JUMPSTART: OFF THE PAGE 2012

New Delhi, 28^th August, 2012:  Jumpstart, a one-off initiative by the German Book Office, New Delhi, focusing on ‘Children’s Literature’ concluded on 24^th August 2012 on an energetic, informative, and interactive note. This turbo-charged idea fuelled event was something which the participants looked forward to as much as the team at GBO at work. The halls of India International Centre came alive with discussions, intercations, presentations and much to redefine the future of publishing for children and young adults.

While the focus was on migrating content from one media to another, from one discipline to another in a cross-fertilization of ideas, we saw examples of  books becoming animated, performances taking off from books and much more. Stories are told on the stage, screen, page and phones- we saw the whole gamut of possibilities and enjoyed the possibilities it opened us up to. From R Sriram taking us through the latest digital platforms to his own subscriber friendly newsletter to Shilo Shiv Suleman’s bursting-with-life Khoya to Hervé Tullet’s extremely engaging collaborative artworks- it all went much beyond the page and still addressed relevant concerns.

The event was held at the new wing of Indian International Centre on 23^rd and 24th of August 2012, divided into two themes for each day. The first day was all about ' Inspiration' where renowned experts of the subject matter like Hervé Tullet, R.Sriram, Shilo Suleman, Roseman Hutt et al interacted with the attendees on how to cultivate and channel their ideas while letting go of

Day 2 was about 'Perspiration' with master classes conducted by experts like Phillipa Donovan (Egmart/Smart Quill, UK), Anushka Ravishankar (Duckbill, India) for writers and by Herv`e Tullet for Illustrators. While the master classes addressed the needs of potential and upcoming children's writers and illustrators, they were attended by others as well.

The event concluded with the Book Souk- a Matchmaking for professionals (Writers, Editors, Illustrators, Designers, Story-tellers) from the field of children’s literature who met the Publishers/Editors and pitched their works, a rare opportunity to present and take their work to the next level.

At the end of its fourth edition, Jumpstart remains an initiative that ushers in the future for book lovers and publishing professionals alike where tradition meets the modern and where old practices walk hand in hand with the new – a platform where boundaries merge.

About the German Book Office- German Book Office (GBO), New Delhi is a joint venture of the Frankfurt Book Fair and the Foreign Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. The Frankfurt Book Fair has five International Book Information Centers, which include the GBO in New York, Book Information Centre (BIZ) in Beijing, Bucharest and Moscow.

Besides promoting German books and the activities of the Frankfurt Book Fair, GBO New Delhi serves as a contact point between German as well as international book industries and the book industry in South Asia.
Since the beginning of operations in India, GBO has initiated various projects related to content, publishing and exchange. GBO works with partners across the board – individuals, publishing firms, cultural institutions, government agencies, corporates, digital companies, book fairs, international agencies, educational institutes, media… etc. They are constantly on the lookout for new ideas and partnerships, and welcome any queries and contact.

For further info, please visit- www.newdelhi.gbo.org/ www.jumpstartfest.co

For further information, please contact: Shabnam Srivastava at srivastava@newdelhi.gbo.org