Upcoming Trade Shows Freiburg, Germany for Entertainment & Media

The entertainment and media industry in Freiburg would not be the same without the presence of International Kulturbörse Freiburg (IKF), Germany’s premier trade fair for stage productions, live music and events. Since its inception in 1989, the IKF has evolved into the largest trade fair in the German-speaking region for live performances. IKF is all about introducing professionals to new talent as a way to exchange ideas. While not a festival per se, artists and ensembles seeking to showcase themselves at the IKF must apply for a live performance slot with expert juries carefully selecting performing artists from the submissions. In order to win the coveted IKF Prize, the Freiburger Leiter, acts rely on the audience to select them by popular vote. Held annually in January, the IKF serves as a cultural mecca, attracting international artists and ensembles from the performing arts, music, and street theater fields to showcase live excerpts from their current programs to a specialized audience. These performances are a significant draw for visitors eager to discover relevant talent, including agents, event professionals, festival organizers and producers. Attendees also engage with media representatives, service providers, and municipal institutions, all excited to explore the latest trends and developments in the cultural sector. In an exciting development for the cultural industry, the International Kulturbörse (IKF) is set to undergo a significant format change in its upcoming edition scheduled for January 2025, skipping its slot in 2024 altogether. The decision to realign IKF comes from Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe, responsible for organizing the trade fair, as a way to reflect the cultural changes within the industry as well as the changing requirements for specialized trade fairs. IKF is gearing up to embrace a new concept that aligns with the industry's future needs, acknowledging the impact of generational change within the cultural sector.