We all need to work towards equality, whether as a company or in society as a whole. When it comes to fair opportunities, treatment and pay, as well as proactive and mutual support, it’s not just about gender differences. These are integral aspects of making our world more diverse and our chances more equal. As Women’s Month comes to an end, we would like to share some thoughts and ideas from our team.
At Spread Group, we see ourselves in a constant learning process, and are fully committed to working towards fairness and equitable treatment company-wide. That’s why this year we have addressed the International Women’s Day motto, “Embrace Equity”, and asked ourselves, what does it actually mean?
#EmbraceEquity – “why equal opportunities are no longer enough”
When talking about gender parity, equality is the top priority. Women’s Day 2023 highlighted that equality and equal distribution of resources does not necessarily mean everyone is on a level playing. Instead, it is important to recognize different backgrounds, experiences, and individual challenges. In particular, women, the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, people with disabilities, and the financially disadvantaged are in need of specific empowerment. This is where justice, or “equity,” comes into play, which recognizes that not everyone has had the same experience or resources. As a result, we must find individual solutions while breaking down individual barriers – this is how fairness and inclusion can be achieved.
Discussion on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – our Women’s Day event on March 8th
At Spread Group we are also committed to deepening our knowledge on equality and learning from each other in the process. To get us underway, we hosted a hybrid event for Spreadsters at our Leipzig headquarters. Business & Family Coach Hulya Kurt kicked things off with a candid keynote presentation on Equity vs. Equality and Unconscious Bias. This was followed by insights into everyday life at the company, with Spreadsters from different areas presenting their own experiences with diversity and inclusion. Positive experiences at Spread Group were discussed, as well as ideas and suggestions for improvements. Fueled by some tasty snacks and drinks, many conversations took place afterwards, where we chatted about what we had heard so far. Overall it was an insightful day, giving us new energy and input as we continue to strive for equality.
Questions for our Spreadsters – What does Equity and Equality mean to you?
Besides the event, we asked various colleagues what equity and equality mean to them, and how they practice it in their daily lives. Colleagues of all genders had their say, with their responses clearly reflecting the diversity of our company. Different experiences and perspectives produced very different takes, and an excerpt of the statements can be seen here:
Ultimately, we can all do our part, but it is primarily a leadership task to create and follow up on structural changes. A task that also occupies Shazmin Hussein, our new Head of Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding. Her vision is to strengthen the influence of female leaders in the company. This requires the right tools “to better navigate the business landscape, develop and leverage talents, and step into roles of greater influence,” says Shazmin. This can enable lasting personal and professional development – because that’s possibly the most significant mandate and lever for companies like ours to practice real equity, equity. Addressing career development opportunities individually – empowering the entire Spread Group team.
Shazmin Hussein, Head of Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding
llumi award 2022 for “Outstanding Collaborator”
User Researcher Jana Schöppe recently attended the Human Insight Summit where she collected the ‘Outstanding Collaborator’ illumni award 2022 on behalf of the whole UX team. A distinguished prize in the industry, the illumi award pays homage to a company that has found innovative ways of creating the ultimate customer experience. With its constantly evolving approach to customer interactions Spread Group managed to win over the panel, despite tough competition.
Backed up by qualitative research methods, the group has championed the prioritization of an enjoyable customer journey over the last 10 years. Simply put, listening to the values and opinions of their customers defines how they go forward. For example, they have expressed a greater desire for sustainable products, leading to a growth of 20% in this area.
“We are very pleased that our work over the past ten years has been recognized with this award. My thanks go to the entire team, especially Christiane, Thomas and Jenny. Without their dedication, we would not have been able to create such an exceptional customer experience, as we just heard from the panel,” said Dave Gorman, Director Customer Experience.
Spread Group’s U.S. production team is moving to a new location in the Mountain West Industrial Park in Las Vegas.
From the suburbs to the big city: Spread Group’s production team, previously based in Henderson, Nevada, will in future be working in the Las Vegas metropolis. The Mountain West Industrial Park, where the new building is located, is being built in the fast-growing southwest of the city. This brings production close to Las Vegas and its excellent infrastructure, which offers many logistical advantages. A total of 4650 square meters of space in a state-of-the-art hall will become the production hub of Spread Group in the west.
