#ReadThis #LondonPeachy The London Book Fair Unveils 2020 Seminar Highlights
From environmental sustainability to Literary Translation and accessibility, LBF Insights Seminar Programme shines a light on current publishing business trends
Penguin Random House, BBC, Jacaranda, Egmont, Pearson, Oxford University Press, Times Literary Supplement, Book Aid, The Guardian and more take to the stage
Clockwise from top left: Dr Margaret Heffernan; Sana Khareghani; Philippe Sands; Anne-Marie Imafidon
London. 27th February 2020: The London Book Fair has today announced its full 2020 Insights Seminar Programme, featuring over 200 events, from Q&As and panel debates to author talks, live podcasts and poetry and literary translation slams.
The programme will cover all aspects of the book world, spanning diversity, accessibility, reaching new audiences, environmental sustainability, representation in children’s books, audio, the literary translation championing new voices, and the business of bookselling.
The Insights programme, long respected for its breadth, diversity and depth, has this year introduced “Quantum Talks. This badge is designed to highlight stand out sessions that reflect innovation, critical business interest, leadership and future gazing.
Other themes at the Fair this year will include:
· Literary Translation, with sessions covering the importance of telling refugee and exile stories, the championing of works written in less commonly publicised languages such as Maltese, Catalan and Welsh, the nuances of translating Arabic work, who currently has power over what is translated, and which communities are “hidden” from the wider world
· Environmental sustainability in the book world, with talks by Cambridge University Press on the process of becoming a carbon neutral publisher, the Booksellers Association on the green impact on academic bookselling, and sessions on the environmental challenges of live events
· Education, Children’s and Libraries: spanning the role of books to get more women into STEM, picture book trends, and the importance of home library services
· Audio: with a new Audio HQ on Tuesday morning, topics include the latest commissioning trends, the art of writing for audio, audiences, audiobooks for University presses and more.
Speakers include: Dr Margaret Heffernan TED talker, author, and former BBC producer, named one of the “Top 100 Media Executives” by Hollywood Reporter; Sana Khareghani, Head of the UK’s Office for Artificial Intelligence; Anne-Marie Imafidon, co-founder of STEMettes – the award-winning social enterprise encouraging women and girls into STEM; ‘Killed Covers’ hosts returning on the cover design process; broadcaster Gyles Brandreth on the importance of digital for the popularity of poetry; and Philippe Sands, President, English PEN.
2020 will also see the return of The Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, on which some of the world’s most celebrated authors will discuss their works and their careers, and the UK Book Blog Awards, recognising the importance of social media influencers to the book community.
Must-see events at The London Book Fair 2020 include:
Day One – Tuesday 10th March 2020
· Quantum Talks: Nielsen's Audiobook Success - Here's the Story with Jaclyn Swope (Nielsen). Audio HQ, 9:45 – 10:15
· Pathways: Bridging Sectors to Diversify Children’s Illustration. Olympia Room, Grand Hall, 10:00 – 11:00.
· Literary Journalism and the Book Business: Sheep or Shepherds? With Times Literary Supplement. The Cross-Cultural Hub, 10:00 – 11:00
· Finding the Perfect Voice: The Challenges in Audio Casting and Why it’s Critical for Success, with Dan Zitt (Penguin Random House Audio US). Audio HQ, 10:15 – 11:00.
· The Waterstones Podcast with David Mitchell, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 10:30 – 11:30.
· Maltese Literature: From Local to Global with Maltese National Book Prize winner and Arabic translator Walid Nabhan and literary translator Clare Vassallo. English PEN Literary Salon, 10:30 – 11:30.
· The Subscription Economy in the Publishing Sector, with Lotten Skeppstedt (Storytel), Nathan Hull (Storytel), Magnus Nytell (Nextory), Colleen Predergast and Javier Celaya (Dosdoce). Audio HQ, 11:00 – 11:45.
· Illustrators’ Masterclass with illustrator Rachel Hill. Children’s Hub, 11:30 – 12:30.
· Quantum Talks: How to Map the Future Together with Margaret Heffernan (pre booking required) Apex Room, 11:45 – 12:15.
