Qiaotou Sugar Refinery Art Village / White House

Located in Qiaotou, Kaohsiung, the Qiaotou Sugar Refinery was established in 1901, making it Taiwan's first modern industrial zone. In 2001, the Qiaotou Cultural and Historical Association, along with a group of artists, transformed this historical industrial site into a cultural preservation village and launched the first phase of the 'Qiaotou Sugar Refinery Art Village' artist-in-residence program. In 2008, the artist-in-residence program began to be jointly operated and managed by Qiaotou White House Co., Ltd. and the Taiwan Association for Artistic Development. They leased the former guesthouse space and several warehouses from Taiwan Sugar Corporation, focusing on cultural heritage, environmental education, everyday aesthetics, and art collection. The program is entirely self-funded by private organizations and continues to promote the artist-in-residence initiative. It not only provides artists with accommodation and studio spaces but also hosts various themed activities quarterly. The Qiaotou Sugar Refinery ceased sugar production in 1997, and in 2002, the Kaohsiung County Government designated it as a county-level historic site. Its former artifacts, such as the sugar factory building, Japanese-style wooden dormitories, air raid shelters, red brick water tower, and century-old forests, are well preserved. The sugar factory building itself is still operated by Taiwan Sugar Corporation, but it has gradually transitioned into a leisure and tourism industry and is now renovated into the Taiwan Sugar Museum. The sugar refinery is adjacent to the Kaohsiung MRT line, and on holidays, a sightseeing 'wufen' train (a narrow-gauge tourist train) also operates, making it an important tourist attraction in southern Taiwan, drawing a considerable number of visitors on weekends. The Qiaotou Sugar Refinery Art Village encompasses diverse themes and backgrounds. Its operation goes beyond just artistic creation and space revitalization. Since 2008, 'Qiaotou White House,' independently established by a private organization, has continued the spirit of the Qiaotou Art Village by inviting artists to reside at the sugar refinery, fostering creation and dialogue with the environment, and holding significant indicative meaning for the future development of the art industry and cultural creative parks.