Exhibition News September 2019 | Page 5

Welcome So long, farewell Nicola Macdonald, Editor [email protected] T his is a tricky editor’s letter to write. How do you find a sincere, heartfelt, original (and occasionally witty) way to say goodbye? How do you sum up four years writing about a fantastic industry in approximately 250 words? How do people feel about rhetorical questions? We may never know. If it’s not clear from that rambling opening, I’m leaving Mash Media after four years working on Exhibition News, and I’m incredibly proud of what the magazine has become in my time as editor. This issue is a perfect microcosm of that. In the cover feature (p18) we take a deep dive into San Diego Comic Con, a hugely popular event that has transformed fringe ‘geek’ culture into a sell-out consumer phenomenon. Elsewhere we’re looking at tech that could transform event websites (p24), using AI to provide fresh content to customers 365 days of the year. We also cover a range of topics that have been at the forefront of the industry conversation – such as wellbeing, festivalisation and sustainability. Plus, this issue marks a significant moment in terms of how EN is published, as we abandon our traditional polywrap and try out some more sustainable mailing practices. Lastly, I want to say thanks to you. Thanks for getting involved in the exhibition industry community, for sharing your knowledge, for growing your networks, for constantly innovating and never standing still. There’s never a dull day writing about the world of exhibitions (apart from August, when you all bugger off on holiday). So long everyone, it’s been a blast, September — 05