h+h cologne is taking place earlier this year. Tell us what we need to know. Yes, we’re taking place a little earlier than usual, but besides that, trade visitors can expect a new iteration of h+h cologne that they’re used to. Actually, an even better one. That’s because we not only get to see many industry leaders back in Cologne but we’ve also expanded our event program. That goes from an improved version of what’s going to happen on our stage up to two new zones – the Green Zone and Trend Zone – as well as an increased number of startups and new concepts in our Easy Entry Zone compared to 2024. So, we’re taking big steps into the future to not only create a unique experience for all exhibitors, but also all trade visitors. Especially those with a local retail shop. The show proudly supports Local Retail, tell us more... This year’s key theme is called, Local Retail: Creating the Future. What we want to achieve with this is to strengthen the local retail shops we all love, and which are endangered by the online competition and the ever faster going digital progress. We identified three topics, or you could call them pillars, on which we build all of this year’s event programme. These three topics are: ‘trends & innovation’, ‘marketing & technology’ as well as ‘business development & sustainability’. To create the biggest impact for our trade visitors, we’ve invited a range of experts to talk on our stage. All of them have years of experience in their own respective field and are professionals for specific topics. Having the chance to get first-hand knowledge is incredibly valuable. And the best part is, all the masterclasses and panels that are taking place in our Talk Zone as well as all workshops in our Creative Zone are free of charge for our visitors. We really want to use h+h cologne as a platform for the handicraft industry to connect and grow. Are there any talks, workshops, or demos at this year’s event? Just like last year, our event programme is split into different so-called Zones. In our Talk Zone we’re going to host multiple masterclasses, panels, talks and lectures. Our Creative Zone is the place for everyone who wants to get creative. In guided workshops, trade visitors have the chance to learn new techniques and connect with like-minded people. Lastly, there’s the Academy Zone. You can imagine this Zone like a place for deep dive workshops where a topic that was discussed on the Talk Zone’s stage earlier gets intensified. This is where detailed aspects of different topics are presented and elaborated. In this Zone there’s only limited space for participants, who need to buy their ticket beforehand. I’d like to give a few examples on different topics people can get excited about. For example, there’s a talk on 7th March called, Social media & meaningful CREATIVE IN COLOGNE Katrin Schön, Director of h+h cologne talks to Craft Focus about the upcoming show, taking place this March 26
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