Chen Siqi vankochensq@163.com THE 20th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF) will officially open its doors at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao’an District today. Are you curious about what to explore at the fair? Are you interested in fantastic cultural projects and cutting-edge technologies? Join us as we highlight some of the fair’s key exhibits and items. The fair’s 20th edition will be the largest to date, with over 6,015 institutes and companies presenting more than 120,000 exhibitions across eight exhibition halls covering 160,000 square meters — 40,000 square meters more than last year. Throughout the fair, over 20 art performances from various provinces and cities will showcase how traditional Chinese art forms have adapted to modern life. Notable influencers will also be live-streaming from the fair. Intl. highlights A total of 302 overseas exhibitors from 60 countries and regions will be present online and offline at the International Cultural Trade Hall in Hall 10. More than 30,000 overseas visitors from 108 countries and regions are expected to attend online and offline. The Edinburgh Pavilion will feature 10 enterprises spanning creation, arts, commerce, trade, and education. Notable mentions include Interference Pattern, a world-class animation and visual content studio, Museum Context, an official Harry Potter merchandise outlet, and Freakworks, a top post-production facility in the U.K. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of friendship between France and China, and celebrate the upcoming Paris Olympics, the French booth will feature specially designed creative cultural products, beauty items, and foods for the Olympics. Additionally, a fingerboarding competition will take place. A model of the Shenzhen Opera House, designed by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, will also be on display. The organizers of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest book trade fair, will feature award-winning books at the cultural fair and engage in exchanges with Chinese publishers. The Russian Artist Association will exhibit over 50 sculptures and oil paintings. ‘New three’ items The “new three” items — Chinese online literary works, dramas, and games — are gaining popularity in overseas markets. For the first time, the fair will dedicate an entire hall — the 20,000-square-meter Hall 14 — to creative products in the fields of digital culture, media convergence, tech empowerment in news media, and online games. Game enthusiasts should stop by the online gaming area, where new games will be introduced and competitions will take place. Traditional culture Hall 12 will spotlight intangible cultural heritage, arts and crafts, traditional Chinese culture performances by heritage inheritors, and intangible cultural heritage foods like spicy hotpot, Chinese-style baked goods, chicken dishes, and ice cream. Hall 15 will showcase historical tourist attractions across the country, new types of tourism consumption scenarios, tourism performances, and travel gear. Innovations Hall 13 will feature elements from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), including over 20,000 products from 381 companies. The Shenzhen Pavilion will unite 21 of the city’s leading companies, such as Huawei, BYD, Tencent, OCT, and Fantawild. Nine artists and designers from Hong Kong will exhibit their creatively designed cultural products at the fair. Additionally, provinces and cities will display their unique cultural items in Hall 9 and Hall 11. ICIF Info Date: May 23-27 Hours: Noon-6:30 p.m., May 23; 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., May 23-26; 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., May 27 Admission: 60 yuan Booking: WeChat account “深圳文博會” Venue: The Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao’an District (深圳國際會展中心) Online ICIF: The ICIF official website www.cnicif.com or the WeChat miniprogram “文博會＋” Metro: Line 12 or 20 to Shenzhen World Station (國展站) for Halls 1-12; Shenzhen World North Station (國展北站) for Halls 13-20 | 