台北藝穗節 / Taipei Fringe Festival

台北藝穗節是一年一度富有創意與活力的藝術盛會，聽說，藝穗節的魅力在於它的多樣性。從街頭即興劇、現代舞表演，到小型音樂會、手作市集等形式呈現，在一個悶熱的夏天午後，一陣清亮、悅耳的女聲不時傳來，她說著：「歡迎大家來到台北藝穗節，這是一個屬於台北人的藝術舞台，在這裡，你會看見不同的創意、不同的故事，等待你去發掘。」，但是，一開始我找不到聲音來源，找了半天之後，我才發現，原來是藝穗節的前導活動，

一位長相清秀的女生，可能是主持人吧，介紹著不同的演出與活動，她帶著笑意介紹參展的藝術表演者，像是一場不經意的即興表演，我猜想，她是否是一位表演者呢？而周邊有些年輕人在發傳單，在好奇心趨動下，我打聽一下，他們到底在幹甚麼，原來，發傳單的年輕人是藝術表演系所的學生，趁著週末，人潮較多的時間，推廣台北藝穗節，並宣傳他們的免費舞台表演活動，時間地點在下週的它處。

現場還有些藝穗節相關的裝置藝術作品，許多小朋友在裡面東奔西跑，笑聲此起彼落，家長們則站在外面不斷按下快門，生怕錯過任何一個精彩的表情，看著這些畫面，我不禁覺得，藝術在這一刻，不只是「展覽」或「作品」，而是成為家庭之間交流與回憶的橋樑。

發傳單的年輕人提到，台北藝穗節已經進入第十七屆啦，這活動超棒的，是給新生代藝術家和團隊一個超讚的展示和成長舞台，展出的作品超有創意，充滿實驗精神，敢挑戰傳統藝術的框架，說真的，我以前根本沒怎麼注意到台北藝穗節這回事，但聽他這麼一講，感覺真的是個很酷、應該去體驗一下。

看來，最近在台北街頭，有可能會看到年輕表演者的演出，而隨處可見小型表演與創意裝置，打破了傳統表演需在劇場內的規範，讓藝術真正走進生活，融入城市的每一個角落。

The Taipei Fringe Festival is an annual celebration of creativity and energy, and I’ve always heard that its charm lies in its diversity. From street improv theater and contemporary dance, to intimate concerts and handmade craft markets, the festival has a little bit of everything.

One hot summer afternoon, I suddenly heard a bright, melodic female voice ringing through the air: “Welcome to the Taipei Fringe Festival. This is a stage for the people of Taipei. Here, you’ll find all kinds of creativity and stories waiting to be discovered”. At first, I couldn’t figure out where the voice was coming from. After wandering around for a while, I finally realized it was part of a Fringe Festival preview event.

There was a graceful young woman, probably the host, smiling as she introduced different performances and activities. The way she spoke, full of energy and warmth, almost felt like an impromptu performance itself. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was also an artist. Nearby, some students were handing out flyers. Out of curiosity, I asked what they were promoting. It turned out they were from an arts academy, using the weekend crowds to spread the word about the Fringe Festival and invite people to their free performances happening at another venue next week.

The event space also featured several Fringe, related art installations. Kids were running in and out, their laughter echoing everywhere, while parents eagerly snapped photos, trying not to miss a single joyful expression. Watching those moments, I thought: art here isn’t just about “exhibits” or “works”—it’s about creating shared memories and connections between families.

One of the students told me this year marks the 17th edition of the Taipei Fringe Festival. He described it with such excitement, calling it an amazing stage for emerging artists and groups to showcase their talent and grow. The works, he said, are often bold, experimental, and unafraid to challenge traditional boundaries of art. Honestly, I’d barely paid attention to the Fringe Festival before, but hearing him talk about it, I felt like it’s something really cool. Something I should definitely check out.

It seems that in the coming weeks, Taipei’s streets will be filled with young performers and creative installations popping up everywhere. And that’s what makes it so special: breaking the idea that performances only belong in theaters, and instead letting art spill out into daily life, becoming part of the city’s rhythm and every corner of its streets.

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