What is a Book Fair for?
Find out the details of this literary event that makes its mark on the cultural landscape every year.
Spain Pavillon at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
A book fair is a celebration at which authors, readers, and booksellers have the opportunity to meet in a space where literature takes center stage: books are signed, talks are given, news is promoted... and occasionally business is done.
These fairs are spaces for the promotion of reading, of bibliodiversity (a term that refers to the necessary diversity of voices promoted, above all through small independent publishers), and places where you can discover the trends in the sector, with meetings between authors and their readers, professional training... And let's not forget that they are also events that move millions of euros within the industry.
A little bit of background
The origins of book fairs can be found in Germany, in Frankfurt and then in Leipzig. In 1462, the first book fair was held in Frankfurt. The rapid influence of the printing press on these fairs is explained by the proximity of Mainz, where Gutenberg worked.
Spain Pavillon at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Three types of fair
There are different fair models, each with its own unique features: the popular, the professional, and the combined. Professional fairs are usually held in closed spaces, or large pavilions, and are mainly tailored to the book industry and the professional field.
Spain Pavillion Foyer at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Popular ones have a more commercial character and are open to the general public, so they are usually held in open spaces where booksellers and publishers offer their books in booths. Often, both types are present in the same space in a combined model.
Professional fairs: Frankfurt Book Fair
This is the largest publishing and professional fair in the world. It is attended by exhibitors from all five continents and it has the highest turnover and audience. Fact: about 80% of copyright agreements are negotiated at the Frankfurt fair.
Spanish Editors Federation FGEE (2022-10-19)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
The largest deals in the editing world are closed here, many negotiations become reality, and the big trends in the sector are set. Spain's largest trade fair is LIBER, which alternates between Madrid and Barcelona.
Popular fairs: Madrid Book Fair
This is held in the Spanish capital annually during the months of May and June. With a fair format aimed at the general public, its purpose is to promote books, reading, and the activities of entities that are dedicated to publishing, distributing, or selling books to the public.
Paseo de Gracia in Sant Jordi (2022-04-23)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Along with Sant Jordi's Day, celebrated in Catalonia every April 23, when it is customary to give away books and roses, these are the two most prominent popular literary events in Spain. Between them, they represent a large part of the annual book turnover in Spain.
Combined model: Guadalajara International Book Fair
This is considered the largest gathering in the Spanish-speaking publishing world. Founded in 1987, with a combined model, it currently hosts more than 800,000 attendees and over 2,400 publishers from more than 45 countries. It is by far the most visited book fair.
"Contemporary Spanish literature 400 years after the death of Cervantes" at the FIL Guadalajara (2016-11-01)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Created with the idea of broadening the horizons of Spanish-language books and helping them remain the main educational and cultural vehicle in modern society, the IBF has become a social, political, and cultural reference within the world of books.
Elvira Sastre at the Buenos Aires International Book Fair (2023)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
In Latin America, aside from the Guadalajara International Book Fair, the Buenos Aires International Book Fair, the somewhat smaller Bogotá International Book Fair (FILBo) and the Lima International Book Fair (FIL LIMA) are all very significant.
Other book fairs
Niches are emerging in the world of books, with specific fairs tailored to specific specializations. The Bologna Children's Book Fair or the Shanghai International Children's Book Fair, specializing in children's literature, or the various Conventions and Comic-Cons focused on the ninth art, such as the Barcelona Comic Fair, are the best examples.
Ttukunak at the Spain Pavillion in the Franckfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Guest of honor: a window to the world
Every time they are held, most fairs highlight a country or region as their guest of honor. The main aim is to show the highlights of the literary and cultural output of that country or region. Writers, publishers, and artists become the spokespeople for their culture.
Exhibition “50 Photographs with a Story” (2022-10-19)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
In addition, this promotes the cultural wealth that a given country or region wants to export. This is an international showcase where they can promote the best of their culture: dance, theater, music, gastronomy, cinema, etc.
Opening Ceremony, Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-18)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
The 2022 Frankfurt Book Fair had Spain as a guest country, 31 years after having it for the first time. Argentina was honored in 2010. The Guadalajara Book Fair will have Spain as its guest of honor in 2024, after having Peru in 2021.
Exhibition "HOW(EVER)" Art Book Festival in Portikus (2022-10-19)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Translation grants: linguistic basis for a cultural exchange
These are one of the main tools used to promote the works and authors that are part of the cultural heritage of a country. When a country is the guest of honor at a fair, this is one of the mechanisms put in place.
Spain Pavillon at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
In Spain, the Ministry of Culture has its own translation assistance for works originally written in any official language of the State.
The Ramón Llull Institute does the same for works in Catalan, the Xunta de Galicia for works in Galician, and Etxepare Euskal Institutua for works in Basque.
Spain Pavillon at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
To mark the occasion of Spain being designated as guest of honor at the Frankfurt fair, in 2019 Acción Cultural Española launched a new translation grant program in five languages: German, English, French, Italian, and Dutch, with four different lines of support.
Spain Pavillon at Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 (2022-10-22)Acción Cultural Española, AC/E
Three aimed at foreign publishers (translation of complete works, anthologies, and support for the illustration of translated works) and the translation of fragments, aimed at Spanish publishers and agents to prepare dossiers that help with the sale of rights abroad.