Local move, globally supported
Although the move involved a single production facility, it is also an example of the excellent cross-site cooperation within the company. There was a lot of support from the main U.S. site in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where several colleagues assisted the team in Nevada to prepare all Spreadsters for the upcoming move. A new director of production in Las Vegas, Abbie Hills, was also brought on board. Zach Coss, who as Director of Operations oversees both U.S. locations, was responsible for the successful implementation of the move as well as supporting the team during the project. Together with Chief Customer Delivery Officer (CCDO) Hanne Dinkel, who is responsible for the strategic management of the five Spread Group production sites worldwide, he inaugurated the site during an official ceremony.
Opening event at the new location
In the modern lobby, the approximately 40 employees and guests from the headquarters in Leipzig were welcomed to the joint opening ceremony. The highlight was the traditional cutting of the ribbon at the entrance of the production hall. The occasion was used not only to honor the team’s efforts in implementing the project, but also to celebrate the company anniversaries of several U.S. employees who have accompanied the development of production in Nevada since the opening of the site in Henderson 10 years ago. At the end of the official opening, a raffle was held for the team, with great prizes being drawn among the employees. A successful kick-off for production at the new Spread Group location!
About the Las Vegas production facility Location: 7180 West Post Road, Suite 105, Las Vegas Nevada 89113, USA
Area: 4650 m²
Team: approx. 40 employees
Download images
As a grand finale to the “Love Week” campaign, Spreadshirt–Create Your Own sends out around 20,000 love letters to loyal customers.
Spreadshirt – Create Your Own takes customer loyalty to a new level. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, loyal customers will find a personal love letter in their mailboxes. This is how this Spread Group’s brand for individual product design takes up an emotional cause, showing appreciation for the creativity and loyalty of the community. In total, Spreadshirt–Create Your Own is sending out around 20,000 love letters – some of which are handwritten – to German-speaking countries.
”We love building relationships with our customers, and we particularly admire the fresh ideas they keep coming up with to customize our products. Thanks to their creative contributions, Spreadshirt is where it’s at today. This is why we thought of a special thank you to show how much we appreciate their great work. The love letter we’re sending out consists of two sheets of paper – one written by us, and the other a blank sheet for a person dear to the recipient: a partner, family or friends. On both sheets we have printed a voucher worth €10 each, so that they can customize a product made with with love,“ says Sarah Meinelt, Marketing Manager at Spreadshirt–Create Your Own.
The blank letter will offer customers a nice occasion to express their appreciation for others during these testing times when many face-to-face encounters are no longer possible. The love letters will arrive at customers’ homes just a few days before Valentine’s Day. This means that customers can send their own declarations of love by personalizing blank letters for February 14th, 2021. The vouchers printed on both letters are also personalized and can be redeemed for an unlimited period of time.
The “Love Week“ campaign is a call from Spreadshirt–Create Your Own to motivate customers to give expression to their personal love messages.
On the occasion of this year’s Valentine’s Day, Spreadshirt–Create Your Own – the brand for customizied products – will get all lovey-dovey with their cross-media marketing campaign. From February 1st–14th, 2021, Spreadshirt will publish personal love messages from their community on Instagram and Facebook. The campaign’s logo is a red, metal-like balloon heart that will complement each message. During the campaign period, the brand will also showcase creative design ideas for clothing and accessories in its weekly newsletters. Moving image formats such as GIFs are being planned.
“These are testing times, and it’s really important to let our loved ones know how dear they are to us. With our “Show what you love” campaign, we’re providing a creative incentive for the lovers in our community to share creative ideas for customized gifts. And we’ve recorded a short video tutorial to demonstrate how a one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day mug can be created in just under five minutes,” says Heiko Stute, Marketing Manager at Spreadshirt–Create Your Own.
In addition to design ideas, the newsletters will come with attractive discount codes, such as a 50 percent coupon when adding a second T-shirt to an order. This is a great opportunity to e.g. surprise a sweetheart with a customized matching T-shirt. The campaign motto “Show what you love” will host various contests on Instagram, inviting folks to spread the love on social networks.
