30 years of passion for event technology – that’s a reason to celebrate! Prolight + Sound, the international trade fair highlight for event and entertainment technology in the heart of Europe, is looking to the future for its big birthday. From 8th to 11th April 2025, the trade fair invites manufacturers, decision-makers, technicians and creatives from all sectors of the industry to the big anniversary show. With cutting-edge topics that move the industry, new and expanded events, and a tailored educational programme, the focus is on fresh inspiration and knowledge transfer.

A large number of well-known companies have already confirmed their attendance for 2025, including Adam Hall, ADJ, AED Rent, Artthea, ASM, Astera, Aura Audio, AV Stumpfl, Ayrton, Babbel & Haeger with various sales brands, Chainmaster, Chauvet, Chr.Mayr, Clay Paky, ComputerWorks, DAS Audio, Elation, Electronic Theatre Controls, Eurotruss, GLP, Harmonic Design, Highlite, HK-Audio (Music & Sales Professional Equipment GmbH), Igus, Inear, Inoage, JB-Lighting, Kling & Freitag, KV2, Lightpower, LMP, MA Lighting, MAGIC FX, Major, Mipro, Music & Lights, Music & Sales , Novastar, Pixelhue, Portman, RCF, Riedel, Robe, Robert Juliat, Roxx, SBS, SGM Lighting, Shenzhen Lamp, SRV, Steinigke, TAIT, TMB, Tronios, TW-Audio, Unilumin, VisionTwo, Waagner-Biro, Wharfdale Pro and Zactrack.

Mira Wölfel, Director Prolight + Sound, emphasises: “With the anniversary edition, we want to offer exhibitors and partners, but above all visitors, a particularly inspiring environment with a stronger technical focus and optimised networking opportunities. My heartfelt thanks go in particular to our association partners and our new trade fair advisory board, which is providing us with significant support in the further development of the show. Above all, the 30th anniversary of Prolight + Sound is an occasion for us to look to the future with great motivation.”

The top themes of Prolight + Sound 2025
Based on numerous discussions with the movers and shakers of the sector, the next Prolight + Sound will have three top themes. These will be reflected in the complementary programmeand in product solutions.

Under the title ‘ProGreen: Impulses for a more sustainable event industry’, the latest trends and developments that are driving the environmentally friendly orientation and design of the event industry will be highlighted.

The top theme ‘FutureScapes: Worlds of Experience between Immersion and AI’ is dedicated to the fascinating possibilities offered by the application of immersive technologies and artificial intelligence for the creation of entertainment experiences.

The top theme ‘MultiTech: Flexible and smart’ focuses on innovative, versatile technologies and concepts and their influence on the event industry.

Theatre and stage technology: redesigned and expanded

As the leading trade fair for theatre and stage technology in Europe, Prolight + Sound is presenting a newly designed and expanded theatre and stage technology area this year that is specially tailored to the needs of the theatre community. It combines four key aspects: exhibition, education, knowledge transfer and networking. Visitors can expect an inspiring platform for exchange between generations and industry experts, as well as a comprehensive range of innovative products and services.

An integral part of the concept is the ‘Theatre College’ by VPLT, which offers expertise on relevant topics with high-quality, bilingual seminars and workshops – realised in collaboration with leading industry associations. The new ‘Theatre Stage’ is at the centre of the action. Among other things, the ‘Theatre Talk’ will take place there for the first time. In this daily, one-hour presentation format, companies from other sectors can present their products to a targeted theatre audience and exchange ideas with them. The networking area, with daily events and happy hours, creates an ideal setting for networking in a relaxed atmosphere.

The ‘Guided Tour Theatre & Light’, curated and moderated by experts, will guide interested parties free of charge to particularly exciting technical product innovations and new developments over the four days of the fair.

ProLight: from sustainable to smart

In 2025, trade visitors to Prolight + Sound can once again expect to find the largest range of lighting products in the event industry worldwide (Hall 12.1). A large number of well-known manufacturers – including all the key players in the sector – will be presenting their product innovations and new developments in Frankfurt. One of the main areas of focus will be on sustainable and energy-efficient solutions and the integration of artificial intelligence into modern lighting technology.

