tend to see these activities as random occurrences rather than events organized for a bigger purpose. Another reason for combining the events into the theme of “Eternal Summer Arts Festival” is to show the infinite possibilities for the summer season. Commissioner Liao remarked that summer is can be long, which may be very boring or the peak of one’s year. He hopes that the “eternal summer season” will make the upcoming long lazy days exciting for residents and students spending their summer in the city.