Spreadshop is motivating Shop Owners through a new opportunity: The Shop Launch Challenge. Now through March 16, 2021, participants will engage in inspiring challenges with an emphasis on community. The contest is for both new and familiar shop owners to reinforce good habits and best practices. Winners will be chosen based on creativity, originality, and adherence to tips and tricks.
Spreadshop‘s first Shop Launch Challenge emphasizes the importance of building community. Weekly prompts encourage challengers to promote their brand and learn how best to use the free tools provided by Spreadshop. Peers and experts then share their work to discuss opportunities and challenges. Throughout the promotion Shop Owners develop strategies and tactics proven to increase sales with feedback from experts and peers. The advertised cash prizes are $2021 (first prize), $500 (runner-up) and $200 (third place). Some winners will also receive content & social media consulting services.
The Shop Launch Challenge offers an accessible way to navigate the complex topic of shop optimization. Interaction between challengers is congenial and fun. According to D.J. Coffman, Content Marketing Strategist and host of The Shop Show on YouTube, this event is an ideal steppingstone for future freelancers. “Many people are stuck at home, out of work, or rethinking their passions. We’ve heard from so many newly energized entrepreneurs that they are ready to get started and stop waiting for “someday”. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that “some day” might never come.”
For ten weeks, participants can join in and tackle the weekly challenges. Each one brings them closer to their goals of running a successful merchandising shop. In February challengers will be invited to take part in a Keynote on Personal Branding Through Merchandise with award winning word-of-mouth marketer, Saul Colt. What’s more, members of the Spreadshop community can expect further strategic input from experts like Katie Love (owner of the social media agency “Love Social Media”), and Daniel Batal, a successful YouTuber and YouTube marketing consultant.
Zum zweiten Mal in Folge lädt der Leipziger Westen zur weihnachtlichen Mustermesse ein. Rund um die Karl-Heine-Straße in Leipzig, dem sogenannten Quartier der Kunst und des Handwerks, sowie online im Netz präsentieren regionale Handwerker*innen, Künstler*innen, Start Ups und klassische Industriebetriebe ihre Produkte, Innovationen und Ideen. Getreu dem Motto #SupportYourLocals unterstützt die Spread Group die diesjährige Messe als lokaler Kooperationspartner und sponsort mehreren Selbstständigen und freien Kreativen der Leipziger Kunst- und Handwerkszene die Ausstellerteilnahme.
Bild von Andreas Matthes (metaorange.de)
Als Unternehmen aus der Nachbarschaft wird die Spread Group außerdem mit einem eigenen T-Shirt-Exponat auf der Mustermesse des Westens vertreten sein. Seit fast 20 Jahren bringt die Spread Group Visionen zum Ausdruck und gibt Initiativen, Kreativen, Unternehmen und Kund*innen eine Plattform, um ihre Ideen auf über 200 personalisierbaren Produkten gestalten, verkaufen und verbreiten zu können. Das Unternehmen ist bereits seit über 15 Jahren im Stadtviertel Plagwitz in Leipzig angesiedelt und von Anfang an eng mit der offenen Kultur und lebendigen Kreativszene des Leipziger Westens verbunden.
“Wir bedauern die Absage der Leipziger Buchmesse und den damit verbundenen Leipzig liest-Veranstaltungen, unterstützen aber die Entscheidung der Messeverantwortlichen und der Stadt Leipzig. Die Gesundheit der Aussteller*innen, Besucher*innen, Mitarbeiter*innen und allen weiteren Beteiligten geht vor.
Wir möchten die Veranstaltung zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt nachholen, da uns das Programm sehr am Herzen liegt und uns die positive Resonanz auf die Sprecher*innen überwältigt hat. Wir werden jetzt zunächst eine Zeit abwarten, wie sich COVID-19 entwickelt und die Situation dann neu bewerten. Wir hoffen, dass wir dann alle Sprecher*innen wieder gewinnen können und melden uns mit einem neuen Terminvorschlag.
