After an enforced break of two years, the hobby, handicrafts and artists' requisites sector is showing great interest in its leading international trade fair. It is looking forward with anticipation and confidence to the consumer-goods event in spring 2023. Planning for Creativeworld, which will take place for the first time from 4 to 7 February 2023, has started with a high number of registrations. Many things are new: the move to Hall 1, the expansion of the product portfolio and the synergies with the world's leading trade fairs Ambiente and Christmasworld.

Anyone familiar with Creativeworld knows about its unique international role in the DIY sector. It is a creative meeting place and business platform, brings together brand manufacturers and newcomers and exudes a lively, busy and inspiring flair. The focus is on personal exchange, whether in sales talks, product demonstrations at the stand or at the workshops in the Creativeworld Academy. "It has been two long years in which the creative community had to do without its industry highlight. Now we are looking forward to Creativeworld 2023 with confidence and with all the key players on board. We are delighted with the good number of registrations, so we are highly motivated to start planning. And as the new Director of Creativeworld, I can hardly wait to finally experience it live", says Eva Olbrich, Director Christmasworld and Creativeworld at Messe Frankfurt.

With the expansion of the product portfolio to include creative writing, painting and drawing utensils, and the new timing of the fair parallel to Ambiente and Christmasworld, Creativeworld is being positioned for growth in the future. The move to Hall 1 will also provide new impulses.

The feedback from the sector is consistently positive and the high demand for space confirms the importance of Creativeworld on the market. Stephan Rayher, Managing Director of Rayher Hobby, says: "Creativeworld was, is and will remain the most important international trade fair and thus a 'hotspot' for everyone who works in the creative sector. And now, after such a long dry spell, we can finally exchange ideas in person again and thus send the right signals for the industry." Nils Knappe, Managing Director at H. Schmincke & Co. also underlines the important role of the trade fair: "After Creativeworld could not take place for the last two years, this platform as a presence event has a very special significance for us and our mostly international customers. This cannot be compensated for by digital or hybrid formats." And Jürgen Feuerstein, CEO / Molotow, Feuerstein GmbH explains: "It is nice to be part of a physical trade fair again. The personal exchange with other trade partners at Creativeworld is enormously important and cannot be equally replaced by any other measure in communication policy."

The national and international manufacturers will be able to present their portfolio from the four product group’s hobby and handicrafts, graphics and artists' supplies, graffiti and street art as well as handicrafts and textile design in a new environment for the upcoming event. The move to Hall 1, which is known as the window to the city because of its good location near the city centre, will provide a breath of fresh air and underline the new start as a presence event. Planning for the occupancy of Hall levels 1.1 and 1.2. is currently in full swing, because so far all the major brands have registered for Creativeworld 2023 and new exhibitors from the stationery sector with their creative lines will be presented between leading brands.

In 2023, Creativeworld, Ambiente and Christmasworld will be held simultaneously for the first time. The newly created combination of three successful leading trade fairs at one venue and at one time will offer a future-oriented, incomparable and globally unique product range. "With this merger, the consumer-goods fairs in Frankfurt will become the centre of the global ordering season. We are strengthening synergy effects and efficiency for all involved, because in future the consumer-goods world will be able to experience the most comprehensive inspiration, ordering and networking platform at one date and in one place", says Olbrich. The future one-stop-shop is viewed very positively by the globally active creative sector. Kisten Rohde, Vice President Marketing, Purchasing and R&D at Marabu Creative Colours says: "We see it as an opportunity for visitors from the Ambiente or Christmasworld environment to find interest in Creativeworld and discover new themes with us." For Britta Olsen, Head of Brand & Communications at Staedtler, the merger is a logical step in the right direction: "New times need new ideas and concepts. We are looking forward to being part of the new Home of Consumer Goods concept next year with our participation at Creativeworld."

In the course of the new trade fair constellation, the paper, office supplies and stationery product segments will in future be integrated into Creativeworld, Christmasworld and Ambiente. In this way, creative writing, painting and drawing utensils will expand the range of products at Creativeworld and give the leading fair an even broader base for the future. The focus here is on target groups of buyers, which are increasingly overlapping.

Particularly in view of the fact that numerous classic writing utensil manufacturers are expanding their product portfolios in the direction of creative materials, the joint appearance under the Creativeworld umbrella is a logical step for the market. Online Schreibgeräte is one of them, CEO Alexander Apfel welcomes the participation at Creativeworld: "ONLINE Schreibgeräte has already been an integral part of Paperworld for 30 years. Over the years, our creative range has constantly developed and expanded. We want to share our joy in handwriting and creative writing with all visitors for the first time at Creativeworld in 2023. For our continuous further development, it is essential to dare to look beyond our famous horizons and to gain inspiration from other subject areas. The combination of the three leading trade fairs offers an ideal basis for this.“

In future, the newly created Ambiente Working area will offer manufacturers of office supplies and equipment, office papers, Remanexpo and Future of Work a home that also offers future-oriented perspectives for office furnishings. In addition, Ambiente Giving will be further developed with the Stationery product range, which includes stationery and school supplies. The thematically matching packaging product group will be part of Christmasworld.

For creative people from all over the world, the haptic experience and personal exchange are indispensable. That is why Creativeworld not only brings manufacturers and trade visitors together at the exhibition stands, but also offers unique communication and action platforms with special show areas such as the Creativeworld Academy and Creativeworld Trends. There, people will once again be able to do handicrafts, paint, work on designs together or discuss innovations, new creative techniques and developments. The areas will be dedicated to the event themes of lifestyle and design, new work and sustainability.

Sustainability in particular is playing an increasingly important role at Creativeworld. Even before the Corona pandemic, it became clear that creatives are moving more and more in harmony with nature. Numerous manufacturers have recognised this and are responding to this development with recyclable materials, biodegradable ingredients, reduced packaging, refillable cartridges or certified wood. This is being driven further by an increased demand for long-lasting products and materials produced in an environmentally friendly way. Thus, at Creativeworld 2023, the manufacturers of these products will be highlighted more prominently with the 'Special Interest Sustainability'.

From February 2023, Creativeworld will be held at the Frankfurt exhibition centre at the same time as the leading international consumer-goods fairs Ambiente and Christmasworld.