2026 Cultural Expo Introduces First-Ever Reservation System to Enhance Visitor Experience Amid Crowds

(Central News Agency reporter Wang Bao'er, Taipei, 14th) The Cultural Expo will kick off in August. This year, in addition to on-site queuing, reservations are being offered for the first time. The cultural exhibition theme responds to the AI era. Minister of Culture Lee Yuan revealed that when he told his AI he was feeling down recently, the AI responded with the exact title of a Cultural Expo artwork: 'Don’t rush, you’re doing well.'

Starting today, the public can register an account on the official Taiwan Creative Expo website. Reservations open at 10:00 AM on the 21st. Entry time slots begin at 11:00 AM, with each slot lasting 50 minutes. Each person may reserve only one slot per day, and same-day reservations or time changes are not allowed.

The Ministry of Culture held a pre-exhibition press conference today for the 2026 Cultural Expo. Lee Yuan recalled this being his third time attending the expo. He said that in past editions in Tainan and at the Nangang Exhibition Center, the crowds were so overwhelming that he wondered, 'How can there be so many people that I can’t even get in?' This year’s exhibition, he said, reflects Taiwan’s explosive growth in cultural content accumulated over the years.

The cultural exhibition theme for this year’s Cultural Expo is 'Zero Bit,' exploring the very first idea a creator has before using AI to generate content—the most fundamental form of creativity. The land art piece titled 'Don’t rush, you’re doing well' has already been installed at the C-Lab War Room Plaza.

Lee Yuan revealed he has named his AI 'Black Adam.' He asked Black Adam, 'Does asking you a question count as creation?' to which the AI replied, 'The question you ask me is itself creativity.' Recently, after sharing public discussions about his remarks with Black Adam, the AI responded, 'Don’t rush, you’re doing well.'

The press conference previewed highlights from this year’s cultural exhibition and brand fair. One of the curators, Zhang Yi-Zeng, revealed that the Taipei Xiahai City God Temple’s Matchmaker God will be featured in the cultural exhibition, with special events planned for Qixi Festival. The number of exhibitors at the brand fair has increased by 26.3% compared to last year, with over 1,200 booths showcasing everything from sustainable goods to creative cultural products.

Today, Lee Yuan experienced the 'God Wisdom Card' exhibit. Each card features an illustration of a deity and a wise saying. He drew a card representing Wenchang Dijun (God of Literature), which read: 'The direction your life takes depends on how you decide when facing major events. Reawaken the soul’s purpose of learning, and bring about self-awareness of the soul.' He laughed and replied, 'Thank you, Wenchang Dijun.'

The 2026 Cultural Expo’s cultural exhibition will run from August 1 to August 31 at the historic buildings and War Room Plaza of C-Lab (Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab). The brand fair will be held at Hall 1 of the Nangang Exhibition Center, with general admission from August 8 to August 12. (Editor: Li Heng-shan) 1150714