Minister of Culture Lee Yung (front row, fifth from the left)along with nine curatorial representatives, jointly invite the public to experience Taiwan’s waterscapes at the 2025 Taiwan Cultural Expo.
Creative Expo Taiwan 2025 will be held from August 2 to 11 at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Nangang Exhibition Center. This year’s theme, Water Scapes, highlights Taiwan’s cultural ecosystems shaped by the unique flows of its riverine islands. Like water, culture in Taiwan is diverse, vital, and deeply embedded in daily life.
At today’s (July 16) pre-event press conference, Minister of Culture Yuan Li, Political Deputy Minister Shih-Si Wang, Director of National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) Dian-Li Chen, Acting CEO of Taiwan Creative Content Agency（TAICCA）Ting-Li Hu, Chief Advisor of the Expo Jow-Jiun Gong, and Brand Exhibition Director Li-Chin Wang attended the event. The curatorial team introduced this year’s thematic direction, while representatives from NTCRI, TAICCA, and the Taiwan Character Brand Licensing Association shared their visions for curatorial planning and exhibition layout.
Since its launch in 2010, Creative Expo Taiwan has undergone major transformations and grown into the country’s leading platform for cultural and creative product exhibitions and licensing. Returning to Taipei in 2025, the Expo will feature thematic exhibitions at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and relocate its brand showcase to the easily accessible Nangang Exhibition Center. The event is expected to set new records in floor space, number of exhibitors and booths, and international participation—projecting a total attendance of over 650,000 visitors.
Minister Yuan Li hopes that through this year’s watery imagery, he hopes visitors can better appreciate how water has shaped this culturally rich and diverse island.
Minister Yuan Li recalled the overwhelming success of last year’s edition in Tainan and shared his reflections on this year’s curatorial direction. Initially considering “environment” and “ecology” as themes—concepts he felt were somewhat overused—he was moved when the curatorial team proposed “water” as the central motif.
Li also noted that July 15 marked the 38th anniversary of the lifting of martial law in Taiwan. Water, he said, symbolically represents the divide between those eras. Growing up during martial law, access to coasts and forests was heavily restricted. “Life in Taipei back then was stifling,” he remarked. As a father, he would take his children to look over the levee toward Xindian River, hoping to raise them in a city with “rivers, mountains, and migratory birds.” Through this year’s watery imagery, he hopes visitors can better appreciate how water has shaped this culturally rich and diverse island.
He further announced that the Expo has finally made the bold decision to relocate its brand showcase to Nangang, fulfilling the dream of filling an even larger exhibition hall with Taiwan’s burgeoning IP industry. The “IP-STAR POP PARK,” for instance, will feature 34 original IPs nurtured under the Ministry of Culture’s inaugural Black Tide Project—each with over five years of development—signaling Taiwan’s readiness to present its creative power to the world.
Chief Advisor Jow-Jiun Gong elaborated on this year’s curatorial framework, emphasizing Taiwan’s unique water ecology in the context of global climate challenges.
Chief Advisor Jow-Jiun Gong elaborated on this year’s curatorial framework, emphasizing Taiwan’s unique water ecology in the context of global climate challenges. With 1,000 kilometers of coastline, marine biodiversity 150 times the global average, and over 10,000 irrigation ponds, Taiwan is especially suited to explore solutions for pollution and climate change through the lens of Water Scapes. The curatorial themes include:
The Island of Seascapes: embracing marine culture and fishing heritage
The Spirit of Water: exploring water deities and spiritual beliefs
Through the Realm of Mist: immersing visitors in Taiwan’s forested fog zones and environmental education
Taiwan as Endless Streams: presenting the cultural diversity of 22 counties, 100 key cultural bases, and 102 selected local projects
These zones incorporate multisensory experiences, digital interaction, and immersive design—engaging visitors through image, sound, scent, and spatial installations to reimagine Taiwan’s waterscapes and the rich cultural content spanning visual arts, animation, heritage, and audiovisual media.
Curatorial co-leads Ellen Peng and Blaire Ko shared that the cultural exhibition will also include over 50 live performances and 10 themed talks spanning music, curation, branding, audiovisual media, and tech culture. Ko also recommended two specially curated waterway walking tours and encouraged visitors to explore 15 partner shops, where purchases can be exchanged for limited-edition merchandise.
Minister of Culture Lee Yung (right) visits the craft pop-up select shop, “Daily Craft+” to experience a curated selection of craft pieces from various brands.
For the first time, the cultural curation area will also include a pop-up craft shop, “Daily Crafts+,” organized by NTCRI. This feature will showcase over 400 crafted works from 70 Taiwanese brands, emphasizing sustainability, regional culture, and practical aesthetics. From materials to spirit, it aims to bring contemporary Taiwanese craft into daily life.