Herzliche Grüße vom Spreadshirt-Team und dem Team der Frankfurter Buchmesse”
“Talkin‘ Bout a Revolution: Die revolutionäre Kraft von Kultur und Aktivismus” am 13. März 2020 / Moderation: Nazan Gökdemir / Eintritt frei
Franziska Heinisch hat gemeinsam mit sieben Mitstreiter*innen ein Manifest verfasst: Ihr habt keinen Plan, darum machen wir einen! 10 Bedingungen für die Rettung unserer Zukunft (Blessing, November 2019). Landouma Ipé verfasst und performt als SpokenWord-Künstlerin feministische und antirassistische Lyrik. Fotograf Martin Neuhof zeigt mit seinem Projekt “Herzkampf” Menschen, die sich gegen Rassismus, Homophobie und für eine gerechtere Welt einsetzen. Sophia Tabea Salzberger steht hinter “Fridays For Future” in ihrer Heimatstadt Leipzig. Und Tobias Burdukat ist als Sozialarbeiter bekannt für außergewöhnliche Jugendarbeit in Grimma.
Diese fünf Aktivist*innen sind die Stars der CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION-Talks am Freitag, 13. März 2020, um 19.30 Uhr im Leipzig liest-Programm (Ort: Spreadshirt Zentrale, Gießerstraße 27, 04229 Leipzig). Gemeinsam mit Moderatorin Nazan Gökdemir werden die jungen Speaker*innen aufzeigen, wie und warum sie aktiv geworden sind und wie sie ihre Stimmen, ihre Ideen in das aktuelle Weltgeschehen einbringen.
“Sei mutig, sei laut und zeig, was Du drauf hast – getreu diesem Motto sind wir stolz, Gastgeber der CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION-Talks in Leipzig zu sein. Jeder kann (s)eine Revolution anstoßen und voranbringen. Unsere Talk-Gäste sind inspirierende und authentische Beispiele, die zeigen, wie wichtig es ist, etwas zu tun, egal ob klein, ob groß, ob lokal oder überregional”, sagt Philip Rooke, Spreadshirt-CEO
Die Veranstaltung findet statt im Rahmen von CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION (CYR). Die Initiative der Frankfurter Buchmesse (14.-18. Oktober 2020) – in Kooperation mit THE ARTS+/B3, ARTE, dem Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, Spreadshop und den Vereinten Nationen (UN) – lässt Menschen zu Wort kommen, die etwas verändern wollen, die eine eigene Revolution erschaffen, die erkannt haben, dass sie die Welt durch ihr kreatives Handeln zum Besseren verändern müssen. Doch welche Rolle spielt Kultur im Rahmen dieser Veränderungen, aber auch vor dem Hintergrund globaler politischer und gesellschaftlicher Umbrüche? Was kann Kultur leisten? Und warum ist sie heute wichtiger denn je? Das sind die Kernfragen von CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION.
“Bereits die ersten CYR-Talks auf der Frankfurter Buchmesse 2019 begeisterten mit inspirierenden Persönlichkeiten, die ihre Geschichten von Revolution, Aktivismus und positiver Veränderung mit dem Publikum teilten. Wir freuen uns, dass wir gemeinsam mit unserem Partner Spreadshop auch in Leipzig ein Zeichen für Demokratie und Meinungsfreiheit setzen werden. Und ich bin schon sehr gespannt auf die fünf außergewöhnlichen Aktivist*innen und ihre Ideen von Zukunft”, sagt Juergen Boos, Direktor der Frankfurter Buchmesse.
Franziska Heinisch
ist 20 Jahre alt, studiert Jura in Heidelberg und lebt in Berlin. Bevor sie im Sommer 2018 zum Jugendrat der Generationen Stiftung kam, war sie u.a. im Vorstand der Landesschüler*innenvertretung NRW. Ihr ZEIT-Artikel zum Klimastreik am 29. März 2019 erregte großes Aufsehen. Jetzt ist sie bei der Generationen Stiftung zuständig für Öffentlichkeitsarbeit. Besonders interessiert sie sich für Wirtschaft, soziale Gerechtigkeit und Klimafragen. Gemeinsam mit sieben Mitstreiter*innen hat die Studentin ein Manifest verfasst: Ihr habt keinen Plan, darum machen wir einen! 10 Bedingungen für die Rettung unserer Zukunft.
