Photokina 2020 has also been cancelled
Photokina, the leading international trade fair for photography, video and imaging, has been cancelled due to concerns about the coronavirus. The show, which was due to take place in Cologne from 27 to 30 May 2020, has been postponed. It will now take place from 18 to 21 May 2022.
What was to be expected has happened: Photokina will not be taking place this year. In a official statement from Koelnmesse, the organiser of the photo and video trade fair, it is stated that the decision to cancel the show was based on several factors. Even before the outbreak of the coronavirus, the imaging market was very turbulent and uncertain. The two-year postponement gives manufacturers time to consider these and other factors, such as economic pressure and buyer expectations, and adapt accordingly.
Experts support the decision
The fact that the event has been cancelled comes as no surprise to anyone. But the two-year waiting period seems at first sight a little long. However, experts agree that it could do the photography industry some good. Urs Tillmanns of fotointern.ch says: "The decision to leave Photokina out of the running for two years is certainly also good for many exhibitors who couldn't make up their minds to take part in the 2020 edition. They now have two years to think things over and decide whether to take part; it remains to be seen whether gigantic shows of this type will still be on the public's mind in the meantime. Too many shows of this size have recently had to be cancelled for economic and attendance reasons."
What now?
In the coming weeks, more exhibitors will also have to consider cancelling their shows. In Switzerland, this applies, for example, to the Fotofestival Lenzburg (9 May to 9 June 2020), Photo Münsingen (21 to 24 May 2020) and Photo Basel. The latter event is scheduled to run in parallel with Art Basel, from 16 to 21 June 2020, if Art Basel takes place. Finally, the Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles, probably Europe's most traditional photo festival, due to open on 29 June 2020, is also being called into question. So far, there has been no comment from the organising circles of the aforementioned fairs.
We'll see in two years' time at the latest whether manufacturers have taken advantage of the opportunity presented by the cancellation of Photokina 2020. Photokina 2022 will show whether they have managed to draw the right conclusions from customer feedback and trends in the burgeoning imaging market.
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