30 years at the heart of the industry: Prolight + Sound 2025 with grand anniversary show
14 novembre 2024
30 years full of passion for event technology – that's a reason to celebrate! Prolight + Sound, the international trade fair highlight for event and entertainment technology at the heart of Europe, is looking to the future on its milestone anniversary. From 8 to 11 April 2025, the trade fair will be inviting manufacturers, decision-makers, technicians and creatives from all areas of the sector to the grand anniversary show. With cutting-edge topics that move the industry, new and expanded events, and a tailor-made educational programme, the focus is on fresh impulses and knowledge transfer.
The longstanding connectedness with numerous exhibitors and the open discussions in the lead-up to the upcoming show are reflected in the commitment of the firms. For the 2025 edition, a multitude of renown companies have already declared their participation, including Adam Hall, Adamson, ADJ, ALFA-SYSTEM, Area Four, ARTTHEA, ASM, Astera, Aura Audio, AV Stumpfl, Ayrton Lighting, BÜTEC, Cast, Chainmaster, Chauvet, Clay Paky, ComputerWorks, Das Audio, Elation, Electronic Theatre Controls, Eurotruss, FACE Bvba, GLP, Harmonic Design, Highlite, Igus, InEar, inoage, JB-Lighting, Kling & Freitag, KV2, L-Acoustics, Lawo, Lightpower, LMP, MA Lighting, Major, Mipro, MOVEKET, Music & Lights, Music & Sales, Novastar, Pixelhue, Portman, Riedel, ROBE, Robert Juliat, Roxx, SBS, Serapid, SICA, Sixty82, SRV, Steinigke, TAIT, TMB, Tronios, VisionTwo, Waagner-Biro and Zactrack.
A number of well-known brands, including ACME, AED Rent, BSL, Chr. Mayr GmbH & Co. KG, Dataton, Focon, Magic Sky, TW Audio and Wharfdale Audio, have already declared their return as exhibitors.
Mira Wölfel, Director Prolight + Sound, emphasises: ‘For us, the 30th anniversary of Prolight + Sound is above all an occasion to look to the future with great motivation. With the upcoming event, we want to offer exhibitors, visitors and partners a particularly inspiring setting with a stronger technical focus and optimised networking opportunities. I would like to express my sincere thanks to our new advisory board, which is providing us with significant support in the further development of the show.’
The top themes of Prolight + Sound 2025
Based on numerous discussions with exhibitors, the upcoming Prolight + Sound will offer three top themes that will be reflected in the specialist programme and product solutions. Under the title ‘ProGreen: Impulses for a more sustainable event industry’, the latest trends and developments that promote the environmentally friendly orientation and design of the event sector will be highlighted.
The main topic ‘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 in a new light
For many years, theatre and stage technology has been one of the most prominent and fastest-growing pillars of Prolight + Sound. The new concept combines all aspects of theatre in one central location. The aim is to offer the theatre community maximum visibility and valuable synergies. In addition to the exhibition area in Hall 12.0, a dedicated zone for the theatre sector is being created there. Alongside a networking spot and a café with a daily happy hour, the new Theatre Stage will be located there. Among other things, the new ‘Theatre Talk’ will take place here on several days. The format offers exhibitors from other sectors the opportunity to present their company and products to a targeted theatre audience.
The newly designed ‘Theatre College’ programme is also based on this stage. It is being developed in cooperation with the German Entertainment Technology Association (VPLT). The ‘Guided Tour Theatre & Light’, curated by experts and moderated by industry professionals, will lead interested parties to particularly exciting technical product innovations and new developments free of charge.
Brilliant sound and fresh formats
In 2025, the ProAudio area in Hall 11.0 will also be characterised by new formats.
The new ‘MixLab’, with its two areas (‘Live Mixing Consoles & FOH Technology’ and ‘Studio Consoles, Mixing & Mastering’), is aimed at both live technology enthusiasts and studio professionals. In addition to workshops and knowledge transfer, the focus here is on networking between manufacturers, engineers and trade visitors.
The new ‘MusicOneX’ area represents a further development of the Performance + Production Hub and is being created in collaboration with the Sample Music Festival (SMF). It combines music, conferences and exhibitions in an interactive, interdisciplinary special area with a practice-oriented open innovation approach. The focus is on combining creativity and technology as well as networking between industry, communities and companies. The format offers hands-on technology, workshops, live events, Q&A sessions with experts, showcases and content creation on an area of over 3,000 m².
In the open-air ‘Live Sound Arena’, visitors can once again experience the sound of powerful PA systems under real-life conditions. At the ‘Silent Stage’, the company ‘InEar’ will be presenting its innovative, integrated sound technology solutions.
The ProAudio College, organised in cooperation with the Association of German Sound Engineers (VDT), offers high-level international workshops and seminars for audio professionals and interested newcomers to the live and studio sectors.
From sustainable to smart: innovative lighting technology
In 2025, trade visitors to Prolight + Sound can once again expect the event industry's largest international range of lighting products (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 focuses 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 there offer specialized knowledge and demonstrations on current topics in the sector.
The ‘Women in Lighting Lounge’ serves 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.
Extended moving image range
The moving image area, 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. On three days of the trade fair, live shows with renowned guests will cover exciting 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 on-site broadcast van, the area will become a centre for practice-oriented learning and networking.
For the future of the industry: green impulses and the promotion of 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 a series of high-profile keynotes on the Main Stage (Hall 11.0). With its ‘Green Sessions’, the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) will be setting new impetus for a greener event industry. The ‘Guided Tour Sustainability/Green Events’ offers participants an overview of particularly sustainable product innovations and new developments on free, professionally moderated tours of the fair.
Prolight + Sound also puts emphasis on promoting young talent and recruiting. Once again, the Future Hub (Hall 11.0) will be at the centre of this activity. At the campus of the area, renowned educational institutions will provide information about training and further education opportunities in the event sector. At the Career Centre, visitors can get in touch with companies that have vacancies directly on site.
New brands present themselves in the start-up area, 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 career diversity in the event industry and to network.
In close cooperation with the VPLT, the ‘Prolight + Sound Conference’ offers concentrated expertise on all days of the fair – from the industry, for the industry.
A focus on education and industry growth
The professional fringe programme will be further expanded and specialised 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 company sectors.
30 years of passion for event technology
As part of the 30th anniversary of Prolight + Sound, the Opus Award is being reorganized and will in the future be presented 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 participants of the trade fair are cordially invited. The highlight will be the big ‘30 Years of PLS’ birthday party on the Wednesday of the trade fair (9 April) at Depot 1899.
Further details and updates on Prolight + Sound 2025 at: www.prolight-sound.com
As an international trade fair brand, Prolight + Sound is present with events in Germany, China and Dubai. More about the global activities at www.prolight-sound.com/worldwide
Prolight + Sound
The Global Entertainment Technology Show for Light, Audio, Stage, Media + Event The event will take place from 8 - 11 April 2025.