(File photo of the 19th ICIF by Yao Zhihao from Nanfang Daily)
Marking its 20th anniversary, the China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF), a cornerstone event in China's cultural calendar, is set to break new ground with its ever-increasing internationalization.
Running from May 23 to 27 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao’an District, the fair will showcase the cultural diversity and creative richness of China and beyond. It is expected to draw over 90,000 visitors from around the globe.
The fair has attracted 302 overseas online and offline exhibitors from 60 countries and regions and invited more than 30,000 overseas professional visitors from 108 countries and regions to participate online and offline, Zeng Xiang-lai, director of the ICIF organizing committee office, said at a press conference yesterday.
Eight exhibition halls and 52 citywide subvenues will serve as vibrant platforms for the display and trade of over 120,000 cultural products and more than 4,000 cultural industry investment and financing projects.
A special food area will be set up at the fair, where visitors can indulge in a culinary journey through China's intangible cultural heritage. The acclaimed Shenzhen original dance drama "Wing Chun" will be performed.
The fair will also spotlight a special exhibition for primary and secondary school students' innovative design achievements. In addition, renowned museums and design exhibitions will also join the fair.
Since its inception in 2004, ICIF has evolved into a key driver of China's cultural industry, a global stage for Chinese culture, and a significant portal for cultural openness. Its consistent growth in scale and visitor number, internationalization, and successful transaction outcomes have earned it the title of the "No.1 fair of China's cultural industry."
In two decades, the ICIF's exhibition space expansion, from an initial 45,000 sqm to 160,000 sqm, and rise in the numbers of exhibitors, from a little over 700 to more than 3,000, are a testament to China's cultural prosperity and vitality.
The fair's contribution to the cultural and creative sectors is evident from the generation of billions of yuan in revenue and the cultivation of a robust cultural ecosystem in Shenzhen, which is home to over 100,000 cultural firms with over 1 million employees, according to statistics.
