Frankfurter Buchmesse 2017: the industry demonstrates confidence and optimism

In 2017, the Frankfurter Buchmesse once again claims its position as the international book industry’s biggest and most important event. Here’s what visitors can expect at this extravaganza. In a highly political year, the Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 11-15, 2017) is establishing itself more than ever as a seismograph of global social developments. “When world affairs become confusing, when deep rifts mark most societies and when fake news challenges journalistic reporting, the desire for trustworthy sources of information, solid knowledge and well-researched news grows. This makes publishers enormously important – a responsibility they know they have,” said Juergen Boos.

Boos continued by stating that a glance at the programme previews reveals that, in fast-paced times, publishers rely on quality – on the careful evaluation of information and the nuanced sorting of facts. He explained, “2017 will be remembered as a year that set the course at many levels – both in politics as well as in economic and social contexts, in Germany and in many parts of the world. The Frankfurter Buchmesse brings together exhibitors from over 100 nations. For five days, the focus is not only on the content business; rather, the book fair is the place where the industry proves that it is keeping step with the times – open to innovation, stable in its economic development and as opinionated as ever.”

Rights trading in Frankfurt is booming

The Literary Agents & Scouts Centre (LitAg) has set a new record with 500 tables sold. The industry’s most influential figures use the fair to place their messages: At the opening press conference of the Frankfurter Buchmesse (Tuesday, 10 October), Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, will present his view of the industry’s global development. Also on the Tuesday of the fair, the Business Club Conference THE MARKETS will open with Andrew Wylie, one of the most powerful literary agents in the world; at the closing discussion, five influential women managers will take the floor: Tracey Armstrong (Copyright Clearance Center, USA), Sophie de Closets (Fayard, France), Arpita Das (Yoda Press, India), Xandra Ramos-Padilla (National Book Store/Anvil Publishing, Philippines) and Vicky Williams (Emerald Group, UK) will discuss career opportunities and obstacles.

New event format: Weltempfang Satellites

In a new event format, the Weltempfang Satellite, Juergen Boos, president/CEO of the Frankfurter Buchmesse, meets with well-known figures and writers to discuss current events. He will talk about the influence of fake news with war correspondent Åsne Seierstad and Hans Leyendecker, one of Germany’s most well-known investigative journalists (Wednesday, 11 October). His conversation with Turkish journalist Can Dündar and author Burhan Sönmez will consider living and writing in exile (Thursday, 12 October). Finally, together with Thomas Wagner (author of “Die Angstmacher”) and Gerald Hensel (Founder of Fearless Democracy), Juergen Boos will examine the phenomenon of the New Right (Friday, 13 October, each talk will be from 9.30-10.15 a.m. in the Business Club). At the Weltempfang – the Frankfurter Buchmesse Centre for Politics, Literature and Translation – in Hall 3.1, current areas of conflict will be explored under the title “Crisis-order-creation”.

THE ARTS+

THE ARTS+, the business festival launched last year dedicated to the themes of digitalisation, creativity and society, looks forward to welcoming, among others, Chris Dercon, artistic director of the Volksbühne Berlin, and Peter Weibel, chairman and CEO of ZKM (Center for Art and Media) Karlsruhe. On the Wednesday of the fair, THE ARTS+ Innovation Summit will be held in cooperation with European institutions from politics, the creative industry and culture. In a workshop discussion, the artist collective robolab (ZKM Karlsruhe) will present its robot “manifest”.

Guest of Honour: “Francfort en français / Frankfurt in French”

In the age of globalisation, the activities of the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2017 Guest of Honour, France, will revolve around not only the country itself, but also around the French language, which is spoken on five continents and in some 80 countries: 180 authors who publish in French are expected as part of France’s appearance as Guest of Honour at the fair, including Philippe Dijan, Michel Houellebecq, Édouard Louis, Alain Mabanckou, Yasmina Reza, Leïla Slimani, Amélie Nothomb and many others. As part of France’s participation as Guest of Honour, 143 German-language publishers have translated 555 titles from French into German, and 269 publishers and exhibitors from France and French-speaking countries will attend the fair.

A celebration of literature

With Margaret Atwood, Cecelia Ahern, Paula Hawkins, Nicholas Sparks, Daniel Kehlmann, Paul Maar, celebrated mountaineer Reinhold Messner, thriller authors Ken Follett and Sebastian Fitzek, bestselling philosopher Dr Richard David Precht, teenage star Lukas Rieger and many others, the Frankfurter Buchmesse once again promises to be a very special celebration of literature.