The ‘LightLab’, created in collaboration with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), is entering its second round at the anniversary show. Experts will be on hand to offer their expertise and demonstrations on current topics in the sector.

The ‘Women in Lighting Lounge’ will serve as a central meeting spot for female professionals and interested newcomers, as a venue for interviews with inspiring personalities, and as a source of information on career scenarios. Men are, of course, also very welcome to come and find out more about the topics.

Image Creation Hub: advanced moving image offering

The Image Creation Hub, realised in cooperation with the German Federal Association of Television Cameramen (BVFK), will become an even more attractive hotspot for image and video technology in 2025. An expanded studio area, an impressive video wall and specialist workshops will open up new perspectives for participants. The comprehensive panel and lecture programme of the ‘Camera College’ offers exciting insights into current industry topics related to technology, security and the future of the moving image. With interactive offerings such as the Camera Future Congress and a tour of a modern OB van on site, the area will become a centre for practice-oriented learning and networking.

For the future of the industry: green initiatives and promoting young talent

With the top theme ‘ProGreen’, Prolight + Sound 2025 aims to take account of the growing awareness of ecological responsibility in the industry. The topics of sustainability, energy efficiency and green events will be given even more attention in the anniversary year, including in the keynote programme on the Main Stage (Hall 11.0). With its ‘Green Sessions’, the EVVC (European Association of Event Centres) will be setting new impulses for a greener event industry. Visitors can get an overview of particularly sustainable new products and innovations on the ‘Guided Tour Sustainability/Green Events’ – the professionally moderated, free-of-charge tours of the fair.

Prolight + Sound also focuses on promoting young talent and recruiting. Once again, the Future Hub (Hall 11.0) will be the hub of this activity. At the campus, renowned educational institutions will be providing information about training and further education opportunities in the event sector. At the Career Centre, visitors can make direct contact with companies that have vacancies. In the Startup Area, new brands will be presenting themselves, while the Networking Lounge invites visitors to relax and connect. On Future Talents Day (Friday, 11 April 2025), young professionals will have the opportunity to find out about the wide range of careers in the event industry and to network.

In close cooperation with the VPLT (The German Entertainment Technology Association), the ‘Prolight + Sound Conference’ offers concentrated expertise on all days of the fair – from the industry, for the industry.

Focus on education and industry growth

The specialist supporting programme will be further expanded in the anniversary year. The curated range of lectures will be even more strongly geared towards subject-specific topics with a technical focus. As part of the Prolight + Sound Colleges (ProAudio College, Camera College, Theatre College), the event offers high-calibre, bilingual seminars and workshops on a variety of current industry topics. For the first time, professionals and newcomers from the event and entertainment industry will also be giving lectures on their own specialist topics.

With the ‘Messe Frankfurt Business Club’ and the ‘Hosted Buyer Programme’, Prolight + Sound 2025 also offers attractive VIP visitor programmes aimed at planners and decision-makers from the theatre and stage, amusement park and rental companies.

Further information about registering for the ‘Messe Frankfurt Business Club’ and the ‘Hosted Buyer Programme’ is available at: www.prolight-sound.com/business-club and www.prolight-sound.com/hosted-buyer.

30 years of passion for event technology

As part of the 30th anniversary of Prolight + Sound, the ‘Sinus – Systems Integration Award’ and the Opus Award will also be presented again. The latter is being realigned and will in the future be awarded as the ‘Opus – International Stage Award’.

The anniversary is also the focus of the Community Nights, three networking evenings at exclusive Frankfurt locations, to which all Prolight + Sound participants are cordially invited. The highlight will be the big ‘30 Years of PLS’ birthday party on the Wednesday of the fair (9th April) at Depot 1899.

At the ‘Anniversary Stand’ (Hall 12.0), visitors can enjoy coffee and snacks, register for the Guided Tours and pick up their Community Night wristbands.

Further details, updates and event registration can be found at www.prolight-sound.com.

Image courtesy of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH/Photo: Robin Kirchner.

 

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