Landouma Ipé
ist eine politische Aktivistin, SpokenWord-Künstlerin und Schwarze Feministin, deren Lyrik unter anderem den Schrecken von (Alltags)Rassismus in klare Worte fasst. Sie lebt und arbeitet in Leipzig.
1984 in Leipzig geboren, kennt der Fotograf Martin Neuhof den Wert von Freiheit und die Bedeutung von Grenzen. Mit seinem Fotoprojekt Herzkampf (www.herzkampf.de) zeigt der gelernte Mediengestalter seit 2018 Menschen, die sich gegen Rassismus, Homophobie und für eine gerechtere Welt einsetzen, die sich engagieren und kämpfen. Er porträtiert Politiker*innen, Musiker*innen, engagierter Einzelkämpfer*innen uvm. Aktuell ist das Projekt als Newcomer*in des Jahres bei den Goldenen Bloggern 2019 nominiert.
Sophia Tabea Salzberger
war bereits mit 14 Jahren erstmals auf einer No-Legida Demo. Im Dezember 2018 initiierte sie den ersten Schulstreik von „Fridays For Future“ in ihrer Heimatstadt Leipzig und setzt sich seitdem für eine zukunftsfähige Klimapolitik ein. Ebenso engagierte sie sich als Landesvorsitzende der Jugendpresse Sachsen e.V. und war Mitglied des Jugendrats der Generationenstiftung. Mittlerweile macht sie ein Praktikum in der Schöpflin Stiftung, wo sie täglich mit Ideen, Projekten und Initiativen für eine bessere Zukunft in Berührung ist.
Tobias Burdukat
ist Jahrgang 1983, Gewinner der Goldenen Henne und taz-Panterpreisträger. Gemeinsam mit Jugendlichen aus Grimma organisierte er das außergewöhnliche „Dorf der Jugend“. Die Idee des Projekts ist es, eine lebendige, nachhaltige und autarke Struktur der Kultur- und Jugendarbeit für den ländlichen Raum aufzubauen und diese zu etablieren.
Spreadshop ist ein führendes Online-Shopsystem powered by Spreadshirt. Völlig kosten- und risikofrei gestalten die Shopbetreiber Merchandise und verkaufen unter einer eigenen URL. Spreadshop kümmert sich um den Druck auf Bestellung, weltweiten Versand und Kundenservice in 12 Sprachen. Die Shopbetreiber können sich so ganz auf ihre Botschaft konzentrieren und verdienen pro Verkauf eine Provision. Spreadshop unterstützt sie bei ihrer Mission mit Tutorials, Marketingtipps und persönlichem Support. Weltweit gibt es derzeit über 45.000 erfolgreiche Spreadshops zu Themen von Umweltschutz über Lifestyle bis Unterhaltung. Jeder Shop kann individuell angepasst sowie leicht in bestehende Websites integriert werden. Mehr als 130 Produkte stehen zum Gestalten zur Verfügung. Shops sind seit der Unternehmensgründung 2002 ein Kern der Spreadshirt-Idee. Seit 2018 ist Spreadshop als eigene Marke der Spreadshirt-Gruppe aktiv. www.spreadshop.com/de
Über die Frankfurter Buchmesse
Die Frankfurter Buchmesse ist mit über 7.450 Ausstellern aus 104 Ländern, mehr als 300.000 Besuchern, über 4.000 Veranstaltungen und rund 10.000 akkreditierten Journalisten und Bloggern die größte Fachmesse für das internationale Publishing. Darüber hinaus ist sie ein branchenübergreifender Treffpunkt für Player aus den Bereichen Bildung, Filmwirtschaft, Games, Wissenschaft und Fachinformation. Einen inhaltlichen Schwerpunkt bildet seit 1976 der jährlich wechselnde Ehrengast, der dem Messepublikum auf vielfältige Weise seinen Buchmarkt, seine Literatur und Kultur präsentiert. Die Frankfurter Buchmesse organisiert die Beteiligung deutscher Verlage an rund 20 internationalen Buchmessen und veranstaltet ganzjährig Fachveranstaltungen in den wichtigen internationalen Märkten. Die Frankfurter Buchmesse ist ein Tochterunternehmen des Börsenvereins des Deutschen Buchhandels. https://www.buchmesse.de/
Fotohinweis: Das Copyright der verwendeten Fotos in dieser Meldung liegt bei Marco Pultke, Martin Neuhof und Anne-Christin Tannhäuser.
