Taipei: The IF Illustration Festival, organized by the French illustration magazine Kiblind, is set to spotlight Taiwan as its theme country on September 26-27, 2026, in Lyon, France. This marks a significant collaboration between Kiblind and the Taiwan Cultural Center in Paris, aiming to highlight the work and cultural characteristics of contemporary Taiwanese illustrators through exhibitions, forums, and animation displays.
According to Focus Taiwan, the art festival, titled "Focus Taiwan," has invited three Taiwanese artists to partake in a month-long artist-in-residence program. Their works will be presented at the festival in Lyon. Jean Tourette, co-founder of Kiblind, expressed the magazine's long-standing connection with Taiwan, noting that the country was featured in the international section of Kiblind's first issue in 2001.
The fourth edition of the festival will be the first to highlight a themed country and include an artist-in-residence program. Taiwanese artists Croter, Acia Yang, and Chang Tzu-chun have been selected for this program. They recently arrived in France and will engage with art organizations in Paris before creating their works during the residency. These pieces will then be showcased at the festival.
Croter, originally from Kaohsiung, will explore European illustration styles during his first visit to France. Yang, who has studied in Brussels, anticipates her time in Lyon, while Chang looks forward to improvising her creations during the month-long period. The theme for their work will be revealed upon her arrival.
Tourette emphasized the importance of new encounters and exchanges as part of the "Focus Taiwan" program. Previous editions of the festival in 2024 and 2025 involved collaborations with six Taiwanese artists, including Saitemiss and Chou Chia Yu. These collaborations have led to the festival's current focus on Taiwan.
Since its inception in 2023, the IF Illustration Festival has invited around 30 international artists each year. It is noted for its "Expo Live" session, where artists create paintings on large wooden cube-shaped structures on-site. Tourette stressed the festival's focus on the artists' presence and the value of international collaborations like the one with Taiwan.