Frankfurter Buchmesse 2017– more international than ever

Like last year, this year exhibitors from over 100 countries will once again take advantage of the Frankfurter Buchmesse to present themselves. The collective stand “Publishers from Africa & Haiti” will celebrate its premiere at the fair, with 20 French-language publishers showcasing their publications from 13 countries for the first time (Niger, Madagascar and Gabon will be represented in Frankfurt for the first time ever). These publishers will be located in Hall 5.1, in the immediate vicinity of the French collective stand (Hall 5.1 E 17).

Indian exhibitors @ FBF

• Aadarsh Pvt Ltd 6.1/C 2
• All about Book Publishing 6.0/A 16
• Alpha eBook 6.2/D 59
• Ananda Publishers Pvt Ltd 4.0/B 85
• Angel Publishing House Pvt Ltd 6.1/E 58
• ART Factory (A Division of JJ Imprints Pvt Ltd) 6.1/E 71
• B. Jain Publishers Pvt Ltd 6.1/C 15
• BAP Educare Pvt Ltd. 6.1/C 16
• Brijbasi Art Press Ltd (Hello Friend) 6.1/D 31
• CBS Publishers & Distributors (Pvt) Ltd 4.2/H 35
• Cygnet Infotech Pvt Ltd 4.2/M 75
• DC Books 4.0/C 78
• DiTech 4.2/J 71
• Dolphin Impex 6.1/A 71
• Dreamland Publications 6.1/D 69
• Exeter Premedia Services Private Limited 4.2/L 38
• Fiza Pathan Publishing OPC Private Limited 4.2/A 95
• Focus Medica India (Pvt) Ltd 4.2/H 18
• Goodwill Books International 6.1/D 66
• Henu Studio Pvt Ltd 6.0/E 48
• Hingori 5.1/B 26
• Holy Faith International 6.2/D 99
• Hurix Systems Private Limited 4.2/B 77
• Inspiration Publication (India) 6.1/D 70
• Integra Software Services Pvt Ltd 4.2/K 95
• Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD 4.2/N 7
• Kalachuvadu Publications 4.0/C 78
• Kips Learning Solutions Pvt Ltd 6.0/A 18
• Little Kingdom Books 6.1/C 3
• Little Pearl Books 6.1/E 67
• Lumina Datamatics 4.2/L 35
• Macaw Books 6.1/E 66
• mammoth world 6.1/D 40
• Manoj Publications 6.1/D 16
• Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd. 4.1/G 86
• Mehta Publishers 5.0/A 50
• MPS Limited 4.2/N 10
• Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers (Pvt) Ltd 6.2/D 101
• Narosa Book Distributors (Pvt) Ltd 4.2/H 76
• Narosa Publishing House (Pvt) Ltd
• National Book Trust, India 6.0/A 17
• Navneet Education Limited 3.0/E 153
• Niyogi Books (A Unit of Niyogi Offset Pvt. Ltd.) 6.0/A 125
• Nova Techset Pvt Ltd 4.2/H 88
• Offshoot Books 6.1/D 37
• Om Books International 6.1/E 15
• Orange Boooks International 4.2/M 33
• PHI Learning Private Limited 4.2/D 81
• PM Books (Publishing and Packaging) 6.1/D 47
• Prakash Books India (P) Limited 5.0/A 44
• Quixot Publications 6.1/E 3
• Reality Premedia Services 4.0/E 99
• Red Ink Literary Agency 6.3/LitAg
• Replika Press (Pvt) Ltd 6.0/A 27
• S Chand & Company Ltd 6.0/A 42
• Scientific International (Pvt) Ltd 4.2/M 28
• Sheth Publishing House 6.1/E 24
• Sterling Pixels Pvt Ltd 4.2/B 82
• Tara Books (Pvt) Ltd 4.1/L 91
• Thomson Digital (A division of Thomson Press (India) Limited) 4.2/B 56
• Thomson Press (India) Ltd. 6.1/E 136
• TNQ Books and Journals Private Limited 4.2/D 91
• Tranistics Data Technologies Pvt Ltd 6.2/D 94
• Transforma Pvt Ltd 4.2/M 62
• Tricolor Books 6.1/D 73
• Wandering Hearts
• Wilco International 6.1/E 99
• Xact Studio International