The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is set to hold an event which celebrates Taiwanese culture.

The free event, the Spotlight Taiwan Festival, will offer a range of experiences giving people a chance to play traditional Taiwanese chess, have a go at creating their own comic book stories or try free bubble tea from TAIPEC.

The festival is open to all though normally academic-focused, organisers from the University’s Institute for Area and Migration Studies wanted to share the culture with the local community.

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Dr Ti-Han Chang, lecturer in Asia Pacific Studies said: “We’re keen to bring a real flavour of Taiwan to Preston.

“We’re especially excited to welcome Taiwanese comic artist Lin Li-Chin, who will deliver an interactive comic workshop, and through our theme of ‘Home’ we will share experiences of people who have both migrated to Taiwan and Taiwanese emigrants abroad. It will be an informative and interesting event.”

Professor Niki Alsford, Director of the Institute for the Asia Pacific Studies, will also launch his new book, Taiwan Lives, at the event.

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It will conclude with a screening of the short documentary film, Mimi’s Utopia, which highlights the hardship Southeast Asian female migrants in Taiwan faced in forming their new homes on the island.

The festival will take place on 29 April from 11:30 to 15:30 in the University’s Greenbank and Harrington Buildings. Those interested in attending can register here.

For more information, email Dr Ti-han Chang at tchang2@uclan.ac.uk.

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