This year’s exhibition brings together 29 participating countries, 509 domestic and international publishers, and more than 60 international authors, alongside a stellar lineup of Taiwanese writers. Activities and exhibitions will be presented across seven themed pavilions, eight book zones, and a series of professional forums, with cutting-edge technologies and immersive experiences integrated throughout the venue—offering readers a truly Thai-inspired reading extravaganza.
Under the theme “CreaTHAIvity” the Thailand Guest of Honor Pavilion showcases the diversity of Thai culture, spanning from traditional literature to contemporary BL culture, through a five-sense experience that weaves together sight, sound, scent, touch, and taste. Featured exhibitions include “Thai Literary Showcase” and “Illustration Zone: Thai Ways of Life,” presenting a highly saturated, symbol-rich intuitive aesthetic. Performances such as “Special Thai Performance: LOVE” allow Thai cultural expression to resonate naturally through sound and movement.
This marks Thailand’s third time serving as Guest of Honor. Invited creators include comic artist Mu, mystery novelist Prapt, BL writer MTRD.S, and supernatural BL author Cali (Napasorn Khemuta). Also attending in person are former Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat and Veeraporn Nitiprapha, two-time winner of the ASEAN Literary Award. Inspired by Thailand’s floating markets, the pavilion design transforms boats into creative bookshelves and features culinary demonstrations by renowned chef Daniel Green, Muay Thai performances, and fragrance workshops—turning reading into a fully embodied, participatory experience.
In terms of technology
and interactive design, this year’s exhibition marks the first time that the Digital
Pavilion and the Pavilion of Book Prize Winners are located on Level 2 of the
World Trade Center. The Digital Pavilion integrates AI voice and
image-generation technologies, transforming individual voices into visual
imagery and creating an immersive “Tree of Wisdom” experience infused with the
scent of Taiwanese hinoki cypress. Meanwhile, the Pavilion of Book Prize
Winners debuts a new feature that lets creators’ voices be
heard—visitors can simply scan a QR code to listen to authors share their
stories in their own voices.
In addition, the exhibition launches, for the first time ahead of the event, a brand-new online puzzle game titled “The Enemy of All Readers.” Players are invited to participate via mobile devices in reading-based puzzle challenges that extend across the city and the exhibition grounds, transforming reading into an engaging, exploratory journey. The Children’s Books Pavilion, “Wonder Market,” draws inspiration from Taiwan’s familiar traditional markets, featuring six themed booths—including the “Organic Mind House” and “Emotion Kitchen”—designed to encourage parent-child interaction through reading.
Celebrating local
cultural identity, the “Reading Citizens” space presents several distinctive
installations: “Reading Traffic Jam,” created by the Indie Publishers
Association of Taiwan, incorporates everyday scenes such as tour buses, pickup
trucks, and betel nut stands; the Taiwan Association for Independent Bookshop
Culture’s “Reading Transfer Station” features five themed reading routes and
platforms; and the Taiwan Labour Front’s “Reading Traffic Lights” guides
readers through spatial metaphors using traffic signals and reflective road
mirrors. The National Museum of Taiwan Literature curates “Wandering Words,
Free Spirits: A Travel Literature Exhibition,” showcasing nearly 100 works that
portray Taiwan’s diverse landscapes through the eyes of local writers.
Beyond the exhibition halls, TIBE will for the first time expand to Taichung and Kaohsiung, hosting the “Cities in Reading” forum series. The fair also introduces Bologna-style curatorial guidance, with international curators offering mentorship and direction to Taiwanese creators.
This year’s exhibition
also welcomes an impressive lineup of internationally acclaimed authors. South
Korean BL novelist Flona, whose works such as Define the Relationship
have captivated readers worldwide, will hold a book signing during the fair.
Fellow Korean novelist Cheon Myeong-kwan, whose debut novel Whale made
waves in the Korean literary world, will engage in a literary dialogue with
Taiwanese writer Chen Bo-qing. Renowned Japanese author Banana Yoshimoto will
share insights from her latest works Me and the City and the Fukiage
Fantasia series, reflecting on creativity and life experience. American
novelist Anthony Marra, celebrated for his deeply moving historical fiction,
will lead a master workshop focused on cross-temporal narrative and story
structure. Korean picture-book artist Baek Hee-na, recipient of the Astrid
Lindgren Memorial Award, will share her creative journey at the Children’s
Literature Forum.
During the exhibition, professional forums—including the TIBE Frankfurt Publishers Training Programme, International Publishing Forum, and Publishing Power Forum—will be held concurrently, focusing on next-generation readers, AI applications, IP development, and Southeast Asian market trends.
We warmly invite all
readers and industry professionals to visit Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1
from February 3 to 8, 2026, and immerse themselves in this vibrant, creative celebration
of reading!