Informationsveranstaltung und Praxis-Schaufenster für IT-Studenten und -Absolventen
Mit der Veranstaltung Open IT lädt Spreadshirt zum zehnten Mal Studierende und Absolventen der Informatik ein, die technologischen Facetten und den Alltag einer führenden E-Commerce-Plattform kennen zu lernen. Dafür öffnet das Leipziger Unternehmen am 7. November zwischen 13 und 19 Uhr die Türen seiner Firmenzentrale im Stadtteil Plagwitz. Ab 19 Uhr gibt es Gelegenheit zum lockeren Netzwerken. Anmelden können sich Interessierte bis zum 1. November unter openit@spreadshirt.net.
„Spreadshirt ist als Arbeitgeber bei Informatik-Absolventen bekannt und beliebt. Allerdings stellen wir immer wieder fest, dass Studenten und Berufsanfänger nur vage Vorstellungen davon haben, was sie im Job erwartet. Das Studium der Informatik vermittelt viele Grundlagen, jedoch mangelt es oft an Praxisbezügen. Mit Open IT beantworten wir viele Fragen und vermitteln ein realistisches Bild vom Arbeitsalltag eines IT-Mitarbeiters“, erläutert Guido Laures, CTO (Chief Technology Officer) bei Spreadshirt.
Einblick in Strukturen
Zeit für viele Fragen
Fachsimpeln mit zukünftigen Kollegen
Die Teilnehmer lernen Entwickler, Architekten und Administratoren kennen, erhalten Einblick in deren Arbeitsalltag und in die verschiedenen IT-Berufsbilder bei Spreadshirt. In Vorträgen werden Fragen rund um Softwarearchitektur, Entwicklungsprozesse und verwendete Technologien beantwortet. Außerdem erfahren die Teilnehmer mehr über die technischen Prozesse und Algorithmen, die unsichtbar im Hintergrund ablaufen, wenn Kunden und Partner T-Shirts und andere Produkte bei Spreadshirt verkaufen, kaufen oder gestalten. Und weil sich bei Spreadshirt letztendlich alles um T-Shirts dreht, darf jeder Teilnehmer ein selbst gestaltetes T-Shirt mit nach Hause nehmen.
Eckdaten:
Termin: 7. November 2019, 13 – 19 Uhr (plus lockeres Networking ab 19 Uhr)
CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION Talks inspires the audience with stories of revolution, activism and positive change
While the UK is planning its withdrawal from the European Union, Germany is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The 71st Frankfurter Buchmesse (16-20 October 2019) is taking place against the background of global political and social upheavals worldwide. What role does culture play in dynamic times like these? And why is culture more important than ever, given the current situation of global warming and unstable world politics? These are the core topics of CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION (CYR), the campaign by Frankfurter Buchmesse in cooperation with the United Nations (UN), ARTE, the German Publishers & Booksellers Association, THE ARTS+/B3 and Spreadshop. These topics were also the focus of the CYR Talks taking place at Frankfurter Buchmesse on October 16th.
Spreadshirt CEO Philip Rooke talked about empowering activists to express themselves with Spreadshop.
“The CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION Talks was a fantastic evening with extraordinary talks from around the world”, is John Kampfner’s summary. The former Chief Executive of the Creative Industries Federation and TV-Journalist Nazan Gökdemir moderated the event which celebrated freedom of expression, creative change and a better world. During the three-hour event, cultural activists from all over the world inspired the audience with personal stories and ideas for the future of democracy and culture. Phyllis Omido, Environmental activist and Founder of The Center for Justice, Governance, and Environmental Action, called on the audience for worldwide support for one another: “We share a planet and whatever happens in Africa has an impact in Europe – let’s support each other.” But the evening not solely presented outstanding fighters for worldwide change passionately discussing their ideas, the event also included expressive performances. Corey Scott-Gilbert showed an extract of Sasha Waltz’ dance performance “Creature”. A summary of the highlights of the event will be available from 23 October in the ARTE Mediathek (arte.tv/buchmesse).
