A Vision for Hsinchu: Yang Wen-Ke Creates Future with Dream of Craft

I am Yang Wen-Ke, an elected Magistrate of Hsinchu County. A significant portion of my public service career has been dedicated to promoting the development of Taiwan's science parks and semiconductor industry clusters. The other half of my public service career has been wholeheartedly devoted to striving for the prosperity of my hometown, Hsinchu County, for the next 30 years. I also serve as the Chairman of the "Hsinchu County Cultural Foundation".

Since its establishment in 1993, the Foundation has continuously undertaken the mission of promoting Hsinchu County's cultural policies and art education. Although it once operated at a low level due to insufficient resources, it was relaunched and reformed in 2019 under the guidance of the county government.

The key inspiration for us to engage in cultural design lies in the belief that "craftsmanship is a cultural language". We recognise the value of traditional crafts such as wood carving, bamboo weaving, glasswork, and bronze ware, and through design reinterpretation, we allow crafts to no longer remain merely in exhibition cabinets, but to become cultural carriers that can be used and felt in daily life.

For us, winning the French Design Awards is an important international recognition, symbolising that Hsinchu County's cultural initiatives can now engage in global dialogue. "Dream of Craft" has been held for three consecutive years since 2023, attracting over 400 submissions from 15 counties and cities across Taiwan, including young designers, traditional masters, and academic institutions.

Over the past three years, we have invested over NT$5 million in resources, establishing a three-in-one mechanism encompassing exhibitions, branding, and sales channels. Being able to step onto the international stage now, allowing the innovative energy of Taiwanese craftsmanship to be seen by the world, is a major milestone for cultural sustainability.

This achievement has significantly enhanced the Foundation's visibility and social impact. Over the past three years, our exhibitions have attracted over 10,000 visitors, and there have been more than 200 related media reports, successfully integrating public cultural promotion with market channels.

The award not only introduced "Made in Hsinchu" to an international audience but also brought opportunities for international collaboration, such as engaging in twin-city exchanges with Sumida City, Tokyo, Japan, to jointly exhibit craft design achievements. For participants, the greatest opportunity is that their works are officially launched under the "Every Day a Good Day" brand, entering bookstores, exhibition venues, and lifestyle channels.

While profitability can support brand operations, its marginal economic benefit lies more in driving sustainable confidence in cultural development and enhancing public understanding and support for local culture.

Experimentation is the core driving force behind "Dream of Craft". We believe that culture needs to be constantly experimented with and transformed to find ways to engage in dialogue with contemporary life.

For example, the indigo dyeing work "Flowing Range" draws inspiration from Hukou Bridge in Emei Township, translating the lines of natural landscape and the imagery of flowing water into fabric patterns. Another example is "Turning Decay into Wonder," which uses recycled coconut leaves from campuses to weave flower vessels, showcasing the potential for waste material upcycling. These works demonstrate that when designers dare to step out of traditional frameworks, craftsmanship can gain new life and social value.

The most unique source of inspiration in our competition comes from "overlooked everyday materials". For example, coconut tree leaves on campus, which were originally just fallen waste leaves, were transformed into vibrant flower vessels by a creator, showcasing the combination of sustainability and craftsmanship.

Another work, "Hearing and Perception," originated from the experience of a hearing-impaired creator, transforming a hearing aid accessory into an elegantly handcrafted brass ornament that is both practical and beautiful. These sources of inspiration may seem inconspicuous, but precisely because they are close to daily life, they can create the most authentic cultural resonance.

Many people believe that design is a momentary flash of inspiration, but in reality, it is a long-term integration process. It requires understanding cultural context, mastering the language of craftsmanship, experimenting with material possibilities, and undergoing market and user validation. The core concept that "Dream of Craft" aims to convey is: design is not an exhibit behind high walls, but rather should become a cultural companion in people's daily lives.

The ultimate goal of the brand is cultural dissemination. It serves as an important tool for the Foundation to implement cultural policies and promote local creative energy, rather than merely focusing on market sales. Only when a design can be used, loved, and passed on, does it truly fulfill its mission.

Our method for balance is through the simultaneous operation of platform and brand mechanisms. The "Dream of Craft" competition encourages designers to freely explore cultural imagery; while the "Every Day a Good Day" brand is responsible for selecting outstanding works and introducing them to exhibitions and sales, ensuring their societal acceptance.

