Book Expo America, which last year changed its name to BookExpo, and the New York Rights Fair initiated by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in a collaboration with Fiera Milano and others, announced a joint marketing agreement whereby NYRF will become the official rights trading fair of BookExpo starting when both book fairs will take place 30 May through 1 June this year. The announcement was made on the last day of the London Book Fair by Reed Exhibitions, owners of both LBF and BookExpo, and BolognaFiere, owners of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
For many years, Book Expo America had been struggling to define its position between a literary event for the general public at changing locations and an international rights trading platform. Last year, a repositioning had been attempted by separating the two under the BookCon and BookExpo roofs, respectively. BookExpo was reduced to two professional days with more restricted attendance conditions, while BookCon was not held in parallel but on the two subsequent weekend days. Apparently, the inauguration of the New York Rights Fair, planned to be held in parallel with BookExpo, facilitated the decision to join hands.
The joint marketing agreement will allow BookExpo and NYRF to offer book professionals a single annual gateway to the US publishing market, including better access to US bookstores and more opportunities for rights professionals to embrace cross-media rights developments. Starting this year, NYRF and BookExpo will work seamlessly together as to offer the following to attendees of both the fairs:
- Information for NYRF and BookExpo will be available in the directories and websites of both shows;
- Shuttle buses will be provided between BookExpo and NYRF to enable attendees to easily reach both events;
- NYRF badge holders will have full access to the BookExpo exhibition floor;
- BookExpo attendees with a Rights badge designation will have full access to NYRF;
- On-site staff will assist with information regarding BookExpo and NYRF at both events;
- BookExpo’s Rights Center will move to NYRF and will become BookExpo’s official rights trading tables location. Rights-oriented exhibitors will have the option to move to premium space at the NYRF as well.
In a first comment, Ed Several, senior vice president for Reed Exhibitions’ US business, said, “Over the past year, BookExpo has undergone a reimagination to offer more of the core values that attendees and exhibitors are looking for. We have been presenting this new vision to publishers here at the London Book Fair this week and so it is appropriate that we can announce the exciting new partnership here. We are thrilled to enter into this relationship with the New York Rights Fair and see the joint agreement as an opportunity to better serve the publishing industry.”