· Omar Ghobash In Conversation with Philippe Sands, President, English PEN. English PEN Literary Salon, 11:45 – 12:15.
· Who is Commissioning Audio, What are the Opportunities and Where are the Audiences? With Bookwire, BBC Radio 4, Blinkist and RB Media. Audio HQ, 12:00 – 12:45.
· Mohammad Al-Murr in Conversation with Catherine Taylor, English PEN Literary Salon, 12:30 – 13:00
· Arabic Language in Emirati Literature, The Cross-Cultural Hub, 13:00 – 14:00.
· Displaced Voices: Translating Writing by Refugee and Exiled Authors with Ed Doeger (Poetry Translation Centre), Shalim M Hussain, Omid Tofighian (University of Sydney), Marcia Lynx Qualey, Alexandra Büchler (Literature Across Frontiers). Literary Translation Centre, 13:00 – 14:00.
· Quantum Talks: AI, Machine Learning and the Future of Publishing, Club Room – National Hall Gallery, 13:00 – 14:00.
· Audiobook Growth: The Story Continues, Audio HQ, 13:00 – 13:45.
· Illustrator of the Fair Rob Biddulph In Conversation with Ren Renwick, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 13:15 – 14:15.
· Sheikh Zayed Book Award: The Positive Impact of Prizes on Translation, English PEN Literary Salon, 13:30 – 14:15
· Author of the Day Edna O' Brien in Conversation, English PEN Literary Salon, 14:30 – 15:00
· The Cover Design Wheel of Fortune, with designers Ceara Elliot, Jack Smyth and Nico Taylor. Using real-life case studies across a variety of publishers to look at various aspects of the cover design process. Olympia Room, Grand Hall, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Illustrators’ Afternoon, Club Room – National Hall Gallery, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Poetry and the Digital Sphere: a Catalyst for Success. Scarlett Sabet in Conversation with Jimmy Page, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Folklore and Traditional Stories, with Dr Abdulaziz Al-Musallam (Sharjah Institute for Heritage), Dubai Abulhoul, Catherine Fisher, Rob Humphreys. The Cross-Cultural Hub, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Playing with Prose: Plot, Character, Setting with Konnie Huq, Helen Bryant, Amy Perkins and Madeleine O’Shea. Author HQ, 14:30 – 15:15
· Hazel Barkworth In Conversation with Hannah Trevarthen, English PEN Literary Salon, 15:30 – 16:00.
· Breaking the Barriers: Understanding Diversity in Literature in Scotland and Wales, with Lleucu Siencyn (Literature Wales), Jay G Ying (Scottish BAME Writer’s Network), Prof. Claire Squires, Hanan Issa (Where I’m Coming From), Natalie Jerome. Olympia Room, Grand Hall, 16:00 – 17:00.
· Quantum Talks: Charles Clark Memorial Lecture (pre booking required) with Prof. Silke von Lewinski. Apex Room, 16:00 – 17:30.
· Arabic Translation: Finding New Audiences, with Marcia Lynx Qualey. Literary Translation Centre, 16:00 – 17:00.
· Poetry Planet: How can Poets and Writers Unite to Tackle the Current Climate Emergency? Chaired by Sally Carruthers, with poets Zena Edwards and Jade Cuttle. Poet’s Corner, 16:00 – 17:00.
· In Conversation with Tessa Hadley, English PEN Literary Salon, 16:30 – 17:00
· The Selfies by BookBrunch with LJ Ross. Awards recognising self-published authors. Author HQ, 17:15 – 18:00.
· Taking Arabic Titles Global, The Cross-Cultural Hub, 17:30 – 18:15.
· International Excellence Awards, by invitation only. Pergola Olympia, 18:00 – 22:00.
Day Two – Wednesday 11th March 2020
· What Works? Education Conference for education publishers and all those in education seeking insights into what is working in the classroom today. Chaired by Lindsay Nadin (Pearson), with keynote by John Martin (Sanoma Learning) and sessions on EdTech and developing digital learning materials. (pre booking required) Apex Room, 9:30 -13:00.
