The Department of Culture, through the Catalan Institute of Cultural Companies (ICEC) and the Ramon Llull Institute (IRL) has become a fixture of the London Book Fair, with an institutional stand to accommodate Catalan publishers. 18 will participate this year.
This year, the Fair has moved its dates to March 12 to 14 to better fit in the calendar of international events in the book sector.
The Catalan Arts – Books stand has adopted the slogan ‘Catalonia, land of Books, Barcelona, city of Literature’ and is part of the ICEC internationalisation initiative. The stand provides professionals with a business space that offers maximum facilities to develop their activities at the Fair.
The 18 participating Catalan publishers are: Ara Llibres / Amsterdam; Barcanova Editorial; Edicions Bromera; Ediciones Minotauro; Editorial Anagrama; Editorial GG; Eva Prenafeta; Galaxia Gutenberg; Grup 62; Hoaki Books; L’Altra editorial; Larousse Editorial; Manifest Llibres / Verso Libros; Obrador Editorial; Quaderns Crema; Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial; Tigre de Paper i Vegueta Ediciones. .
To provide more information, ICEC has prepared a brochure containing the details of the publishers, associations and institutions that are attending the Fair and that will be distributed to accredited professionals. The Catalogue of Illustrators of Catalonia is also available as a tool to access professionals in the sector with samples of their work and versatility of styles.
ICEC has prepared a brochure with details of the publishers, associations, and institutions attending the Fair. This brochure will be distributed to accredited professionals. Additionally, the Catalogue of Illustrators of Catalonia is available as a tool to access professionals in the sector. The Catalogue contains samples of their work and versatility of styles.
Networking with the international market
On Tuesday, 12 March at 13.00, the Government Delegation to the United Kingdom and Ireland, together with ICEC and IRL, will offer a reception to promote networking between the Catalan delegation and the international delegates present at the Fair.
The IRL and ICEC are once again organising a professional matchmaking programme for Catalan publishers and literary agents to meet British and American publishers. The programme aims to generate new opportunities for the translation of works of Catalan literature into English. Several Catalan publishing houses and literary agencies are participating: Asterisc Agents, Galaxia Gutenberg, Grup 62, IMC Agency, L’Altra Editorial, PRHGE, Quaderns Crema and Silvia Bastos Agency.
The IRL Literature Area team will hold an extensive agenda of meetings with international publishers. During these meetings, the team will report on the latest developments in Catalan literature and the assistance available to the IRL for the translation and promotion of works.
For the second year in a row, the IRL is organising three round tables at the Fair's Literary Translation Centre on various topics related to translation. The first, which will be held on 12 March, is entitled What about the Translation of Non-fiction Works? and will address non-fiction translations, their particular challenges and the potential opportunities they offer; the Catalan to English translator, Peter Bush, will participate, alongside some others. The second round table, which will be held on 13 March, is entitled Other Worlds Behind the Words: Global Issues and Literary Creation and will feature the participation of the Catalan writer Pol Guasch and the Kurdish writer Balsam Karam. Also on March 13, there will be a presentation of the European network ENLIT, which brings together national organisations whose mission is the international promotion of literature and support for the translation of its literatures. The IRL is a member of this network and Joan de Sola, director of the Literature Area, will participate in this session.
One of the most important editorial events in the world
The London Book Fair is considered the most important book events of spring in the international publishing calendar. The Fair is a professional event that specialises in the sale of rights and distribution of content through various channels such as print, audio, TV, film, and digital. It provides a unique opportunity to explore and understand the innovations that are shaping the publishing world of the future. The event offers an extensive programme of talks around issues that affect the book industry.
The Department of Culture, through ICEC and its internationalisation brand Catalan Arts-Books, regularly attends major professional events in the book sector to promote Catalan literature and the internationalisation of publishers in this field. The participation of Catalan publishing houses and literary agents in the Fair is part of this line of actions and includes the Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany), the Guadalajara International Book Fair (Mexico), the Bologna Children's and Young People's Book Fair (Italy), the Buenos Aires International Book Fair and the London Book Fair (United Kingdom).
The Ramon Llull Institute promotes Catalan literature abroad by supporting the translation of works in Catalan into other languages and maintaining a constant presence at international fairs and festivals. In 2023, the department experienced remarkable growth in applications for all its literary grants, including translation, illustrated work, and promotion. A total of 422 grants were awarded, which is 37% more than the previous year's 308. For 2024, the department will prioritise strengthening support for translating poetry, text-based theatre, and classics through targeted programmes and plans. Additionally, the department will devise a strategy to foster new opportunities in Nordic countries and the Arab world.
