Former military site reopens with Skyward Festival

舊軍事基地以「Skyward Festival（仰望天際音樂節）」重新開放

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The former Air Force headquarters, a prime central Taipei site with a complex history dating to the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945), unveiled its transformation into a national cultural base on Wednesday with the launch of Skyward Festival.

Officials including Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), Minister of Culture Lee Yuan (李遠), and Chief Curator Lin Kun-ying (林昆穎), gathered at the venue — now known as C-Lab — to launch the multi-month cultural initiative.

Once a Japanese industrial research center and later a heavily guarded military headquarters, the site sat mostly quiet after the Ministry of Culture took over in 2018 due to strict historic preservation rules.

“In the past, C-Lab felt both mysterious and underutilized,” Cho said. "Today, creative curation has breathed extraordinary new life into this space."

Cho praised the festival’s core concept of a cultural airport. He joked that he forgot his passport, suggesting Taiwan should issue "cultural passports" to help local and international visitors explore the country’s heritage.

Emphasizing interagency support, Cho pledged full government backing for cultural initiatives. Li showcased what he called the "magic" of cultural governance — a subtle nod to recent political friction over deep budget cuts pushed by opposition lawmakers.

"With a modest budget, the Ministry of Culture can conjure abundant content," Li said. "Entrusting this vast land allows us to create a brilliant feast."

Li said that recent programming, including Creative Expo Taiwan and a World War II 80th-anniversary exhibition, has revitalized the once-secluded compound. Daily visitors now average over 3,000 on weekdays and exceed 8,000 on weekends.

Highlighting the curatorial theme of "stitching," Li said art connects disparate spaces, heals historical wounds, and binds people to the land. "The duty of culture is to unite all of Taiwan," he said.

Lin outlined the blueprint for Skyward Festival, themed "Meeting in Flight." The initiative establishes three main tracks: cross-disciplinary arts, cultural trends, and global presentations.

Upcoming highlights include a preview of Taiwan's showcase for the Osaka Expo, Taipei Fashion Week, and the future relocation of the National Culture and Arts Foundation to the site.

"We hope national resources can build us an even larger spaceship," Lin said, "inviting everyone to fold a paper airplane of their own and soar on the wings of culture."

The festival runs through Nov. 15, featuring specialty markets at the compound’s Future Plaza for six consecutive weekends.