The 2017 Frankfurt Fellows. Image: Frankfurter Buchmesse, Nurettin Çiçek
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
In 20 Years, 330 Fellows From 59 Countries
Frankfurter Buchmesse has opened applications today (March 22) for its two-week Frankfurt Fellowship program, now in its 20th year.
Designed as a professional education and networking experience in the international publishing industry, the program is focused on young professionals and creates opportunities for them to visit German publishing houses and bookstores ahead of the book fair (October 10-14) and to acquire business friendships with each other and with counterparts in the German publishing market.
There are slots for sixteen fellows in the program, and the deadline for application this year is April 30. Interested publishers, editors, agents, and rights managers are encouraged to apply.
Fellowship programming will begin on September 30 with meetings, tours, and networking events in three German cities’ publishing communities, and the program will then include, of course, the Fellows’ attendance at Frankfurter Buchmesse.
Applicants, who should have a good command of English, can find more information and the application form here. Three letters of recommendation from international business associates are required, as is such a letter from an applicant’s publishing house management.
For a second year, one of the fellowship’s participants will receive funding as a Fred Kobrak Frankfurt Fellow. Established by Kobrak’s family last year in memory of Fred Kobrak—a dedicated and long-serving player in the international publishing industry who passed away in December 2016—the fund covers the travel and accommodation costs for one Frankfurt Fellow each year for 10 years. Kobrak attended the Frankfurter Buchmesse for 56 consecutive years. Through this fund, his family wants to help young publishing professionals participate in the Frankfurter Buchmesse.
To date, the program has had more than 330 participants from 59 countries.
How to Apply for the Frankfurter Buchmesse Fellowship
Read the application requirements and download the application form. Completed applications should be sent to each applicant’s regional Frankfurter Buchmesse office, as follows:
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka:
German Book Office (GBO) New Delhi
Ms Prashasti Rastogi, rastogi@newdelhi.gbo.org
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan:
Book Information Centre (BIZ) Beijing
Ms Yingxing Gong, gong@biz-beijing.org
Russia:
Book Information Centre (BIZ) Moscow
Ms Anastasia Milekhina, milekhina@biz-moskau.org
USA, English-speaking Canada:
Frankfurt Book Fair New York Inc.
Ms Michelle Claussen, Claussen@book-fair.com
Other countries:
Frankfurter Buchmesse GmbH, Frankfurt
Ms Niki Théron, theron@book-fair.com
In a prepared statement, Bärbel Becker, director international projects at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, is quoted, saying, “A strong international network is essential in our industry.
“The program allows young professionals to increase their knowledge about foreign publishing markets and often results in long-lasting business contacts and friendships across the world.”
More of Publishing Perspectives’ coverage of the Frankfurt Fellows program is here.