Nine sculptors from Taiwan and overseas have begun a monthlong residency at the 2026 Hualien International Stone Sculpture Festival. Visitors can watch the artists gradually transform blocks of stone into finished works at the Hualien County Cultural Affairs Bureau’s outdoor stone sculpture park in Hualien City through November 29. This year's festival takes the theme: "Beneath the Skin of the Earth: Fissures, Traces, and Rebirth." Taking place every few years since 1995, this year’s festival also features contemporary art exhibitions, youth sculpture projects, and other public activities. Speaking at the festival’s opening on Saturday, October 31, Hualien County Magistrate Hsu Chen-wei (徐榛蔚) said stone, including marble and jade, has long been an important part of Hualien's economy. She invited people to “experience the deep and enduring connection” between the place, its stone, and art. Festival curator Sean Hu (胡朝聖) said the event hopes to open up imaginations...