Project Overview
The “Corner Gallery Project” combines government subsidies, professional guidance, and museum marketing networks to encourage public participation in ecomuseum operations and showcase Daxi’s charm. Launched during the Wood Art Museum’s preparation phase in 2013 and continuing annually since then, this project embodies ecomuseum values and local sustainable development strategies.
“Corner Galleries” refer to private spaces partially opened as venues for displaying and sharing merchant and local stories, developing and implementing public-oriented business models or activities. Shop owners must participate in learning, sharing, and exchange activities. Under the ecomuseum concept, within the Daxi area, any space with stories, local characteristics, and public accessibility can be part of the museum’s scope. Individuals or groups willing to engage in preserving and sharing Daxi’s culture can serve as museum staff. Anyone embracing the spirit of collaborative learning and creation, willing to participate in actions that advance Daxi’s development, can become a community partner, with Corner Galleries embodying these private museum spaces and staff. The project has gradually expanded its participation scope from the initial Daxi Old Town area to include other districts such as Neizha, Sanceng, Touliao, Amuping, Sanmin, and the Nanxing and Zhongzhuang areas of Hexi, creating a unique public-private partnership model.
Implementation Benefits
(1) Expanded Scope and Formation of Sustained Corner Gallery Learning Communities
Since the launch of the Corner Gallery Project in 2015, museum partners have grown from the initial 4 locations to 33 in 2023. The geographical distribution of Corner Galleries has expanded beyond the original Heping Old Street to various areas across Daxi, including: Daxi Old Town district, Yuemei, Neizha, Sanceng, Touliao, Xizhou, Amuping, Sanmin, and the Nanxing and Zhongzhuang areas of Hexi. These galleries encompass diverse types of establishments including food businesses, woodcraft industries, accommodations, cultural and historical guided tours, folk religion sites, farms, bookstores, and social welfare organizations.
Beyond individual Corner Gallery projects, the program encourages “collaborative learning initiatives” where Corner Gallery representatives form implementation teams with different task groups, organizing activities such as study visits and experience sharing sessions. The Wood Art Museum has evolved from initially providing resources and guidance to becoming a member of the collaborative learning team, working together with Corner Gallery partners to showcase Daxi’s charming lifestyle. Through participation in the project, Corner Gallery members engage in mutual learning with the museum, sharing experiences and even collaborating, becoming integral parts of the museum consciousness and ecomuseum operation.
(2) Enhancement of Local Cultural Revitalization’s Public Nature and Inclusive Accessibility
The “public nature” is a highly valued spirit and principle of the Corner Gallery Project. Regardless of the type of application, participants must consider how their outcomes and processes can benefit the local community and contribute to deepening local studies. The Wood Art Museum, serving as a resource-providing platform, encourages residents to use museum methodologies to explore Daxi’s rich local knowledge. Throughout this process, the museum accompanies Corner Gallery directors in reflecting on their social significance, helping them showcase their unique, meaningful stories and public-benefit activities.
Both long-time Daxi residents and newcomers participate together in preservation, development, and revitalization efforts. This ensures that while the town progresses, it maintains its distinctive warmth and vitality. Through a series of actions, they infuse new life into the town’s rich content, demonstrating how local culture can be preserved while moving forward into the future.