History

 

The Contemporary Art Foundation (CAF) was established in 2001 with TSMC Education and Culture Foundation, Quanta Culture Education Foundation, Acer Corp, Min Sheng Pao and Microsoft Taiwan Corporation as original donors. The Foundation’s mission was promoting the development and appreciation of contemporary art.

 

When it was first established, the main work of the CAF was the commissioning by  Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs to manage the city-owned “Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei” (MOCA Taipei) which was transformed from a heritage site. This provided contemporary artists both from home and overseas with a unique museum space to show their work.

 

Today, MOCA Taipei is a well run museum and CAF’s contract to operate the museum ended on December 31, 2007. MOCA Taipei is currently managed by the Taipei Culture Foundation.

 

Current Mission: The Cultivation of Managerial Talents in the Visual Arts

 

The CAF adopted its current mission in July, 2008, being the promotion of visual arts industry by nurturing professional management personnel for Taiwan. With this core objective, the Foundation provides various sponsorship programs for the training of professional visual arts managers. It is hoped that these programs will assist managers in the visual arts by providing a diverse range of on-job training, helping to improve technical knowledge and a breadth of vision beyond their primary area of expertise.

 

Experience and Knowledge Sharing

 

To encourage talented individuals to make long term contribution to the visual arts, CAF also established a “Visual Arts Management Family Network”. This revolves around art and culture administrators who have already participated in CAF-sponsored training programs, utilizing gatherings, learning activities and online exchanges to brainstorm new ideas and foster morale amongst a group of individuals who are passionate about their work. This is also an excellent platform to foster exchange, maintain contacts with colleagues in the same industry and to share practical experiences in the field.