
Posted by Maleeha Mir on 20 September 2024, in Frankfurt Book Fair, News
All photos copyright of Frankfurter Buchmesse, Words by Frankfurter Buchmesse
The prospect of navigating your way around Frankfurter Buchmesse (16-20 October 2024) can, to some, seem just a little bit daunting. After all, it is the international publishing industry’s biggest trade fair and the most important international marketplace for content. So, to help with planning and to make sure you don’t miss any of the most important events, the book fair team has put together a list of unmissable talks, places to be and key things to look out for in 2024. Find the entire book fair programme at www.buchmesse.de
Trade event kicking off the fair: Frankfurt Kids Conference
When: Wednesday 16th October (Congress Centre, Level 2, Room Spektrum)
The focus: children’s and YA publishing
Title: "Paving the Way for the Future: Responsibility in Children’s Book Publishing"
Moderated by award-winning author and translator Lawrence Schimel, the expert panels will feature a select group of high-ranking international publishing professionals, plus the international bestselling author Cornelia Funke.
Speakers include:
Dominique Raccah, CEO, Founder & Publisher, Sourcebooks, USA
Carolina Ballester, Executive Director, IBBY
Karine Pansa, President of the International Publishers Association
Ken Wilson-Max, Publisher, Kumusha Books (HarperCollins Publishers)
Who can attend: You need an extra ticket to participate in the conference; all profits from the event will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
Publishing Perspectives Forum:
When: Wednesday 16th to Friday 18th October
Where: Frankfurt Studio (Hall 4.0, room Europa)
Who can attend: free for all registered Frankfurter Buchmesse attendees.
This three-day English-language programme offers trade visitors valuable insights into the international publishing industry, with an opportunity to hear from the top professionals currently working in the sector. Highlights include:
Wednesday:
David Shelley, CEO of Hachette Book Group USA and Hachette UK, will be in conversation with Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives, Porter Anderson at 11am
Meeting the Demand: Audio Strategies with Amanda D’Acierno, President and Publisher, Penguin Random House Audio Group, and Jon Watt, Trade Audio & Business Development Director, Bonnier Books UK at 4pm
Thursday:
Arnaud Nourry, CEO and founder of Les Nouveaux Éditeurs in Paris, a newly-launched collective of independent publishers in France, in conversation with Porter Anderson at 11am
Networking Reception for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award - meet publishers, translators, and book industry experts from the Arab world, as well as international professionals working with Arabic literature in translation – at 2pm at the Frankfurt Studio Pop-Up.
Friday:
The State of Independent Publishing - A look at trends, strategies, and opportunities for independent publishers around the world at 11am. Speakers include:
Tom Kraushaar, publisher, Klett-Cotta (Germany)
Nina von Moltke, co-founder and president of Authors Equity (United States)
To the programme: https://publishingperspectives.com/pp-forum/
Frankfurt Calling – Perspectives on Culture and Politics:
When: Wednesday 16th to Sunday 20th October
What: the fair’s cultural-political programme
What to expect: Renowned speakers participating in exciting discussions on current debates.
Partners: PEN, the UN, the International and German Publishers Associations, the human rights organisation Memorial, the Goethe Institute and Amnesty International, among others
Topics: Italian cultural politics, reconciliation between Israel and Palestine, artificial intelligence and language, Russia and disinformation, Ukraine, the rise of right-wing parties and movements, human rights, black feminism and societal integration.
Speakers include: Anne Applebaum, Roberto Saviano, Dmitry Glukhovsky, Irina Scherbakowa, Meron Mendel, Alena Jabarine, and many more.
Select event highlights:
Historian, philosopher and international bestselling author of Sapiens Yuval Noah Harari will be on stage with Japanese philosopher and author of Capital in the Anthropocene Kohei Saito in what promises to be must-attend exchange of ideas.
Where and when: in Saal Harmonie in the fair’s Congress Centre on Wednesday 16th October at 7.30pm. Tickets for this event can be purchased online: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/highlights/public-events/stages/open-stage
Antonio Scurati will take part in an event by PEN Berlin about Italian cultural politics
Where and when: Wednesday 16th October, 11am-12pm in the Frankfurt Pavilion (Agora)
Irina Scherbakowa (Memorial) and Dmitry Glukhovsky
Where and when: Friday 18th October from 10.00-11.00am in the Frankfurt Pavilion (Agora)
The Goethe Institute will host an event about Ukraine
Where and when: Friday 18th October at 12pm in the Frankfurt Pavilion (Agora)
Roberto Saviano in conversation with Deniz Yücel (PEN Berlin)
Where and when: Saturday 19th October, 2-3pm in the Frankfurt Pavilion (Agora)
For more information: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/highlights/professional-programme/special-topics/frankfurt-calling
Frankfurt International Stage:
Where: In the foyer between Halls 5.1 and 6.1
What: A key venue for events focussing on book markets and cultural-political topics worldwide. With international industry trends, book markets, awards and authors the programme is wide-ranging. The lineup includes:
Wednesday:
Filipina journalist and documentary filmmaker, and author of Some People Need Killing, Patricia Evangelista will talk about her book that was chosen as Time Magazine’s no:1 NonFiction Book of the Year – at 1pm
Global 50 CEO Talk with Jonathan Karp, President and Chief Executive Officer of Simon & Schuster, and Richard Sarnoff, Chairman of Media, KKR Private Equity, and Chairman of the Simon & Schuster Board of Directors. Moderated by Rüdiger Wischenbart, at 2pm
Thursday:
Talk with the winner of the Aficionado Award at 11am
From Climate Science to Climate Action - organised together with the United Nations – at 2.30pm
In addition: The new Centre of Words - in Hall 4.1 - is the central meeting point for literature and translation with its own stage and networking area for encounters and exchanges.
For more information: https://www.buchmesse.de/en/highlights/professional-programme/stages
Putting new adult and romantasy at centre stage: the new Hall 1.2
This year a brand-new area for new adult, romance, dark college and similar genres will celebrate its premiere in Hall 1.2. during the trade visitor days. The New Adult Stage will be a stage for everything to do with writing and self-publishing and, at the weekend, it will be a meeting place for authors from these genres and their fans.
Frankfurt Connect: bringing the publishing community together digitally
With Frankfurt Connect, it brings all the players in publishing together digitally and bundles their digital business services in one place. Join Frankfurt Connect online: www.connect.buchmesse.de
All you need now?`Your #fbm24 ticket!
Last but not least: As a Byte The Book member, you benefit from free weekly passes. Reach out to the Byte The Book team to find out more. All ticket types and the link to the ticket shop can be found at buchmesse.de/en/ticket.