Artificial intelligence, machine learning and virtual reality: THE ARTS+ and Publishers’ Forum give thematic impulses for more innovation in publishing

Entitled "Going Full Circle", the Publishers' Forum 2019 is concerned above all with the strategic conflict in publishing: Risk diversifying more, or concentrate on the core business? The Publishers' Forum aims to focus on the pressure to make decisions, paradoxical demands and disputed options in the content business, and to look beyond the limits of the traditional publishing industry and book trade to other relevant industries.

"This wish to look beyond the publishing industry was just the right link for us to pursue a programmatic partnership with the Publishers' Forum. After all, for three years, with THE ARTS+ – our festival dedicated to the future of the creative and cultural industries – we’ve been bringing together the innovative minds and pioneers of the new, digital ecosystem, from all sides of the creative sector, and shedding light on topics such as AI and VR", explains Holger Volland, Founder of THE ARTS+ and Vice President of Frankfurter Buchmesse.

NOT ALONE – HOW INNOVATION IN PUBLISHING IS INFLUENCED BY OTHER CREATIVE SECTORS is the theme of the programmatic collaboration between the two partners. The aim is to focus together on how artificial intelligence, machine learning and virtual reality are changing the creative industries as a whole and thus also books and publishing. Based on outstanding case studies, the Publishers' Forum on 9 and 10 May 2019 will present and debate the innovative power of these technological impulses.

"We are delighted that, with the Frankfurter Buchmesse, we have gained a partner with international experience, who, with THE ARTS+, has been showing for several years now how publishing and the creative industries can cross-pollinate", says Rüdiger Wischenbart, who is responsible for the Publishers" Forum programme and initiated the partnership. The programme for next year’s Publishers' Forum will be published in early 2019. For more information see www.publishersforum.de

About the Publishers' Forum
Over the last few years, the Publishers' Forum, which will be held for the 16th time in 2019, has developed into an international stand-out industry event with more than 250 participants from publishing houses (decision-makers from all branches of the publishing business, from trade book and educational publishers to scientific publishing houses), and service providers. The event offers a top-class, specialist program with hands-on workshops and seminars which communicate concepts and experiences in order to provide workable solutions to the challenges which have arisen as a result of digitization. In 2013, the Publishers' Forum celebrated its 10th anniversary. In 2015, the company “The Publishers' Forum GmbH” was established, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Klopotek, the leading international supplier of publishing software. www.publishersforum.de

About THE ARTS+
THE ARTS+ – with the subheading “Future of Culture Festival” – is a festival held during the Frankfurter Buchmesse dedicated to the future of the creative and cultural industries. THE ARTS+ sees itself as a link between cultural worlds and aims to create networks and synergies. It focuses on financial associations, the economic present and the future of the creative industries. The aim is to create a new order and, with it, a new framework – financial and political, but also in terms of how the sector conceives of and justifies itself. THE ARTS+ is organised as part of ALDUS (the network of European Book Fairs) and is co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union. www.theartsplus.com

About the Frankfurter Buchmesse
The Frankfurter Buchmesse is the international publishing industry’s biggest trade fair – with over 7,300 exhibitors from 102 countries, around 286,000 visitors, over 4,000 events and some 10,000 accredited journalists and bloggers in attendance. It also brings together key players from the fields of education, film, games, STM, academic publishing, and business information. Since 1976, the book fair has featured an annual Guest of Honour country, which showcases its book market, literature and culture to attendees in a variety of ways. The Frankfurter Buchmesse organises the participation of German publishers at around 20 international book fairs and hosts trade events throughout the year in major international markets. Access to the Business Club, with its premium services, networking events, and conferences, such as THE MARKETS, is available exclusively with a Business Ticket – the premium option for B2B visitors. THE ARTS+ was launched in 2016 as a fair, business festival and international meeting place for the culture and creative industries. It aims to exploit the potential of digitalisation for creative content and to develop new business areas. Frankfurt EDU, the international education platform of the Frankfurter Buchmesse, presents innovative concepts, content and technologies for the future of learning. Campus Weekend at the Frankfurter Buchmesse is dedicated to university students. The Frankfurter Buchmesse is a subsidiary of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers & Booksellers Association). https://www.buchmesse.de/en

Contact for the media:
Press & Corporate Communications, Frankfurter Buchmesse

Katja Böhne, Vice President Marketing & Communications, Phone: +49 (0) 69 2102-138, press@book-fair.com
Kathrin Grün, Director Communications, Phone: +49 (0) 69 2102-170, gruen@book-fair.com
Tina Pfeifer, PR Manager, Phone: +49 (0) 69 2102-271, pfeifer@book-fair.com