· Quantum Talks: Are Books Working for Business? "Not all Readers are Leaders, but all Leaders are Readers" - Harry Truman Olympia Room, Grand Hall, 10:00 – 11:00.
· Catalan Poetry in English: An Unexpected Trend, Poets’ Corner, 10:00 – 10:45.
· Irenosen Okojie, In Conversation, English PEN Literary Salon, 10:00 – 10:30.
· “Is That My Job?” Negotiating Professional Boundaries With Translators with Katy Derbyshire, Translator of the Fair, Ros Schwartz, Daniel Hahn and Stefan Tobler. Literary Translation Centre, 10:00 – 11:30.
· Lavie Tidhar, In Conversation with Robert Sharp, English PEN Literary Salon, 10:45 – 11:15
· Poetry with Shalim M Hussain, Poet’s Corner, 11:00 – 11:30
· Meet Award-Winning Maltese Poet and Novelist: Immanuel Mifsud - With Sephora Francalanza, Poets’ Corner, 11:30 – 12:30.
· A Special Rathbones Folio Prize Session: What Does it Take to Break Through as a Writer? With Raymond Antrobus. English PEN Literary Salon, 11:30 – 12:00.
· The Poetry-Digital Connection: What Can Poetry and Digital Do Better Together? Impress and Forward Arts Foundation stage a joint Poetry Summit, with speakers including broadcaster Gyles Brandreth and poets Kate Fox and Ariel Bissett. Club Room, National Hall Gallery, 11:30 – 14:00.
· New Opportunities in China's Growing EdTech Market, The Buzz Theatre, 11:30 – 12:30.
· Literature Outreach in the UAE with Abdulla AlNuaimi, Dr Habib Ghuloom al-Attar, Sarah Ardizzone. The Cross-Cultural Hub, 11:30 – 12:30
· The Midas Podcast Hosted by Sky's Ben Munro-Davies: Meryl Halls and Hazel Kenyon, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 11:45 – 12:45
· Poetry with Afra Atiq, Author of the Day at Poet’s Corner, 13:00 – 14:00
· Visible Communities, Literary Translation Centre, 13:00 – 14:00
· Khulood Al Mu'alla in Conversation English Pen Literary Salon, 13:15 - 13:45
· A Taste of Eid, a seminar on the new cookbook which is a celebration of food and culture with Jacks Thomas, Director of The London Book Fair, author Emma Marsden and Sharjah Cultural Coordinator Tasniem Rosdhy. SBA Stand, 13:30 – 14:00.
· How I Write for Audio with Insights from Audible and Author Kirsty Logan with Sean McManus, Audible. Author HQ, 13:45 – 14:15
· Author of the Day Afra Atiq In Conversation with Joelle Taylor. English PEN Literary Salon, 14:15 – 14:45.
· Trailblazers 2020: What’s Next for Publishing? chaired by Alexa Shoen, with Trailblazer winners Beth Farrell (Blackwells), Eleanor Pilcher (Avon, HC), Gauthier Van Malderen (Perlego Ltd), Madgalene Abraha (Jacaranda). Club Room, National Hall, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Arabic Translation: Challenges of Translation to and from Arabic, The Cross-Cultural Hub, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Quantum Talks: Alison's Adventures - Your Passport to the World (pre booking required), Apex Room, 14:30 – 15:00.
· Julian is a Mermaid: How Picture Books and Picture Book Illustration is Broadening Horizons with Klaus Flugge Prize. Speakers include Kate Milner, Jake Hope, Martin Salisbury, Tiffany Leeson (Egmont Publishing). Children’s Hub, 14:30 – 15:30.
· BBC Radio 4 Telling Tales Podcast with Lynda La Plante, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 14:30 – 15:15.
· The Cover Design Wheel of Fortune, Olympia Room – Grand Hall, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Poet of the Fair, Kate Fox In Conversation with Monica Parle of National Poetry Day, discussing the fine line between poetry and stand-up comedy. Poet’s Corner, 16:00 – 17:00.
· A Journey Through Time: How Home Library Services have evolved in the UK with Royal Voluntary Service, LBF Charity of the Year. Club Room, National Hall Gallery, 16:00 – 17:00.
