Taichung’s vibrant performing arts shines this year, with five local groups selected as Taiwan Top Performing Arts Groups by the National Culture and Arts Foundation. These five groups are: Taichung Chamber Choir (music category), Eye Catching Circus (dance category), Chio-Tian Folk Drums & Art Troupe and Shiu-Kim Taiwanese Opera Troupe (traditional Chinese opera category), and, for the first time, Haox Hsiao Troupe (theatre category). With their exceptional artistry and operational excellence, they stood out among 131 candidates nationwide, setting a new record for the highest number of Taichung teams selected in a single year.

According to Director of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Chen Jia-Jun, Taichung supports over 750 performing arts groups through diverse programs like funding, guidance, and promotional efforts. The bureau also helps local artists secure performance opportunities at arts and cultural venues, bringing the arts into everyday life. Additionally, they prioritize these groups for performance invitations—ensuring stable operations and continued growth. This year’s five Taiwan Top teams each reflect a different facet of Taichung’s vibrant arts landscape. Looking ahead, they’ll represent the city on national stages and at international art festivals, showing Taichung’s performing arts to audiences around the world.

According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Taichung Chamber Choir has been selected as a Taiwan Top Performing Arts Group for the third time. Composed of professional vocalists, the choir has achieved outstanding results in domestic and international competitions and is also a recipient of the third Taichung Performing Arts Golden Award.

Contemporary circus group Eye Catching Circus earns Taiwan Top Performing Arts Group honors again this year, following their momentum from last year’s performances at various international arts festivals across Europe and Oceania, as well as at the Taiwan Pavilion at the Paris Cultural Olympiad. Their acclaimed “Female Circus” series—featuring #Since1994 and Keep in touch!—was recently showcased at the Adelaide Fringe in Australia.

Renowned locally and internationally, Chio-Tian Folk Drums & Art Troupe is celebrated for turning traditional Taiwanese parade formations into unique stage performances. With a focus on preserving and reinterpreting Taiwan’s local culture, the troupe fuses the aesthetics of Zhen Tou (parade formations) with theatrical elements. The sound of drums serves as an emotional language that transcends time and space.

For 25 years, Shiu-Kim Taiwanese Opera Troupe has been selected for the National Supported Group Program (now Taiwan Top Performing Arts Group), with a direction towards refined performances, focusing on showcasing the orderliness of their actors’ performances and the beauty of their singing and recitation. This year, they joined the Taichung 2025 Traditional Arts Tour Project, performing The Legend of Xuandi at Taichung Jiankang Park on March 29, where they received a resounding applause from the audience.

Haox Hsiao Troupe, newly recognized as a Taiwan Top Performing Arts Group, was established in 2011 by Huang Jian-Hao and Xiao Dong-Yi. With the principles of “telling funny stories and presenting playful performances,” “setting no limits on subject matter,” and “not confining creativity to theater as the only creative domain,” the troupe perform with an unpredictable style and a touch of improvisational humor in their comedy performances, attracting many loyal fans.

According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Haox Hsiao Troupe had a successful collaboration with the National Taichung Theater last year, presenting the Taiwanese rap musical Tales of Success: the Return of a Prodigal Son. The show sold out quickly and received an enthusiastic response from the audience. This year, the troupe will take their performance to Taipei, sparking even more excitement. Additionally, troupe leader Huang Jian-Hao is now a resident artist of the National Taichung Theater, providing services like organizing events for high school and university students interested in artistic creation. For more information, please visit the Taichung City Government’s Cultural Affairs Bureau website (http://www.culture.taichung.gov.tw).