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Creative Expo Taiwan

Creative Expo Taiwan (CET; ) is Taiwan's flagship annual fair for the cultural and creative industries. Founded in 2010, it serves as a trade and public platform connecting Taiwanese creative brands, craft studios, and cultural institutions with international buyers and audiences. CET is organized by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture and has been staged at multiple cultural venues in Taipei and other cities, evolving into a major showcase for design, branding, licensing, and cultural tourism.

History

CET was launched in 2010 as a national platform to consolidate Taiwan's cultural and creative ecosystem and expand export opportunities for creative small and medium enterprisess and brands. Early editions established a multi-venue format across Taipei's cultural parks, including Huashan 1914 Creative Park and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, as well as Taipei Expo Park.

The 2019 edition adopted the theme “Culture on the Move”, tying five sites along Taipei's former rail corridor—Huashan 1914, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Taipei Expo Park, Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB), and the Taipei Railway Workshop—with large-scale curation of heritage and contemporary culture. Organisers reported an estimated 350,000 visitors over twelve days and participation from more than 570 exhibitors across 25 countries/regions.

CET has continued to rotate venues and formats. The 2023 edition ran from 22 September to 1 October at C-LAB, the Preparatory Office of the National Railway Museum, and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, with curation highlighting urban culture and industrial heritage. In 2024, CET moved to Tainan (23 August–1 September) to coincide with the city's role as Taiwan's 2024 Capital of Culture; the theme “Hundred Faces of the Treasure Island (寶島百面)” foregrounded local history and diversity.

In 2025, CET returned to Taipei (2–11 August) with the theme “Water Scapes,” expanding to Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center to accommodate the Brand & Licensing exhibition and trade matchmaking; the Ministry of Culture reported 650,000 visitors and transactions totaling NT$1.35 billion (up 12.5% year-on-year).

Features

CET typically combines:

  • Creative brands and product showcases– consumer goods, crafts, design objects, cultural souvenirs, and homeware presented by Taiwanese and international exhibitors.
  • Brand & licensing pavilion – IP pitches, character licensing, and B2B matchmaking; in 2025 this segment moved into the Nangang Exhibition Center for scale and transport accessibility.
  • Curated cultural exhibitions – site-specific projects that connect industrial heritage and contemporary culture; the 2019 “Culture on the Move” edition linked five heritage sites along a rail corridor and included city-to-city curated pavilions such as “Places on the Move.”
  • Buyer programs and international matchmaking – scheduled sessions for domestic and overseas buyers; 2025 announcements highlighted expanded buyer recruitment and application windows.
  • Public engagement – forums, performances, and thematic markets; IP-focused attractions such as IP-STAR Pop Park provide family-friendly experiences and 360-degree immersive displays.

Developments

Since the late 2010s the expo has emphasized:

  • Multi-venue urban curation – using cultural parks (Songshan, Huashan) and railway heritage (C-LAB, Taipei Railway Workshop) to tie design to place and tourism.
  • Regional rotation – the 2024 move to Tainan underscored collaboration with local governments and the revitalization of historic sites in southern Taiwan.
  • Trade orientation – the formalization of brand & licensing, buyer recruitment, and quantifiable outcomes (e.g., NT$1.35 billion 2025 transactions) indicate strengthening B2B functions alongside public programming.

Challenges

Like other cultural trade fairs, CET navigates:

  • Market cyclicality and export pressures – creative SMEs face competition and scaling constraints; rotating venues and enhanced buyer programs aim to mitigate exposure risks and boost visibility.
  • Venue capacity and urban logistics – large crowds across dispersed sites (e.g., 2019's five-site corridor; 2025's dual-site model) require transport coordination and wayfinding to balance cultural curation with trade efficiency.
  • Balancing B2C culture with B2B trade – CET blends public-facing exhibitions with brand licensing and buyer matchmaking; organizers have expanded the licensing pavilion and IP attractions (e.g., IP-STAR) to attract both audiences.

Future developments

The Ministry of Culture has indicated ongoing expansion of brand & licensing programs, enhanced international buyer recruitment, and continued use of hybrid venue strategies that link cultural parks with modern exhibition halls. Themes such as “Water Scapes”(2025) reflect a curatorial focus on ecology and place that is expected to continue in future editions, alongside city partnerships and export-driven matchmaking.

See also

References