Running this year from Wed 18-Sun 22 Oct, the Frankfurt Book Fair is the largest and most important trade event for publishers in the print and digital fields alike. For its 75th edition, Creative Wales has assembled 13 participants in a Welsh-specific trade mission, with Buzz among them.
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world’s leading venue for printed and digital content and will be an opportunity for publishing experts to meet with partners from the technology and creative industries such as film and games – to exchange ideas, be inspired, try out new technologies and cultivate contacts.
Latest figures from 2022 data show that the publishing sector in Wales turns over £429m annually, with 965 businesses making up the industry, many of which are micro-operations. Between 2021 and 2022 the sector saw an increase in employment of almost 20%, with a total of 11,000 people in Wales now employed.
Led by Creative Wales with the support of the Books Council Of Wales, 13 publishers and organisations are attending the Frankfurt Book Fair this year – a strong representation from Wales at perhaps the highest-profile event of its type in the world.
The companies attending are:
Atebol
Buzz Publishers
Crown House Publishing Ltd
Firefly Press
Graffeg
Graham Lawler Media & Publishing
Honno Welsh Women’s Press
Lucent Dreaming
Publishing Wales
Seren
University Of Wales Press
Wales Literature Exchange / Literature Across Frontiers
Y Lolfa
Emma Clark, Buzz Publishers
“I’m delighted to represent Buzz on the Creative Wales stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair. To be part of such a high profile event with fellow Welsh publishers championing our sector is a real honour and a boost for Welsh culture showcasing the work we do to a global audience.”
Deputy Minister for Arts & Sport, Dawn Bowden
“I’m delighted that we have such a strong representation from Wales attending this high-profile event. This will be an excellent platform for these Welsh publishers and organisations to showcase and tell the story of the publishing sector in Wales. We might be small but we’re a mighty nation shaped by our people, inspired by our places and alive with creative talent. In looking at the next chapter for the sector, we want to support creative businesses and boost the industry by offering access to a skilled workforce and the best infrastructure, while creating opportunities to access global markets through international trade missions like Frankfurt Book Fair.”
Helgard Krause, Books Council Of Wales chief executive
“We are delighted to join Creative Wales and our partners from the publishing sector at Frankfurt Book Fair, and to help showcase the publishing industry in Wales on an international stage at the largest content fair in the world. Recent years have seen outstanding achievements in the sector in Wales, in both Welsh- and English-language literature and this is a very timely opportunity to promote and celebrate the very best of books and content from and about Wales.”
Penny Thomas, Firefly Press publisher
“To have such a high-profile Wales stand at Frankfurt International Bookfair this year, following the success of the Publishing Wales stand at London Book Fair in the spring, is a fantastic boost for the sector’s international trade aspirations. Wales has many great authors, books and publishers which we are very proud to showcase on the Creative Wales stand.”
Info: Frankfurt Book Fair
