In the torrents of globalization and social transition in Taiwan, it is particularly important to reinforce a sense of cultural subjectivity and localization, and promote new trends of arts education that emphasize the development of self and spirit. The fundamental principles of these new trends are: (1) that the purpose of arts education is to cultivate students' humanistic literacy, (2) the content of arts education is developed from an interdisciplinary approach, (3) arts curriculum is predominantly constructed on and implemented within the value framework of the nuclear culture, (4) arts education has to place emphasis on an integral process of comprehensive exploration, critical reflection and creative construction, and (5) the instruction methods of arts education need to be artistic and humanistic. This article describes the contents and implications of the new trends of arts education reform in Taiwan.