VSO School of Music
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
About the Program
Located at the southernmost tip of Taiwan, the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) is a popular tourist destination renowned for its azure waters, pristine beaches, and tropical resort atmosphere. It is also home to the best-preserved ancient town of Taiwan, the birthplace of Hengchun traditional folk songs, and the traditional musical instrument, the moon lute. Musicians from Vancouver are invited to stay on the Hengchun for a month. Free accommodation and workspace are provided, allowing participants to deeply experience the local culture, learn traditional music, and collaborate with many other musicians. Daily life here mirrors that of many island communities, with residents enjoying surfing, diving, swimming, sailing, and more. Additionally, there are many Indigenous tribes and mountain outdoor activities to explore nearby.
From March 2025 to February 2026, we are inviting two Canadian musicians who want to learn traditional music to stay at Hengchun Launcher Lab!
Independent producer based in Taiwan. Her interests in dance, physical theatre, and interdisciplinary art led her to productions and tours with dance companies such as HORSE, Legend Lin, as well as independent choreographers/artists. She also works with various organizations/institutions for international projects and events including ARTWAVE – Taiwan International Arts Network, Tainan Arts Festival, Pulima Festival, Future Circus Lab, Art Taipei, Taishin Arts Award, film festivals as well as dance documentaries.
She was one of the initiators of International Choreographic Interlink (ICI) - Toronto Taipei Link from 2020. She continues to develop her interests in exploring the world, connecting people, and being inspired by the journey she’s been through. She is currently working with Launcher Lab in Hengchun, at the southern tip of Taiwan.
Jason Chang is the founder of Launcher Lab, a co-working space for art and culture enthusiasts in Hengchun, Taiwan.
Launcher Lab aims to gather people loving the local area, creating an inspiring collaborative space akin to a rocket, connecting local culture and spreading it widely.
The Hengchun Peninsula is rich in diverse cultures and natural sounds, giving birth to Hengchun folk songs, Paiwan ancient songs, and independent music. Launcher Lab is dedicated to uniting talent from across the South through sound design, music creation, and festivals. In 2018, the "Peninsula Folksong Festival (Hear Here)," carrying decades of folk song history in the Hengchun, was established, providing an experimental stage for traditional and modern music to collide and create beautiful sparks. In 2019, Launcher Lab collaborated with the Cultural Memory Bank of the Ministry of Culture to establish the "Manjhou Folksong Museum," collecting the voices and ancient songs of more than 24 elders and Paiwan people in the Hengchun, creating a library of over 100 folk songs and sound materials.
They hope Hengchun can become a small island of world music, attracting musicians from all over the world to settle and create together.
From the Curating Team
2024 Hope Talks explore how people absorb, transform, and recreate culture between the migration process. Speak of the past in order to move forward!
About the Program
Located at the southernmost tip of Taiwan, the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) is a popular tourist destination renowned for its azure waters, pristine beaches, and tropical resort atmosphere. It is also home to the best-preserved ancient town of Taiwan, the birthplace of Hengchun traditional folk songs, and the traditional musical instrument, the moon lute. Musicians from Vancouver are invited to stay on the Hengchun for a month. Free accommodation and workspace are provided, allowing participants to deeply experience the local culture, learn traditional music, and collaborate with many other musicians. Daily life here mirrors that of many island communities, with residents enjoying surfing, diving, swimming, sailing, and more. Additionally, there are many Indigenous tribes and mountain outdoor activities to explore nearby.
From March 2025 to February 2026, we are inviting two Canadian musicians who want to learn traditional music to stay at Hengchun Launcher Lab!
Independent producer based in Taiwan. Her interests in dance, physical theatre, and interdisciplinary art led her to productions and tours with dance companies such as HORSE, Legend Lin, as well as independent choreographers/artists. She also works with various organizations/institutions for international projects and events including ARTWAVE – Taiwan International Arts Network, Tainan Arts Festival, Pulima Festival, Future Circus Lab, Art Taipei, Taishin Arts Award, film festivals as well as dance documentaries.
She was one of the initiators of International Choreographic Interlink (ICI) - Toronto Taipei Link from 2020. She continues to develop her interests in exploring the world, connecting people, and being inspired by the journey she’s been through. She is currently working with Launcher Lab in Hengchun, at the southern tip of Taiwan.
Jason Chang is the founder of Launcher Lab, a co-working space for art and culture enthusiasts in Hengchun, Taiwan.
Launcher Lab aims to gather people loving the local area, creating an inspiring collaborative space akin to a rocket, connecting local culture and spreading it widely.
The Hengchun Peninsula is rich in diverse cultures and natural sounds, giving birth to Hengchun folk songs, Paiwan ancient songs, and independent music. Launcher Lab is dedicated to uniting talent from across the South through sound design, music creation, and festivals. In 2018, the "Peninsula Folksong Festival (Hear Here)," carrying decades of folk song history in the Hengchun, was established, providing an experimental stage for traditional and modern music to collide and create beautiful sparks. In 2019, Launcher Lab collaborated with the Cultural Memory Bank of the Ministry of Culture to establish the "Manjhou Folksong Museum," collecting the voices and ancient songs of more than 24 elders and Paiwan people in the Hengchun, creating a library of over 100 folk songs and sound materials.
They hope Hengchun can become a small island of world music, attracting musicians from all over the world to settle and create together.
From the Curating Team
2024 Hope Talks explore how people absorb, transform, and recreate culture between the migration process. Speak of the past in order to move forward!
Contact Us
Performance / Vendor / Sponsorship Opportunities
TAIWANfest Vancouver is grateful to be held on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish Nation), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). We acknowledge our privilege to be gathered here, and commit to work with and be respectful to the Indigenous peoples of this land while we engage in meaningful conversations of culture and reconciliation.