Abstract Enhancing cellulase production in Trichoderma reesei is of great interest for an economical biorefinery. Artificial transcription factors are a potentially powerful molecular strategy for improving cellulase production in T. reesei. In this study, enhanced transcriptional activators XYR1VP, ACE2VP, and ACE1VP were constructed by linking the C terminus of XYR1, ACE2, or ACE1 with an activation domain of herpes simplex virus protein VP16. T. reesei transformants TXYR1VP, TACE2VP, and TACE1VP showed improved cellulase and/or xylanase production. TXYR1VP has a cellulase-free phenotype but with significantly elevated xylanase production. Xylanase I and xylanase II activities [U/(mg biomass)] increased by 51% and 80%, respectively, in TXYR1VP in comparison with parental strain RUT C30. The filter paper activity of TACE2VP in the Avicel-based medium increased by 52% compared to that of RUT C30. In the Avicel-based medium, TACE1VP manifested an 80% increase in FPase activity and a 50% increase in xylanase activity as compared to those of RUT C30. Additionally, when pretreated corn stover was hydrolyzed, crude enzymes produced from TACE1VP yielded a greater glucose release than did the enzymes produced by parental strain RUT C30.