Upper School Winter Art Auction Turns Creativity into Meaningful Community Support

The Upper School Art & Design Department’s Annual Winter Art Auction was a resounding success, bringing together students, faculty, and staff in support of community-based social action in Taipei. Through enthusiastic participation in both silent and live auctions, the event highlighted the intersection of creativity, service, and empathy at TAS. This year’s auction raised a total of NTD 136,400, all of which will directly support Do You a Flavor.

Do You a Flavor is a Taipei-based organization that uses creative social action to address urban poverty, homelessness, and the challenges faced by street vendors. The organization works as a connector between the public and marginalized communities, fostering understanding, dignity, and care through visibility and engagement.

“The funds we raise through the auction all go to the work Do You a Flavor does to change the streetscape and strengthen the city’s social safety net,” shared David Morris, Upper School Art & Design Department Head. “We hope these efforts also promote empathy and collective responsibility among our students and where it is needed most.”

Art in Action: Learning Experience 

This year’s auction also embodied the spirit of “Art in Action,” with student-created work shaping not only the artwork itself but also the storytelling around the event. A powerful film, created by TAS student filmmaker Kaiya C. and her Film classmates, grew out of a service-learning experience connecting creative practice with social responsibility.

On Sunday, November 15, 2025, students joined a guided walking tour of the Taipei Main Station area, led by an individual with lived experience of homelessness. This firsthand encounter challenged students to think deeply about human dignity, visibility, and community—insights that informed both their artistic choices and the broader message of the auction.

By grounding artistic expression in lived experience, this project demonstrated how art can function not only as personal expression but also as a tool for advocacy and meaningful engagement.

Watch the powerful student-created film