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In October, books, literature and authors are traditionally the focus of life in Frankfurt. To ensure that remains the case in the year of COVID-19, Frankfurter Buchmesse (14–18 October 2020) has developed a wide-ranging digital programme to complement the face-to-face meetings that will take place on the fairgrounds and at the many events in the city. The digital programme of Frankfurter Buchmesse 2020 will be co-created by publishers and will be accessible by trade visitors and literature fans all around the world. The digital events and services of Frankfurter Buchmesse 2020 will be available free of charge as a result of the funding provided by Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Minister of State Monika Grütters.

Frankfurter Buchmesse's website www.buchmesse.de will be the platform on which all digital formats - for both trade visitors and culture lovers - will be made available. During the book fair week (12-18 October 2020), a huge digital event will be taking place on that site, on the fair's social media channels and on numerous partner channels under the hashtag #fbm20. All events will be listed in the online calendar of events at www.buchmesse.de. Companies can create a digital presence on the book fair's website in the online Exhibitor Catalogue, the Calendar of Events and on special theme pages for both trade visitors and culture fans. Also, publishers are invited to submit ideas for digital events for BOOKFEST digital. They will also be given access to a rights trading platform and a matchmaking tool. The professionals' programme includes digital conferences and further digital events during the book fair week, which will also be made available at www.buchmesse.de.

From mid-August on, companies and trade visitors can register for participation in the digital formats of the fair, using an online form at www.buchmesse.de. The Call for Ideas for BOOKFEST digital is already underway and will end on July 15, 2020. From September on, culture and literature fans can find out about the programme in the calendar of events at www.buchmesse.de.

All trade visitors will be able to access the platform as of mid-September and will be able to use it for free for nine months thanks to the funding by Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

The core of the curated, digital offerings for trade visitors at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2020 will be a digital conference programme. The new Frankfurt Conference will offer discussions, Q&A sessions and brief presentations with international experts in the areas Academic & Scholarly, Rights & Licensing, Publishing Insights, and Audio on four days. Publishing professionals from these fields can attend the events to expand their knowledge and make new contacts. The digital conference format is the result of Frankfurter Buchmesse’s successful experience with the Frankfurt Audio Summit and the Frankfurt Rights Meeting. Additional information on the speakers, programme and how to register as an active participant will be released shortly.

In addition to the conference programme, additional digital events during the fair will offer publishing professionals worldwide the opportunity to expand their knowledge and dialogue with each other. Frankfurter Buchmesse’s thematic areas – THE ARTS+, Frankfurt Audio, Frankfurt Kids, Frankfurt Academic, Frankfurt Authors and Frankfurt EDU – are organising digital talks and curated networking sessions for international trade visitors.

Another digital service being offered by the book fair is a matchmaking tool that can be used on a desktop or mobile to find and contact new business partners. Trade visitors can register to use the app free of charge as of mid-September. Users receive recommendations for finding new contacts based on information they have provided about themselves. The application also makes it possible to search by professional area and region. Users can even get in touch with prospective partners directly through the matchmaking tool.

Frankfurter Buchmesse offers publishers and partners the opportunity to present a digital corporate profile online. The features available in the fair’s online Exhibitor Catalogue have been expanded accordingly. In addition to conventional information, it is possible for businesses and partners to include images, documents and video content in their profiles, giving literature lovers and business prospects an even more detailed picture of what they do. Exhibitors can also use www.buchmesse.de to present themselves on thematic webpages, addressing either trade visitors or literature lovers. These services are being offered free of charge not only to exhibitors physically present at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2020, but also to businesses and partners participating in the digital book fair.

Publishers and partners who would like to be part of this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse Special Edition by organising their own (digital) events can include them in the fair’s online Calendar of Events. They can even create a link to their events, regardless of whether they will take place live or online.

It is currently expected that users will be able to enter their information in the exhibitor catalogue and events calendar as of mid-August. The curated spots on the theme pages can be booked free of charge from around the beginning of August.

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