Taipei will host the 2025 Trendy Taipei festival from August 25 to September 7, featuring more than 150 music performances, 39 professional forums and citywide activities over 14 days.
The event will bring music and cultural programming to venues across the city, including concert halls, live houses, cultural centres, and MRT stations, and includes international collaborations, industry expos and forums.
The festival was officially launched at a press conference on July 31 at the Taipei Music Center. Programming is structured around three main areas: the Concert Economy, Industry Trends and Urban Actions, spanning six thematic areas including music, art, audiovisual, technology, gaming and fashion.
Mayor Chiang Wan-an said Taipei is the core of Taiwan’s pop music and creative industries, with more than 530 concerts in 2024 attracting nearly two million attendees. Trendy Taipei aims to bring music out of concert halls and into the streets, allowing residents and visitors to experience performances in public spaces.
The Concert Economy segment will activate venues across Taipei through live performances, including the new Trendy Taipei Boom: Taipei Arena Series from September 5 to 7, featuring artists from Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. Taipei Very Live, running from August 8 to September 7, connects 22 live houses and music restaurants with over 50 performances across genres including rock, jazz and pop. Other festival highlights include the Trendy Double-Decker Bus, running from August 30 to 31 with live performances at Taipei 101, Songshan Cultural Park and Taipei Music Center, and the Giant Electric Guitar installation at City Hall Plaza, which remains on display until September 7.
The Industry Trends section includes the Trendy Fusion Forum at Ambi Space One, featuring international experts such as Sebastian Masuda, a pioneer of Japanese Kawaii culture, and K-pop strategist Cha Haley. TMEX, Asia’s leading music industry expo, will host representatives from 10 Asia-Pacific countries and 60 exhibitors, including festivals, venues and media organisations, while a new Industry Matchmaking Day will facilitate professional collaborations.
Urban Actions will extend the festival into city neighbourhoods and public transport. Notable activations include exhibitions and performances at the Taipei City Archives, MoCA Taipei, Taipei Artist Village, Taipei Performing Arts Center, Songshan Cultural Park, and MRT stations including Xinbeitou and Nangang. A Trendy-themed MRT train will operate from mid-August to showcase the city’s music culture.
Other festival components include StartSphere Taipei, highlighting start-ups from six countries, and the Taipei Film Academy programme on AI and the Future of Film. Trendy Taipei also features Taipei Music Expo and Jam Jam Asia from August 28 to 31, with 70 performances and international collaborations.
The press conference included performances from rising bands and the Golden Melody-winning band Trash. A special one-time band, Wan-Ping-Ling, was formed by Chiang, director Tsai Shih-ping and Taipei Music Center chairwoman Sandy Huang to symbolise cross-sector collaboration.
Trendy Taipei is organised by Taipei’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of Information and Tourism, Department of Economic Development, Department of Information Technology and Taipei Music Center, with support from sponsors including NVIDIA, Cathay United Bank, Taiwan Mobile, Uni-President Group, Heineken Silver, Eslite, Open Culture Foundation, Hanlai Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Taipei Downtown, The Place Taipei, Mesh+ Co., Citylink and Ysolife.
