Messe Frankfurt recently sent out the following press release. While it’s admirable that the organization is seeking new ways to keep the annual gathering afloat, what the news amounts to is that Musikmesse will now be a consumer show and not a trade-only event. Interesting…:
Messe Frankfurt will continue to hold Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt am Main. Every April, well over 100,000 people from all over the world visit the two fairs. Together, Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound form the world’s biggest market place for musical instruments and sheet music, as well as event technology and integrated systems. However, the market for musical instruments has become more difficult due, inter alia, to changed leisure-time activities and declining purchasing power. To take account of this, Messe Frankfurt has been working for some time on a new concept designed to ensure the future of Musikmesse.
“A strong organiser is essential for Musikmesse, especially in a challenging environment. Therefore, we will invest more than ever before in the development of the fair”, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt. A new concept for the fair has been produced in close cooperation with exhibitors and partners from the sector, and will be implemented at the earliest possible stage, 2016. “The feedback has strengthened our resolve to stick with both Frankfurt as the venue and the spring-time dates. At the same time, we will strengthen both international aspects and the programme and portfolio for musicians and music lovers”, said Braun. Thus, Messe Frankfurt confirms unequivocally its role as organiser. “The sector needs an independent, financially strong and internationally experienced organiser who can guarantee that Musikmesse will take place”, adds Braun.
Musikmesse 2016: more peace for business and opening to private visitors on all days
From next year, Musikmesse will be a vibrant musical experience for all exhibitors and visitors. The new concept focuses equally on strengthening the contact-making process between trade and industry and on the completely new contact areas between manufacturers and consumers.
To appeal to music lovers of all age groups, Musikmesse will open its doors to consumers on all days and present the entire spectrum of musical instruments and associated services in three worlds of music from ‘Classic meets Jazz’, via ‘Rock meets Pop’, to ‘Electro meets Recording’. In each of these sections, there will be a special area with stages for music by top acts, restaurants with musical themes, a lounge for meeting with stars and celebrities from the business and a knowledge platform for exchanging information and obtaining expert advice. Moreover, private visitors will have numerous opportunities for handling and testing instruments on the exhibition stands. “The new concept will enable consumers to experience music with all their senses. And, in this way, we are also making a significant contribution to the promotion of active music making”, says Stephan Kurzawski, Senior Vice President, Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH. “Additionally, we are creating new contact opportunities for the industry, as it called on us to do.”
Despite opening the fair to private visitors, the trade-fair focus will remain. Thanks to an exclusive business hall with access for members of the trade only, trade visitors and exhibitors will have more room and contact areas for undisturbed business discussions. The organisers aim to further strengthen the business character of the fair with activities for making new contacts, as well as attractive training opportunities and benefits programmes for trade visitors.
To implement the new concept, Musikmesse will move to the western section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre next year and occupy five levels in Halls 8, 9 and 11.
Prolight + Sound 2016: growth oriented
The leading international trade fair for event technology and integrated systems has benefited from the positive development of the event-technology sector. Numerous product extensions in recent years have created a potential for growth that the organisers must make space for. Accordingly, Prolight + Sound will move to the eastern section of Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre from next year and occupy Halls 1, 3, 4 and 5, as well as the Congress Centre and outdoor exhibition areas. “We are acting from a position of strength and want to expand Prolight + Sound hand-in-hand with the sector and for the sector. To this end, we need more space, which the eastern section of the Exhibition Centre offers”, says Stephan Kurzawski. Six exhibition halls, two outdoor arenas, a new indoor arena and an even bigger area of outdoor exhibition space will make visiting this unique event a more positive experience for trade visitors than ever before.
New sequence of days focusing on both private and trade visitors
To strengthen the new consumer components of Musikmesse and the trade-visitor focus of Prolight + Sound, as well as to retain the important synergistic effects of both events, the sequences of days on which the fairs are held will change from 2016.
Prolight + Sound begins on Tuesday and ends on Friday.
Musikmesse begins on Thursday and, in the interests of private visitors, ends on Sunday. The hours of opening are also changing with the fairs opening from 10.00 to 19.00 hrs on all days.
The next Prolight + Sound will be held from 5 to 8 April 2016.
The next Musikmesse will take place from 7 to 10 April 2016.
