Local Challenges

Director Kuozi said honestly, "The hardest part of running a theatre troupe is that we don't have a strong audience base yet." In Taiwan, if people want to make a living from performing, many choose film and TV first because the income is usually more stable. Modern theatre jobs and performance opportunities are also mostly found in big cities and major cultural centers. Even there, the career path is still limited—so it is even harder for small local troupes in areas far from the cultural spotlight.

She also pointed to a deeper, structural reason: drama education entered schools quite late. In the past, most elementary and middle schools did not offer drama-related learning, and only in recent years have performing arts classes been gradually added. Compared with music and visual arts—which developed clearer pathways from learning to creating or performing, and then to teaching careers—drama has long lacked the same kind of education and talent-training system. As a result, it has been difficult to build a strong audience base over time.

Therefore, for local theatre troupes to survive until today, government funding is still a key support. Director Kuozi believes cultural funding should not be limited to one-time events. Instead, it should focus on building a strong local arts culture, with long-term plans that last 10 or even 20 years, so that communities do not become "cultural deserts."

Director Kuozi recalled that about 20 years ago, anyone who wanted to work in theatre often had to move north to a big city and struggle for years—sometimes even renting a place for a long time before they could find real opportunities. But if there is a theatre troupe in one's hometown, local people can join in and have access to theatre nearby. Those who love performing would not need to leave home just to find a stage. She said with deep concern that without local troupes doing long-term work, cultural resources are even less likely to reach these communities. And if that happens, she worries the place may never truly "bloom" culturally.