【Office of University Social Responsibility】
National Chengchi University (NCCU) and the U-Theatre Cultural and Arts Foundation, both long-time neighbors in Laoquan Village, Wenshan District, Taipei, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). This partnership, rooted in university and corporate social responsibility, aims to offer performing arts courses for NCCU students and local residents, while supporting Taipei City’s Satoyama River Public Art Project to foster ecological sustainability and artistic enrichment in the region.
The signing ceremony was hosted by NCCU Vice President Chih-Yu Chan, who exchanged the MOU and souvenirs with U-Theatre founder Ruo-Yu Liu. Chan noted that although NCCU is well-regarded in the humanities and social sciences, it lacks dedicated arts departments. While arts courses have been offered by individual faculty or through cooperation with Taipei National University of the Arts, this partnership opens a new opportunity for advancing arts education on campus.
Chan further emphasized that U-Theatre has a profound cultural foundation in performing arts, along with extensive experience in community engagement. This collaboration transcends academic boundaries and integrates community participation, contributing to the advancement of arts education, cultural transmission, and local harmony.
Ruo-Yu Liu recalled founding U-Theatre in Laoquan Mountain in 1988, which was renamed in 1993 to highlight its drumming art. Over 36 years later, the group continues to thrive, even after a devastating fire on August 13, 2019, destroyed their rehearsal hall. She shared that the fire, though a crisis, became a turning point—leading them out of the “ivory tower” to reconnect with the land, adopt permaculture practices, and experience nature, ultimately deepening their understanding of sustainability.
Liu stressed that the collaboration is not simply about shared space. Rather, it is about combining over 30 years of lived experience in Laoquan Mountain with the creativity of NCCU’s faculty and students, and the participation of community residents. She envisions mutual understanding, new partnerships, and continued exchange. Even after the rehearsal hall is rebuilt, the collaboration with NCCU will continue.
According to the MOU, Ruo-Yu Liu will offer a general education course titled “Art, Self-Discovery, and Cultural Roots” in the first semester of the 2024 academic year. Beyond classroom teaching, the course includes a field trip to Pingtung for the Donggang King Boat Festival to study ritual practices and temple culture. Students will also stay overnight at U-Theatre’s Mountain Theater for a two-day physical exploration and training inspired by Jerzy Grotowski’s body techniques. In addition, the results of U-Theatre’s community-based drumming workshops will be shared with NCCU to further promote local humanities, arts, and culture.
Located in the same Laoquan Mountain area, NCCU was relocated there 70 years ago to escape wartime turmoil, continuing its mission in education. U-Theatre, now entering its fifth year of rebuilding after the fire, shares a similar spirit of resilience. Through the integration of University Social Responsibility (USR) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), this partnership seeks to pass on educational and cultural values, allowing U-Theatre’s philosophy of merging artistic discipline with life practice to take root and flourish through NCCU’s academic and ecological platform.
