This year, the Institut Ramon Llull is celebrating the 25th edition of the Llull Fellowship, an international publishers’ mission and one of its best-established programmes for promoting Catalan literature abroad. From 20 to 25 September, 18 international publishers will take part in an intensive programme of professional and cultural activities, which will coincide with La Setmana del Llibre en Català (Catalan Book Week) for the eighth year running.
The call once again attracted significant international interest, with 85 applications from 35 countries. Of these, 52 were from fiction publishers and 33 from children’s and young adult publishers. Italy stands out among the countries with the highest number of applications, with 16 in total, which confirms the growing interest in Catalan literature ahead of its appearance as Guest of Honour at the upcoming Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino.
The final selection brings together nine contemporary and classic fiction publishers and nine children’s and young adult publishers from Germany, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Turkey and China.
Strategic markets for Catalan literature
Among the participants in the fiction genre are representatives of leading publishing houses such as Adelphi (Italy), Verdier (France), New Directions (United States), Kein & Aber (Switzerland), Keimena Books (Greece), Peninsula Press (United Kingdom) and Editora Nós (Brazil).
Several of the selected publishers have already added Catalan authors to their catalogues or have translation projects under way. This includes Editora Nós, which has published work by Fer Rivas; Verdier, featuring authors such as Eva Baltasar, Najat El Hachmi and Joaquim Amat-Piniella; Keimena Books, which has championed Pol Guasch and Núria Bendicho; and Peninsula Press, which has released works by Pol Guasch and Mar García Puig.
The Llull Fellowship is particularly valuable for publishers who have not yet acquired rights to Catalan authors and participate specifically to discover new titles of interest for their catalogues.
The attendance of professionals from strategic markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy is complemented by publishers from China and Brazil, two priority territories for the international promotion of Catalan literature.
A commitment to Catalan children’s and young adult literature
The mission also features strong representation from children’s and young adult publishers in some of the world’s most competitive markets, including Glénat (France), Fischer Verlag (Germany), Giunti (Italy), W. W. Norton (United States), Orca Books (Canada), Sekaibunkasha (Japan) and Everafter Books (China).
Several of these publishers have released works by internationally renowned illustrators based in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, such as Cristina Losantos, Mariona Cabassa, Júlia Sardà, Albert Arrayàs, Sonia Pulido and Soledad Romero Mariño.
The participation of Everafter Books is particularly noteworthy; the Chinese publisher will also take part in the Faberllull international illustration residencies this year, having already added works by Catalan creators such as Cinta Vidal, Sonia Pulido, Soledad Romero Mariño and Mariona Cabassa.
Publishers who have not yet featured works by illustrators based in Catalonia or the Balearic Islands will have the opportunity to discover them during the Fellowship and add them to their catalogues.
A week of professional exchange and literary and cultural discovery
During their stay in Catalonia, participating publishers will follow a programme designed to provide a broad, up-to-date overview of the Catalan publishing sector. The agenda includes presentations on the book market with Joan Carles Girbés and Alba Puig, over 400 meetings with publishers and literary agencies for the acquisition and sale of translation rights, and sessions dedicated to authors, illustrators and publishing trends with Carlota Rubio, Clara Jubete, Oriol Magrinyà and Joan Burdeus. It also features visits to cultural venues and spaces linked to literary creation, including Casa Anita, Finestres and the Escola Massana Centre d’Art i Disseny.
Over its 25 editions, the Llull Fellowship has established itself as a key tool for the internationalisation of Catalan literature. First held in 2006, shortly before Catalan culture was the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Fellowship has since brought together more than 220 professionals from 45 countries. The programme fosters lasting relationships between the Catalan publishing sector and leading international markets and supports the translation of new works by Catalan authors and illustrators to help them reach readers around the world every year.