This dual-track system allows creators to maintain their ideals while finding market positioning through brand support. In other words, we have built a bridge between ideals and reality, enabling design to retain both value and feasibility.

The biggest challenge was how to make traditional craftsmanship truly accepted by contemporary society. Many people consider crafts merely as collectables or exhibits, lacking practical use value. Our approach is to encourage collaboration between young designers and traditional masters, transforming crafts into designs that meet the needs of modern life.

For instance, incorporating bamboo weaving into home furnishings or transforming glass craftsmanship into storage boxes and other designs. Then, through exhibitions, brand collaborations, and international exchanges, we bring the works to the market. This process is not easy, but it successfully shifted craftsmanship from "viewing" to "using".

Our biggest breakthrough lies in breaking away from traditional ways of thinking in policy promotion. The process often requires continuous communication and explanation, but we uphold the unique perseverance and resilience of Hakka people, deeply knowing that only through persistence and steadfastness can true reform and innovation be driven.

At the same time, we also believe that inspiration comes from exchange, so we often overcome bottlenecks through cross-domain and international collaborations. For example, in 2024, we co-hosted a joint exhibition with Sumida City, Tokyo, Japan, allowing "Made in Hsinchu" to dialogue alongside Japanese craftsmanship.

This year, we will continue to deepen international exchanges, including holding a Hakka cultural exhibition at Taoyuan Airport earlier this year, participating in a design exhibition in Finland in September, and exhibiting in Tokyo in December.

These cross-cultural experiences not only allow the team to see different forms of artistic expression but also bring new perspectives and creative inspirations. When creators step out of familiar environments and immerse themselves in another cultural setting, new sparks often ignite, which is a significant way for us to reignite creativity.

The values we infuse are "sustainability, locality, and generational inheritance". Craftsmanship is a language that carries local memories and life emotions. Through design, we allow cultural memories to be transformed into new objects and re-enter daily life.

For example, the reuse of recycled materials and designs that incorporate the experiences of individuals with disabilities all allow social value to be expressed through the works. We believe that if design can carry human warmth, it will not just be a commodity, but a carrier for the continuous inheritance of culture.

I would advise young designers to courageously start from their land and culture, because truly touching designs often come from the most familiar yet overlooked things.

Do not be afraid to experiment, and do not be limited by market frameworks from the start. Maintain creativity and an open mind, while also cultivating respect for craftsmanship and an awareness of sustainability.

If cultural stories can be combined with contemporary aesthetics, design can have both depth and breadth, going further. This is the advice I want most to give to the new generation of creators.

If given the opportunity, I would wish most to collaborate with the late artist Tsai Yin-Tang (1909–1998). Born in Xinpu Township, Hsinchu County, he was one of the few Hakka art pioneers who continuously created and self-learned across various media such as oil painting, watercolour, and sketching without formal art training.

His painting style incorporated influences from Impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism, exhibiting a vibrant use of colour, fluid lines, and a style full of vitality, which is distinctive in the Taiwanese art scene.

For Hsinchu County, Tsai Yin-Tang's artistic achievements are a precious asset of local culture. In 2025, his family selflessly donated 707 pieces of original works and documents, spanning from San Francisco, USA, to Hsinchu. This "10,000-kilometre return home" not only symbolises the return of cultural memory but also the reconstruction of local cultural vitality, holding milestone significance for the art history of Hsinchu County, Taiwan.

His creative spirit, which broke established frameworks and was not confined by academic training, aligns perfectly with our design philosophy in "Dream of Craft" of integrating tradition and modernity. Although he is no longer with us, I deeply believe that through new creative language, his works can be reinterpreted and understood by the world, fostering the possibility of cultural pluralism and coexistence.

Such a collaboration would have a long-term impact on our promotion of cultural policies and local creative practices. It would allow "craftsmanship" to extend beyond Hsinchu, thereby creating cultural symbiosis.

When someone asks, "What is the ultimate goal of Dream of Craft?"

My answer is: It is not just a competition or a brand, but a complete cultural ecosystem.

We hope that through this platform, young designers and traditional masters can have a stage for exchange, allowing works to truly enter life from creation and exhibition to sales channels. The value of culture should not just remain in exhibition cabinets, but should become objects that can be used, shared, and willingly passed on in daily life.

While profitability can support brand operations, the ultimate mission of the brand is cultural dissemination, enabling culture to become a sustainable force in society.