There are very few industries which cherish live events more than the publishing industry. From big global conferences to local literary festivals, networking events to gala dinners, award ceremonies to book launches, our industry is one which has been built on the foundations of face-to-face contact, the pressing of flesh, the forming of enduring and meaningful relationships, and getting out there to see and be seen.

This is why publishing, maybe more than any other profession, is facing something of an identity crisis as significant calendar events get cancelled, rescheduled or brought online due to COVID-19, thus transforming the way we’ve gone about our business for decades.