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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Artist laments visa woes
Chinese Nationalist Party Legislator Apollo Chen holds a press conference yesterday, urging authorities to be more flexible in regulations regarding artistic activities. Photo: Taipei Times
By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
British sound artist Simon Whetham last week was asked to leave Taiwan by the National Immigration Agency due to a visa issue, Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） Legislator Apollo Chen （陳學聖） said yesterday, urging authorities to be more flexible in regulations regarding artistic activities.
Whetham arrived in the nation on June 28 on a visa waiver program for UK citizens and planned to stay for 90 days, participating in artistic projects, artist Yeh Yu-jun （葉育君） — a friend of Whetham, who she was helping — said at a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Yeh said she was told late last month that someone had reported to the agency that Whetham was illegally employed.
He was asked to explain his situation to the agency on July 24.
“He was not invited by us. He came here to participate in some projects,” Yeh said, adding that she had provided him with food and accommodation at her art space in Taipei, Instant 42, as part of an “art exchange.”
Whetham, now traveling in Japan, issued a statement through Yeh, saying he had seen many artists from other countries share their work and experience in Taiwan “for no payment, but to help and support the local community.”
However, “because someone was very unkind and reported me as working illegally without a permit, I have had to leave Taiwan and may not return for some time,” Whetham said, adding that he was shocked that he and his friends were sanctioned, despite fully cooperating with the agency.
“Agencies should pay more attention to more serious violations — such as those who apply for a tourist visa yet carry out financial scams — and be more flexible about artistic interactions,” Chen said.
The agency said that foreign visitors cannot engage in activities or employment other than what is specified on their visa or they face being required to leave the nation.
“While he was asked to leave the nation within 10 days, he departed the day after giving his account,” National Immigration Agency senior specialist Su Hui-wen （蘇慧雯） said.
Yeh, regarded as his “employer,” breached Article 46 of the Employment Service Act （就業服務法） and faces a fine of NT$150,000 to NT$750,000, it said.
“Whetham worked in exchange for accommodation, so he should have applied for a work permit,” said Su Yu-kuo （蘇裕國）, a senior specialist in the Ministry of Labor’s Development Agency.
“We respect the agency’s regulations regarding whether foreign artists can work in Taiwan on a tourist visa,” said Liu Mei-chi （劉美芝）, a section chief at the Ministry of Culture’s Department of Cultural and Creative Development, adding that the two agencies would discuss further the range of art and culture-related jobs that should be defined as work.
“The Ministry of Culture should demonstrate its [administrative] position by insisting on what is right or calling for changes,” Chen said. “Otherwise, the incident might affect other foreign artists’ willingness to visit Taiwan.”
Whetham faces a ban from entering the nation for one to three years, with the period to be determined by the immigration agency.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
