01
Joint Operation
LIXON × Busan International Art Festival
● IMAGINE PORT 2026 BUSAN
A Platform Where Creative IP, Technology, and Fandom Meet
In 2026, a new port for Creative IP opens in Busan. At IMAGINE PORT, we discover Creative IP with real growth potential, bring professionals across the creative industries together, and share the experience of creation expanded by technology with the next generation of creators.
Composed of three core programs, CREATIVE IP MARKET, IMAGINE PORT CLUB, and IMAGINE PORT BOUNDLESS, IMAGINE PORT 2026 BUSAN is a global Creative IP platform connecting creators and fandom, creation and technology, and new IP with the world market.
I
OVERVIEW
IMAGINE PORT 2026 BUSAN
IMAGINE PORT 2026 BUSAN is a global Creative IP platform connecting Creative IP, technology, and fandom.
CORE PROGRAMS
- 01
CREATIVE IP MARKET
A digital twin–based Creative IP market and award that discovers and introduces new Creative IP candidates.
- 02
IMAGINE PORT CLUB
An academic forum sharing creative projects and initiative campaigns while opening up discourse on the future.
- 03
IMAGINE PORT BOUNDLESS
An industry–academia–linked contest program that shares AI-powered live digital media creation experiences and data.
II
SCREENING MARKET
CREATIVE IP MARKET
The CREATIVE IP MARKET, a core program of IMAGINE PORT 2026, is a digital twin–based showcase market and award.
Jointly organized by LIXON and Busan International Art Festival, IMAGINE PORT 2026 anticipates more than 10,000 creative submissions from 80+ countries across digital media art, AI-generated work, design, characters, video, brands, F&B, and local IP.
The IMAGINE PORT 2026 committee curates around 500 Creative IPs from these entries and runs a digital twin–based showcase market around them.
02
Global Entries
80+ countries · 10,000+ submissions expected
03
Showcase Market
~500 Creative IPs and brands curated
04
Awards & Incentives
Finalist certification · Winner Incentive Meetup · follow-up support
IV
VALUE CHAIN
IMAGINE PORT CLUB
The IMAGINE PORT CLUB is an academic forum that introduces creative technology–driven projects and initiative campaigns.
Creators, sponsors, brands, tech companies, government agencies, and other individuals and organizations connected to Creative IP share their own initiatives and discuss, in depth, the points where content IP meets technology, local communities, business, and fandom.
Beyond finished success stories, we spotlight the most experimental projects and waves of change happening right now, and look for new partners to build the next creative journey with.
FOUR PILLARS
- PROJECTS
Creative projects opening new possibilities
Experiments that connect technology and art, content and people, to propose new experiences and value.
- CAMPAIGNS
Initiative campaigns co-created by creators and fandom
The wave of change built together by creators, fandom, content, and technology.
- DISCOURSE
Academic discourse shaping the language of the future
A place of exchange for in-depth discussion where creation, technology, society, business, and fandom meet.
- PARTNERS
Partners to start something new with
Beyond finished success stories, we look for new partners to join the experiments and challenges happening right now.
IV
PROGRAMS
IMAGINE PORT BOUNDLESS
IMAGINE PORT BOUNDLESS is a live creation contest that produces AI-powered digital media content on a shared theme.
Inside a creative environment powered by Busan Metropolitan City and global AI tech partners, participants have 8 hours to freely use AI tools and complete new media content.
More than the final piece, we share the process, experience, and data behind creation, building an industry and academia linked creative program where technology, creation, industry, and academia converge.
01
SPRINT CHALLENGE
An AI creative sprint that unfolds in 8 hours
An intensive contest to complete new digital media content on a shared theme.
02
AI ACTION
Creation expanded by AI
An experimental creative experience with free access to AI tools and tokens, powered by Busan Metropolitan City and global AI tech partners.
03
SHARED EXPERIENCE
A program where the creative process itself becomes data
An industry–academia–linked contest that shares not only the outputs, but also the experience and data behind the creation.
04
BOUNDLESS CHALLENGE
A creative challenge running simultaneously across Asia's major cities
A borderless live creation challenge held simultaneously in major Asian cities, centered on Busan.
V
ROADMAP
SCHEDULE & PARTNERSHIP
IMAGINE PORT sets sail with global open call PR in Hangzhou, China on July 30, 2026, followed by global PR across major Asian cities in August. The online IP Showcase Market opens in September, IMAGINE PORT CLUB #1 runs in October, and in November 2026 the digital twin based Creative IP platform and IMAGINE PORT CLUB #2 take place along the Busan North Port area, where the city's past, present, and future coexist. The year closes with IMAGINE PORT BOUNDLESS 2026 in December.
- MARCH 2026MILESTONE 01· COMPLETED
IMAGINE PORT Task Force Established
The IMAGINE PORT 2026 Busan task force was established to lead overall planning and build the global partnership framework.
- JULYMILESTONE 02· COMPLETED
July 30 · Hangzhou, China
Global PR for the open call kicked off.
- AUGUSTMILESTONE 03
Ho Chi Minh · Seoul · Tokyo · Singapore & More
Global PR continues across major Asian cities and expands to many more.
- SEPTEMBERMILESTONE 04
IMAGINE PORT IP SHOWCASE MARKET Opens
The online IMAGINE PORT IP SHOWCASE MARKET opens.
- OCTOBERMILESTONE 05
IMAGINE PORT CLUB #1
The first IMAGINE PORT CLUB session opens the forum on creative technology projects and initiatives.
- NOVEMBERMILESTONE 06
IMAGINE PORT CLUB #2
The digital twin–based IMAGINE PORT 2026 takes place with IMAGINE PORT CLUB #2 in Busan, alongside an incentive meetup for the IP Showcase Market winners and the IMAGINE PORT 2027 White Paper announcement.
- DECEMBERMILESTONE 07
IMAGINE PORT BOUNDLESS 2026
The AI BOUNDLESS CHALLENGE runs simultaneously across major Asian cities, and the winning work is invited as a main partner of IMAGINE PORT 2027.
- Q2 2027MILESTONE 08
Busan
IMAGINE PORT 2027 Busan.
- Q4 2027MILESTONE 09
TBA
IMAGINE PORT 2027 Asia.
ECOSYSTEM
PARTNERSHIP
IMAGINE PORT 2026 is building a sustainable global partnership platform, centered on Creative IP, where technology and people, creators and fandom come together.
MILESTONES
- 015+Government Partners
A policy and public-sector foundation connecting cities, public institutions, and global networks.
- 0240+Corporate Partners
A network of companies co-creating collaborations across Creative IP, technology, and brands.
- 03200+Academic Partners
A global education partnership linking creators and future generations.
- 0410,000+Submissions
A pool of new Creative IP candidates proposed by creators around the world.
- 05100,000+Fandom
A global fandom that responds to and takes part in the IMAGINE PORT journey.
- 063,300,000+Viral Reach
The ripple effect of a Creative IP platform amplified across digital channels.
D-DAY TIMEWATCH
OFFICIAL PARTNERSHIP REVEAL
TARGET · AUG 28, 2026 · 14:00 KST
100.00%
● The official IMAGINE PORT 2026 partnerships are being revealed in sequence.