Treasure Hill Artist Village

Treasure Hill grew from the 1950s as an unauthorised settlement built by mainland veterans on a hillside above the Xindian river, houses stacked and terraced with narrow stairs between them. Slated for demolition, it was fought over through the 1990s and 2000s and eventually preserved: some original residents remain, and the rest of the houses were turned into artist studios and residencies. The result is a working village and an art site at once.

What you actually see

• The stacked houses - self-built terraces linked by narrow stairs and alleys.
• The artist studios - residencies and workspaces in the preserved buildings.
• The remaining residents - original inhabitants still living among the studios.
• The riverside - the Xindian river and the flood plain below the hill.

When to go

Year round; the village keeps daily hours and closes on Mondays. Exhibitions change through the year. Evenings when the lanes are lit are the best.

Honest expectations

People live here and the alleys are their homes; quiet and privacy matter. Studios are often closed and what is open varies. The site is small and an hour covers it.

Nearby

Gongguan is nearby, and the Xindian river cycle path runs below.