· Dean Atta, In Conversation, English PEN Literary Salon, 16:00 – 16:30.
· The Return of Wolf Brother: Global bestselling author, Michelle Paver in Conversation with Alison Flood, Books Reporter (The Guardian). Children’s Hub, 16:00 – 17:00.
· Literary Translator of the Fair, Katy Derbyshire, in conversation with Shappi Khorsandi, Literary Translation Centre, 16:00 – 17:00.
· Less Waste Book Fairs Around the Globe: A Utopia or a Must? Club Room – National Hall Gallery, 17:30 – 18:30.
Day Three – Thursday 12th March 2020
· The Research & Scholarly Publishing Forum. All about Open Access: 'Shared Value? Shared Values? Who Owns Open?’ Chaired by Alicia Wise, Information Power, and Richard Charkin, Mensch Publishing, sessions will tackle Open Access and looks at the issues shaping the future of academic publishing. (pre booking required) Apex Room, 9:00-13:30
· New Formats in Children's Literature and Picture Books with Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp, Alise Nigale (Liels un Mazs), Rebecca Robinson, Emma Wright (The Emma Press), Clare Pollard. Children’s Hub, 10:00 – 11:00
· By Invitation Only: Waterstones Podcast with Cressida Cowell, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 10:30 – 11:30
· Freedom to Translate: Who has the Power? Exploring who gets to translate and who gets to be translated, and the influence of power structures in the world of literary translations. With Dr. Georgina Collins, Azadeh Parsapour. English PEN Literary Salon, 10:00 – 11:00
· Eley Williams, In Conversation with Peggy Hughes, English PEN Literary Salon, 11:00 – 11:30
· Literary Echoes: Translation Challenges in Catalan & English, with Peter Bush, Ferran RÃ fols, Uta Steiger. Catalonian Pavilion, 11:30 – 12:30
· Sultan Al-Ameemi, In Conversation, English PEN Literary Salon, 11:45 – 12:15.
· Crossmedia Author of the Fair, Mark Millar, appears in Conversation, English PEN Literary Salon, 13:00 – 13:40
· The Power of Diversity: How Publishing Can Be More Open, Diverse and Inclusive with IPA/Elsevier. Club Room, National Hall Gallery, 13:00 – 14:00
· The Bestseller Experiment Podcast with Abigail Dean, Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 13.45-14.45
· In conversation with Cressida Cowell, Author of the Day, English PEN Literary Salon, 14:00 – 14:30
· Book to Screen, with Emily Smith (The Agency), screenwriter Kate O’Riordan and Producer Jonathan Fisher. Author HQ, 14:00 – 14:30.
· Ariel Bisset, Poet and BookTuber Extraordinaire, on Building a Brand, with poet Tony Walsh. Poet’s Corner, 14:30 – 15:30
· Quantum Talks: Breaking the Bubble, Children’s Hub, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Distribution and Printing in the Arab Market, discussing the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone. The Cross-Cultural Hub, 14:30 – 15:30.
· Literary Translation Slam: Arabic, Literary Translation Centre, 14:30 – 15:00.
· The Write Stuff, a Dragon’s Den style panel event in which six authors pitch their books to literary agents in front of an audience for the chance to win a follow up meeting. Author HQ, 14:30 – 16:30.
· UK Book Blog Awards, the awards celebrating social media influencers in the book world returns for a third year. Fireside Chats @ The Podcast Theatre, 15:30 – 16:00.
· The Role of Books to Get More Girls and Women into STEM with Book Aid International, STEMettes and HarperCollins UK. The Faculty, 15:45 - 16:45.
THE LONDON BOOK FAIR (LBF)
The London Book Fair (LBF) is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels. Taking place every spring in the world’s premier publishing and cultural capital, it is a unique opportunity to explore, understand and capitalise on the innovations shaping the publishing world of the future. LBF brings you direct access to customers, content and emerging markets. LBF 2020, the 49th Fair, will take place from 10-12 March 2020, Olympia London. LBF’s London Book and Screen Week will run for the third year, with the book fair as the pivotal three-day event within a seven-day programme. For further information, please visit: www.londonbookfair.co.uk
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