Vertical Autonomy in Practice: Local Agency, Social Capital, and Crisis Leverage in Taiwan’s Art Fair Field

This study explores how Taiwan’s art fair field negotiates and sustains autonomy under transnational competition, engaging the concept of vertical autonomy. Drawing on field theory and qualitative methods, it analyzes strategic interactions between Taipei Dangdai (2019-2025) and Art Taipei (1992-). Findings reveal that transnational entry triggered field restructuring through contemporary art positioning and symbolic capital competition. Local institutions responded by mobilizing social capital, reinforcing cultural identity, and institutionalizing crisis-resilience mechanisms. Local galleries acted as intermediaries, strategically mediating between global and local hierarchies through differentiated participation. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how social capital functions as “cultural insurance” during global disruptions, reinforcing local resilience. This research extends vertical autonomy theory and provides insights for regional art markets navigating globalization.