What’s next? The commitment of the CYR partners
The CYR campaign is supported by the United Nations (UN), ARTE, the German Publishers & Booksellers Association, THE ARTS+/B3 and Spreadshop.
For the United Nations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of their commitment. Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, said about the role of culture related to the SDGs: “Culture can be so much more than entertainment; it can be a force for good. Art and literature can change attitudes, stimulate imagination and inspire positive change.” The UN offers a special programme at THE ARTS+ Stage (Hall 4.1) on Saturday, 19 October 2019, from 10 am to 12 pm: the SDG Media Zone giving a stage to the people driving change, progress and debate on the most pressing issues of our time. Memory Banda, Head of Malawi’s Girls Empowerment Network (GENET), will speak about “Equality for Girls in Malawi”. Memory Banda is an advocate, a feminist, and a fierce campaigner on education and against child marriages. Further guests include Diane Drubay, Founder of We Are Museums, Dr Peter Kurz, Mayor of Mannheim and Chairman of the Global Parliament of Mayors, and Marcin Krupa, Mayor of Katowice. The SDG Media Zone will be moderated by Sherri Aldis, Chief of United Nations Publications, and Arne Molfenter, Head of Liason Office, UN Regional Information Centre for Western Europe.
In preparation for Frankfurter Buchmesse, broadcasting station ARTE already brought together people who want to make a difference. Personalities from culture and politics who have recognised that their creative actions can change the world for the better. In video parleys (available here: arte.tv/buchmesse), climate activist Luisa Neubauer and pianist Igor Levit, as well as artist Ai Weiwei talk about how and why they became active and share their ideas about current world affairs. For Ai Weiwei one thing is certain: “Life is about making a difference”. In the video clip he talks about the power of culture and the importance of art in times of change.
The German Publishers & Booksellers Association is also involved in CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION. Its Managing Director Alexander Skipis says: “Writers and artists can make a significant contribution to politics and society. It is the industry’s responsibility to raise our voices when politics ignore violations of human rights to achieve economic or political advantages. We must interfere more, especially in a time of ‘simple truths’!At the beginning of October, the event ‘Who cares about values? The relevance of culture in political decisions’ with writer Jagoda Marinić took place. On 17 October 2019 at 1.30 pm, the Börsenverein and partners are organising a vigil for freedom of expression on the fairground, at the Agora. With this event, we call for solidarity with the Swedish Hong Kong author, publisher and bookseller Gui Minhai, who has been imprisoned since 2015, and for a sign of freedom of expression in Hong Kong and worldwide – with open umbrellas, the symbol of the Hong Kong freedom movement.”
Spreadshop supports the campaign by making it possible for people who change the world to also show visually what they stand for. With Spreadshirt’s online shop system, activists can show what moves them – on clothing and accessories with individual prints. Spreadshop has already equipped the CYR team with merchandise products, helped setting up the official CYR-Spreadshop (shop.spreadshirt.net/createyourrevolution) and will print T-Shirts live at the Frankfurter Buchmesse (in Hall 4.1) in order to make the creative revolution visible and to express it on-person. “There are thousands and thousands of activists, writers and thought leaders with great ideas that readers, followers or fans love. We want to encourage them to take those ideas into the physical world and allow their followers to express their love of those ideas on-person with merchandising”, says Philip Rooke, CEO of Spreadshirt, explaining the company’s support of the CYR campaign.
THE ARTS+/B3 is connected with the CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION campaign via the “Future of Culture” issue. The festival has not only promoted the campaign in a communicative way, but central events of the campaign are taking place in the THE ARTS+/B3 area in Hall 4.1.
CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION – INITIATIVE FOR THE FUTURE OF CULTURE will also be continued after the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2019. ARTE will broadcast further CYR video clips: Milo Rau and Andrea Venzon as well as Lady Bitch Ray and Hanns Zischler will come together for further video recordings. And there will be events and collaborations on topics such as activism, language, living with machines, trust, the future, identity, sustainability and education. Further information at www.cyr.world #CREATEYOURREVOLUTION
About Frankfurter Buchmesse
Frankfurter Buchmesse is the international publishing industry’s biggest trade fair – with over 7,500 exhibitors from 109 countries, around 285,000 visitors, over 4,000 events and some 10,000 accredited journalists and bloggers in attendance. It is the most important international marketplace for content – from novels and children’s books to academic databases and stories for films, games and virtual reality experiences. Publishing professionals from around the world meet here with partners from the technology sector and from related creative and cultural industries, sparking new partnerships and business models. A strong conference programme ensures that Frankfurter Buchmesse is a major source of inspiration for content experts from around the world. Since 1976, the book fair has featured an annual Guest of Honour country, which showcases its book market, literature and culture to attendees in a variety of ways. Frankfurter Buchmesse organises the participation of German publishers at around 20 international book fairs and hosts trade events throughout the year in major international markets. Frankfurter Buchmesse is a subsidiary of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers & Booksellers Association). https://www.buchmesse.de/en
About the Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs, including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and environmental protection. www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment
About ARTE
In 1992, the European TV channel ARTE went on air with the mission of promoting understanding and rapprochement between Europeans through a programme reflecting Europe’s cultural richness and diversity. It was launched in two languages, German and French. Today, thanks to its consistent digital strategy, the ARTE programme is available in six languages. 70% of Europeans receive ARTE in their native language. 85% of the programme is co-produced in Europe. As a public service broadcaster, ARTE is financed by the broadcasting contribution in Germany and France. There is no advertising, but through sponsoring for example, the station also has its own revenues. www.arte.tv
About Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels
Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (the German Publishers and Booksellers Association) represents the interests of Germany’s book industry in the political and public spheres. It was founded in Leipzig in 1825 and currently has roughly 4,500 members, which include booksellers, publishers, wholesalers and other media companies. As both a trade association and a cultural organisation, the Börsenverein works to promote books and reading whilst also fostering fair copyright laws and the preservation of Germany’s policy of fixed book prices. It also seeks to promote cultural diversity and uphold the right to freedom of expression. Börsenverein runs the annual Frankfurt Book Fair and awards the annual Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the German Book Prize and the German Non-Fiction Prize. The association also supports its members in the development of innovation and new business models. www.boersenverein.de
About Spreadshop
Spreadshop is a leading global online shop system powered by Spreadshirt. Shop Owners can create and sell their own merchandise to a worldwide audience with a hassle-free, risk free online Shop. Every Shop has its own URL and can be customized to fit their brand. While the users focus on spreading their message through 130+ customizable products, each sale earns them a commission. Spreadshop does the heavy lifting: from on-demand production and worldwide shipping to customer service in 12 languages. Spreadshop’s professional support team offers personal assistance, video tutorials and marketing hacks. Spreadshirt’s founders had a vision in 2002: Free online shops for everybody! Today, more than 45,000 brands, activists, and designers run successful merch businesses through Spreadshop. www.spreadshop.com
About THE ARTS+/B3
THE ARTS+ Future of Culture Festival, which takes place every year as part of Frankfurter Buchmesse, revolves around the future of the creative and cultural industry: An international showroom of the future, it brings together creative minds and pioneers of the digital ecosystem, with inspiring keynotes by national and international speakers as well as exceptional performances. In 2019, THE ARTS+ entered into a unique partnership with the B3 Biennale des bewegten Bildes (B3 Biennial of the Moving Image), an event organized by the Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach (Offenbach University of Art and Design). Significant parts of the B3 programme dovetail with the successful festival and, amongst other things, the biennial will present its renowned flagship exhibition in the middle of THE ARTS+ area in Hall 4.1. In addition, the area is the heart of CREATE YOUR REVOLUTION, this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse campaign dedicated to the importance and future of culture. www.theartsplus.com
