Full Programme for the Annual Book Conference: Varied Group of Speakers Explore the Economic Realities of the Publishing Industry

Organised by the National Book Council (NBC) and taking place on 8 May at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Qawra, the inaugural edition of the Annual Book Conference will serve as a dynamic snapshot of the present-day book industry in Malta, addressing challenges and identifying opportunities with the participation of an eclectic group of speakers ranging from both the book industry, and beyond. 

Registration has been extended until 20 April. Register via Submittable here. 

This first edition of what is set to become an annual event – as well as crucially being a key deliverable for the National Book Council’s 2025-2030 Strategic Vision – will carry the theme of The Economy and the Book, inviting speakers and participants to engage with the publishing industry as a bona fide industry – with urgent and tangible economic realities that deserve to be considered and tackled. 

The full conference programme, launched today, shows how the Conference will involve the participation of practitioners from the cultural sector, as well as leading local economists such as Prof. Marie Briguglio, Chamber of SMEs President Paul Abela and statistician Prof. Vincent Marmarà. 

Stephen Reid of Lilliput Press (Ireland) will deliver the conference’s keynote address, drawing on his experience as publishing manager to speak about the nature of author-publisher relationships while applying his insights onto the Maltese publishing context. 

See the full programme here. 

“The promotion of best practices within the local publishing industry remains one of the key pillars of the Council’s work, as informed by our deep understanding of the local context, and a willingness to stay abreast of global trends and approaches,” NBC Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri said, adding that an event such as the Annual Book Conference provides an expansive and open platform through which to explore, assess and debate how the industry can move forward through informed discussions with experts in various fields. 

“The conference will allow attendees to directly contribute to ongoing conversations regarding beneficial policies for all stakeholders across the Maltese book industry,” Camilleri said, adding that all discussions – including the survey findings and focus group conclusions – will be collated into a single official document, presented to the relevant authorities and published to the general public. 

In this way, attendees of the Annual Book Conference will have a direct stake in potentially shaping the future of Maltese publishing. Registration for the conference is against a fee of €30 which includes entrance, parking and lunch. Deadline for registration is 20 April at noon. Those interested are invited to register via Submittable here. The full programme is available here.