New Voices New Rooms (NVNR), the combined annual conference for the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), is pleased to announce the dates of its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be held August 3 – 6, 2025, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Atlanta location, which was announced at the end of 2024, signals the start of a plan to allow the conference to travel within the combined NAIBA and SIBA territories. Atlanta’s central location and its status as a major hub for air and train travel makes it an ideal, convenient destination. The Atlanta area is also home to a strong bookselling and literary community, the Decatur Book Festival, a dozen publishing houses, and over 30 independent bookstores in the greater Atlanta area.
As the conference hotel, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis is centrally located in downtown Atlanta, within easy distance of popular sites such as Centennial Park, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights. It is also within walking distance of AmericasMart, which will be part of official conference programming.
Linda-Marie Barrett, Executive Director of SIBA, noted that the Atlanta area has an especially rich independent bookselling culture. “We’re thrilled to bring the New Voices New Rooms conference to Atlanta,” she said. “It is one of the most vibrant and diverse literary scenes in the South, with the fastest growing segment of our bookselling community in SIBA territory. In collaboration with our Atlanta stores, we’ll be offering an additional layer of cultural richness and celebration to make this gathering even more meaningful and memorable. We encourage attendees to consider adding a day or two to their trip to take advantage of our iconic hotel’s location near many Atlanta attractions. The hotel offers an indoor connection to the Peachtree Center MARTA station, making trips to the airport and around Atlanta accessible and affordable.”
What to expect at NVNR 2025:
- Dedicated time to network with booksellers, authors, and publishers
- Tours of Atlanta area bookstores
- General and region-specific education
- Brand new event app
- Tour of AmericasMart, a leading wholesale marketplace housing the nation’s most extensive gift product mix
- Focus on title discovery via genre buzz and rep pick sessions
- Opportunities to meet authors at panels, signings, and receptions
NAIBA Executive Director Eileen Dengler discussed what bringing the conference to Atlanta would mean to NAIBA bookstores. “We are excited about the new opportunities being in Atlanta will give us,“ she said. “New bookstores to visit. An afternoon at the AmericasMart, which will be supported by education on gift merchandise and buying opportunities for sidelines and remainders. NVNR will also provide more regional-specific programming to ensure all our booksellers enjoy the company and camaraderie of their friends.”
Important Dates – Mark Your Calendar!:
- Author Submissions will open February 15, 2025
- Exhibitor Sales will open March 15, 2025
- Bookseller Registration will open April 2, 2025
For more information, visit newvoicesnewrooms.org or subscribe to NVNR.