A record 37 exhibitors are participating in this year’s edition of the Malta Book Festival (November 3 to 7), the National Book Council has announced. Many of them will also be organising an array of book-related activities, including book launches, presentations of special interest books, conferences, readings and activities targeted to all ages.
The list of exhibitors is comprised of local and international publishers, booksellers, student organisations, NGOs and public agencies with ties to the book industry. Also new to this edition, self-published authors will be able to promote and sell their books at a predesignated area during the festival.
This year, the five-day festival will be held at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre (MFCC), Ta’ Qali. Moving to Malta’s largest international conference and exhibition venue was an informed decision made at a time when organising public events poses challenges because of the health-related restrictions that may be in place in autumn. Additionally, the decision responds to logistical concerns raised in previous years by stakeholders and visitors to the festival.
The MFCC will offer greater organisational flexibility for the growing national event and bigger open spaces. It will also ensure that visiting patrons as well as exhibitors have the peace of mind of parking stress-free and visiting the stands safely.
With over 8,000 square metres of indoor available space, stands will be allocated a larger space and footage, all corridors will be wider and full accessibility will be ensured.
The activity areas are also more spacious and separate from the bookshops area.
The full programme of events for the 2021 Malta Book Festival will be published in the coming weeks. For the latest updates, follow the NBC website, the NBC Facebook page and Malta Book Festival 2021 Facebook event page.
While preparations for this year’s Malta Book Festival are well under way, the National Book Council will be adhering to the national health authorities’ directives on public gatherings to ensure the safest possible experience.
The exhibitors
Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, BDL, Bookends (Miller), Creative Europe Desk Malta, Carmen Schembri, Daniel Schembri (Ir-rumanz Nyctophilia), Dar tal-Pubblikazzjoni QUM, Deer Publications, Dunstan Hamilton, Ede Books/Kixott, Faraxa Publishing, Fondazzjoni Sagħtar, French Embassy, German-Maltese Circle/UOM − Department of German, Għaqda tal-Malti − Università, Heritage Malta Publishing, Horizons, Inizjamed, Istituto Italiano di Cultura La Valletta, Kite, Kiwi Publications, Klabb Kotba Maltin/Midsea, Librerija Preca, Malta Libraries, Malta University Press, Marvellous Malta, Matthew Schembri, Mellieħa local council, Merlin Library, Merlin Publishers, Miller/Agenda, Octavo, Paul Fenech Gonzi, Reliġjon u Ħajja (ĊAK), SKS Publishers, The Friends of the National Archives of Malta, Wirt iż-Żejtun.