Publishers Weekly, and book marketing and promotion resource Combined Book Exhibit have partnered with BolognaFiere S.p.A., the leading European exhibition organizer, to launch the New York Rights Fair. The fair will be the first trade and licensing show in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to the international rights, distribution and licensing of content, both adult and children’s.
The inaugural New York Rights Fair is scheduled for May 30 – June 1, 2018, and will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion in midtown Manhattan. The fair will offer a unique venue for U.S. publishers and agents across adult and children’s markets to network with their global counterparts in the publishing capital of the world. The three-day fair will cover rights sales negotiation and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film, and digital channels.
“There is no more essential content marketplace than New York. The U.S. market can be extremely challenging for international publishers to navigate. A trade show dedicated to both adult and children’s rights and licensing, in an intimate setting, will enhance the current landscape of fairs focused on the global rights market,” said George Slowik, Jr., CEO, Publishers Weekly. Slowik added, “We anticipate that the New York Rights Fair will draw a broad international crowd to the U.S. and believe it is the perfect synergistic fair with BookExpo for people in the rights business.”
With the U.S. market offering lucrative licensing opportunities through the entertainment industry, there has already been strong interest from the international community, after plans for the fair were announced last month. With enthusiasm expressed by exhibitors from China to Catalonia, Sharjah and Italy itself for the first New York Rights Fair, BolognaFiere expects to fill the 20,000 square feet event space at the Metropolitan Pavilion.
“BolognaFiere has had a long and fruitful experience in the organization of numerous international trade shows in many different countries,” said Franco Boni, president of BolognaFiere. “This new venture is the natural progression of our 54-year-long history from one of our main events – the Bologna Children’s Book Fair – and the meaningful network that we have established throughout these five decades with the global and professional book community. We are very proud to launch this new show, bringing the flair of Bologna to New York and thereby creating a premium rights marketplace for adult and kids’ content today.”
Bologna Mayor Virginio Merola who will be in New York for BookExpo and to celebrate the U.S. announcement of the New York Rights Fair added,“Once again Bologna’s important and international perspective as a city is confirmed by this landmark announcement by BolognaFiere.” “The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is an event that has set Bologna as a benchmark for the culture sector over the years, now celebrates with this new venture, our closer relationship with New York, and it represents a new opportunity to introduce to the world the great qualities of our beautiful city.”
Publishers Weekly is building on a long-standing relationship with BolognaFiere, which includes cosponsoring Global Kids Connect. The third annual conference takes place on December 4, 2017 and will then move into the New York Rights Fair in 2018.
New York Rights Fair also intends to launch a number of cultural events around the fair to help promote international titles in the U.S. market. The events will celebrate the artistry, creativity, and innovation of the world’s publishing community, creating a global village that will inspire, educate, and connect the international media world.
Registration for the New York Rights Fair will open on May 31, 2017 when the website goes live, www.newyorkrightsfair.co
About BolognaFiere S.p.A.
BolognaFiere S.p.A. (BF) is a leading European exhibition organizer with over 75 events. As a world leader in trade shows across a number of different sectors – including art, children’s publishing, cosmetics, construction, and design – BF has developed a cutting-edge portfolio of international exhibitions in key Russian, North America, and Asia marketing, including China with 8 exhibitions already established.
About Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly is the international news platform of the book publishing industry. Founded in 1872, the magazine boasts a strong social media following; publishes nine e-newsletters, BookLife (a monthly supplement), two blogs, a mobile edition, digital editions and apps; and features a thriving website that reaches 1 million unique visitors per month. Publishers Weekly is the lead sponsor or presenter of several conferences, including Global Kids Connect, with BCBF and BolognaFiere; PubTech Connect, with NYU School of Professional Services Center for Publishing; and PW Star Watch, with the Frankfurt Book Fair.
About Combined Book Exhibit
Founded in 1933, Combined Book Exhibit (CBE) is a book marketing resource that showcases published books at trade shows and book fairs internationally on behalf of publishers and authors. With its sister company, The American Collective Stand, it also organizes the USA Pavilion at every major International book fair, helping publishers and agents enter new markets easily. With Publishers Weekly, CBE runs PubMatch, a complete online rights toolkit for publishers, agents, and authors. It is a worldwide community for the publishing industry that encourages the creation of business relationships and the worldwide spreading of ideas.
