It’s a match! Frankfurter Buchmesse and The Arts + launch new format

For over 500 years, Frankfurter Buchmesse has been the most important marketplace for stories, ideas and content. No other place in the world trades in more creative content. With the founding of The Arts +, Frankfurter Buchmesse created a future-oriented gateway between publishing and the international creative industry (film/TV, art/museums, music, games, etc). The focus of The Arts + is also on trading in Creative Intellectual Property; it showcases innovative content, creative business models and technologies such as AI, VR, AR and XR. Perhaps most importantly, The Arts + is the place where international content professionals form new partnerships and make deals.

It is precisely this same focus that The Arts + now wants to reflect with ‘Pitch your CIP’, by creating a forum for networking.

“In these uncertain times, it’s important that we join forces and develop new opportunities,” explained Katja Böhne, head of marketing and communications at Frankfurter Buchmesse. "Especially now, when existing business routines are interrupted, there is an opportunity to overcome the crisis as a community and to launch consistent business models. Even though it remains unclear what our meeting in the autumn will look like in concrete terms, personal encounters — online as well! — are the lifeblood of Frankfurter Buchmesse.” This is the driving thought behind the idea for “Pitch your CIP”.

Holger Volland, vice-president, Frankfurter Buchmesse and founder of The Arts +, elaborated: “Now is the time to make deals with your Creative Intellectual Property. We want to stoke enthusiasm for creative content and help it expand its reach.”

Participating is easy. Joining the Facebook group ‘Pitch your CIP’ is the first step. The group is aimed at content professionals and businesses that want to (re)market their Creative Intellectual Property and at rights managers, publishing experts, agents, film and games experts, business developers, IT specialists, investors, start-ups, multipliers and influencers. It allows for moderated and guided dialogue between members. Those who wish to pitch creative content themselves can create a short video clip presenting their creative intellectual property and post it personally in the group. The aim is not just to market creative content unilaterally but also to promote professional dialogue between all group members and the development of partnerships.

“Dialogue with the other group members opens up new opportunities for income because new businesses and co-operations can develop. For example, an agent looking for new streaming content might find a fan fiction writer whose story idea is perfect for being adapted for film/TV,” Holger Volland explaind.

Frankfurter Buchmesse and The Arts + already have extensive knowhow regarding successfully pitching book material that’s suitable for screen adaptation. There are numerous event formats at international film festivals.