New Horizons of Reading-Festive Fun at TIBE2020
The 28th edition of the Taipei International Book Exhibition is set to kick off on Feb. 4-9, 2020, in Taipei City. Two of the most prominent new features this year are the expansion of the exhibition venue to include the second floor of the Taipei World Trade Center, as well as free admission for international visitors holding foreign passports. Both are expected to help broaden the perspectives of all book lovers worldwide.
Director Chen Ying-fang of the Ministry of Culture's Department of Humanities and Publications talks about the ever-evolving diversity of the book fair.
Filip Grzegorzewski, head of the European Economic and Trade Office, notes that this year's book fair involves the participation of the highest-ever number of EU countries.
Centered on the core theme of "New Reading Vistas," the 2020 TIBE has planned a brand new Winter Reading Fun campaign to take local students to the next level of reading with group activities throughout the entire venue. Highlights on the new second-floor space include a joint exhibition by seven major Taiwan museums; the Pavilion of Book Prize Winners, which brings together the highest-quality and most eye-catching publications of the year; as well as the "Digital Publishing Pavilion," showcasing cross-domain technological advances.
The impact of several timely events can be felt at this year's TIBE as well. In celebration of the Federico Fellini centenary, the Italian Economic, Trade, and Cultural Promotion Office is launching a special illustration exhibit to honor the beloved Italian cinema maestro. Liang Lin and Arlene Hsing, two recently-departed Taiwanese children's book writers, will also be remembered in their retrospectives.
Food in Federico Fellini’s drawings and other focus exhibits in the international section light up the 2020 TIBE.
Focusing on marketing and copyright issues, the celebrated TIBE professional program 2020 TIBE Frankfurt Publishers Training Program continues to shine, while the International Publishing Forum highlights the successes of the Korean publishing industry in global markets; the Children's Book Forum also continues to make reading fun. In all, more than 1,000 reading activities and events are projected for the six-day trade show.
Theme Country Korea in the spotlight
As the 2020 theme country, Korea has planned a select book exhibition and a series of cultural events in its "K-Style" pavilion, in addition to the participation of 12 renowned Korean writers who have been invited to the book fair.
Innovation rules in reading forest and NTMoFA pavilions
With an array of multimedia interactions, the Reading Forest Pavilion seeks to spur the participants' curiosity about storytelling via firsthand experience and spark their interest in picture books and reading. Also, a theme pavilion curated by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts makes use of fine arts and comics to promote Taiwan's art history.
Roaming in fantasy vs digital publishing
Employing interactive projection, augmented reality, and cutting-edge display technology, the 2020 Roaming in Fantasy: Creative Comic Collection Exhibit will enable visitors to interact with characters from the comics. Meanwhile, the Digital Publishing Pavilion will highlight the integration of reading and life though the theme of "New Vistas in Life."
Reading while walking: The book fair as a museum
The highlight of the new second-floor space is the joint exhibit "Walk-read the Museums: Seven MOC Venues." With publishing and reading as the links between museums and book fairs, this event is expected create a profound cultural experience. Furthermore, the first-ever "Book Exhibition Fair" allows the visitors to sample the aesthetics of living, enriching the different layers of reading.
Master graphic artists head creativity workshop
In continuation of the spirit of the Illustrators Salon, which enabled the positive interaction between the artists and their readers, the book fair features a creativity workshop this year, with eight artists providing their creative insights in a total of seven masterclass sessions.
Civil and literary books lead the way
Two important special exhibits are the centerpiece of this year's civil book zone: "Civil Book Zone: Independent Bookstores Showcase" and "Look Around: Asian Bookstores Special," aim to take the visitors deeper into the diverse visage of bookstores at home and abroad. The 2020 literary book zone, at the same time, is designed with a nostalgic Japanese flair, reflecting the sense of history in literary publishing over the last four decades.
Exhibition as remembrance: Liang Lin and Arlene Hsing
"Goodbye, the Little Sun" showcases rare manuscripts of beloved children's literature master Liang Lin, who recently passed away. The Pavilion of Book Prize Winners honors Arlene Hsing, another writer who left us last year. The pavilion will also stage a play adapted from Hsing’s "Hope Violin."
(Caption): "Goodbye, the Little Sun" showcases rare Lin Liang manuscripts.
Winter break fun: Level up your reading experience
The Winter Reading Fun campaign has opened up new horizons for many students in Taiwan. After-school programs, cram schools, and parent-initiated self-study groups have all signed up for the reading feast at the upcoming event.