Grassroots designers in Taipei are printing their own posters and stickers to back DPP mayoral candidate Puma Shen, turning anger over culture budget cuts into a street-level campaign wave.

• A supporter-made "ocean current" poster handed out at a Taipei night market took off, with print runs jumping from 200 copies to 40,000.
• New stickers using Shen's trademark smile and anime-fan slang for "my favorite idol" were given out during a morning street sweep in Shilin.
• The people making them say they are angry at the KMT for cutting the culture budget and telling arts workers to "throw away that begging bowl."
• Different creators are now trading their own designs on the street and cheering each other on, and more designers are lining up to make the next batch.
• Shen thanked supporters for the homemade gear and said official campaign merchandise is coming in the next few days.

Outlook: The campaign is betting this homemade merchandise wave turns into actual votes, with more designer-made items expected before the Taipei mayoral race heats up further.