Alongside cultural exhibitions, the ever-popular Brand and Licensing Exhibition will remain a major draw. This year, more than 1,000 vendors signed up, and after expert selection, over 650 brands and IPs from 10 countries—including Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Poland—have been selected. The “IP-Star Pop Park” at the brand showcase will serve as a launchpad for 34 original Taiwanese IPs, echoing this year’s maritime theme and reinforcing Taiwan’s global IP aspirations.
The 2025 theme, “Hi, Agua Zone!,” draws inspiration from seaside resorts to create a lively and open platform.
Brand Exhibition Director Grace Wang noted that the 2025 theme, “Hi, Agua Zone!,” draws inspiration from seaside resorts to create a lively and open platform. It will feature six thematic zones: “Healing Wave Station,” “Taiwanese Flavor Tide,” “Sustainable Future Ground,” “Sprouting in Chaos,” “No More Tears, Office Club,” and “Bugged Z Gen.” These themes explore the intersections of daily life, aesthetics, and environmental discourse in Taiwan’s cultural scene.
The brand exhibition will use 932 booths—an all-time high. It will host 101 international exhibitors across 108 booths, nearly doubling last year’s figures, and present over 360 business matchmaking sessions, making it a vital cross-border platform for cultural industries.
IP-Star Pop ParkThe Brand and Licensing Pavilion debuts the “IP-Star Pop Park” zone, a large-scale showcase featuring 34 original character IPs from Taiwan.
Sara Peng, Secretary General of the Taiwan Character Brand Licensing Association, introduced the “IP-Star Pop Park” as a mission-driven initiative. The area features 34 original IPs selected under the Ministry’s first T-content plan, presented through five themed zones: travel, adventure, food, entertainment, and wellness. With a 360° circular layout, the area will include story installations, interactive experiences, and four character photo spots—inviting visitors on an immersive IP journey. B2B activities will run nonstop for seven days, featuring five IP pitch sessions, five business card exchange events, and extensive 1-on-1 matchmaking to amplify Taiwan’s IP influence.
TAICCA will also launch “IP×Pop×UP×Pop-up,” focused on IP commercialization and licensing models.
TAICCA will also launch “IP×Pop×UP×Pop-up,” focused on IP commercialization and licensing models. The showcase includes 12 original IPs and presents survey-backed insights into how Taiwan IPs can expand across domains and create long-tail opportunities.
Beyond the exhibition, this year’s Expo features cross-industry collaborations with 35 partners across 9 sectors, linking land, sea, and air for omnichannel cultural engagement. Collaborations include:
- A co-branded “Lotus Breeze Flavor” lunchbox with Taiwan Railway (10,000 limited sets)
- A WeMo scooter promotion featuring exclusive IP-themed vehicles and discounts
- A themed hotel room with Taima Ferry and Royal Inn
- Co-branded drinkware with DaYung’s hand-shaken beverages
- A special edition iPASS commemorative card
Through these partnerships, Creative Expo Taiwan brings cultural flair into daily life and travel experiences, with exclusive offers and promotions celebrating the spirit of the event.
Creative Expo Taiwan 2025 will be held from August 2 to 11 at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Nangang Exhibition Center.
For more event details, registration, partner deals, and promotions, please visit the official website and social media platforms. This summer, let’s follow the flow of water and immerse ourselves in the creative vitality of Taiwan’s Water Scapes.
2025 Creative Expo Taiwan
✦Cultural Exhibition✦
Location:
Through the Realm of Mist: Warehouse 2, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park
The Spirit of Water: Warehouse 3
The Island of Seascapes: Warehouse 4
Taiwan as Endless Streams: Warehouse 5
Daily Crafts+ (Craft Select Pop-Up): North Tobacco Factory
Opening Hours:
Aug 2 (Sat) – Aug 10 (Sun): 10:00–18:00
Aug 11 (Mon): 10:00–16:00
✦Brand & Licensing Exhibition✦
Location:
Hall 1, Nangang Exhibition Center (No. 1, Jingmao 2nd Rd., Nangang, Taipei)
Trade Visitor Days:
Aug 5 (Tue), Aug 6 (Wed): 10:00–18:00
General Admission:
Aug 7 (Thu) & Aug 10 (Sun): 10:00–18:00
Aug 8 (Fri) & Aug 9 (Sat): 10:00–20:00
Aug 11 (Mon): 10:00–16:00
Website: https://creativexpo.tw/en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativexpo.tw/
Press Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jWGRy1GSUGq_ZbSAjHXtArqz6NnjxSU1?usp=drive_link
Press Contact:
Lo Shih-Hung, Ministry of Culture Public Relations Office
Tel: 02-8512-6077 / 0919-596-134
Business Contact:
Lan Ya-Chi, Department of Cultural and Creative Development
Tel: 02-8512-6587 / 0937-528-013
