Line-up announced for Future Now, Publishing Ireland’s annual conference in November
Future Now is an apt name for Publishing Ireland’s upcoming annual conference, as for many it feels like the future is already here, with AI growing exponentially, the demands and challenges of sustainability on the doorstep, and new European legislation on accessibility that has raised questions about practicalities and parameters from publishing professionals across the island.
On Friday, 8 November at the Printworks in Dublin Castle experts from across the book industry will jump into these issues and more, with a programme designed to shed light on difficulties, open up discussion, provide crucial information and offer a chance for everyone attending to mix and share knowledge and opportunities.
The day will open with an address from Publishing Ireland’s new President, Peter McKay, followed by Gráinne O’Toole of the mighty Skein Press, with an important talk on EDI.
Recent legislation on accessibility—both the moral imperatives and the practical implications—will be the focus of an Accessibility Panel, which will feature Simon Mellins, co-founder of PAAG, Stacy Scott, Accessibilty Lead at Taylor and Francis Publishing, and Lina Kouzi, Head of Library Access Services at Vision Ireland. There will be a chance for publishers to book a 30 minute one-to-one slot with Simon, to discuss accessibility plans and strategy.
Karina Stevens will talk about tackling sustainability issues, offering insight and ideas gathered from her own experience as Production Director at Nosy Crow.
One of the most anticipated parts of the conference is the 2023 review of the Irish Book Market from Nielsen’s Sara Mulryan, while a market analysis of publishing in Ireland will be presented by Jim Power, from Jim Power Economics.
AI is at the forefront of discussions and debate in publishing right now, and a highlight of the conference will be an address from Sara Lloyd, Global AI lead with Pan Macmillan, when she will talk about the challenges and opportunities for publishers in this rapidly changing arena.
How AI affects copyright is a hot topic at the moment, and if you have questions related to this, or about copyright in general, you can book a thirty minute clinic with expert Samantha Holman, CEO of ICLA.
The conference ends on a high note with Fever Pitch in association with the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, a superb opportunity for publishers to pitch their titles to directors and producers from the world of film and TV.
Publishing Ireland is offering a special discount available to all members: any tickets purchased before August 10th will cost just €50 (as opposed to the regular members’ price of €75). To avail of this discount, select the option for early bird tickets and enter the following promo code: MemberDiscJuly.
Find out more and book your tickets here
