In Taipei this month, the city will host its fifth annual “Nuit Blanche” arts festival. This “dusk-to-dawn” festival featuring artistic light displays and entertainment lasts only a single night. “Nuit Blanche” is French for “night of white.” The name describes the bright lighting arrangements that light up the city streets. The tradition began in Paris, France, in 2002 and since then, it has spread to other cities the world over. Taipei held its first “Nuit Blanche” in 2016 with the help of the French Office in Taipei.
The goal of the evening is to present the city’s artistic energy and to encourage cultural exchange with other cities across the world. In 2019, as many as 400,000 people took part in the event. It featured plenty of impressive dusk-to-dawn light installations and artistic performances. Last year’s festival was located between the Dazhi and Neihu MRT stations. This year, the event will be held in Taipei’s Nangang District around Nangang Station.
exchange [ ˌɪksˈtʃendʒ ] n. 交換，交流 installation [ ˌɪnstəˈleʃən ] n. 裝置藝術 district [ ˈdɪstrɪkt ] n. 行政區
Canada, 2016（本圖提供 Helen Filatova / Shutterstock.com）
Taipei, 2019（本圖提供 topimages / Shutterstock.com）
“Nuit Blanche” in 2020 will be held on the evening of Saturday, October 3 through the early morning of Sunday, October 4. The outdoor music and light displays are free for the public to enjoy. Come and admire a collection of artistic works representing music and culture from Taiwan and around the world.
