The 2020 Malta Book Festival

The 2020 Malta Book Festival is organised by the National Book Council and will take place from 11-15 November at the Mediterranean Conference Centre, Valletta.

While preparations for this year’s edition are now well underway, the National Book Council will be following the national health authorities’ directives on public gatherings and is aware that plans for the festival may have to be altered accordingly.

Partners and prospective visitors are encouraged to follow our website and Facebook page for updates.

The MBF Story

The Malta Book Festival is the foremost book celebration in the country’s cultural calendar. Annually, the MBF boasts an attendance rate of 40,000 visitors, the participation of more than 40 exhibitors, and offers extensive networking opportunities for industry professionals.

The first edition of the MBF was held in 1979, then called the Malta Book Fair (1979-2012), and has since grown into a festival that celebrates the book culture in all its forms. The international dimension of the Festival is increasingly reflected in the lineup of guest authors and publishers which in previous years have included Gilbert Sinoué, Ros Barber, Shad Alshammari, Basma Abdel Aziz, Patrick McGuinness, Alek Popov, Marie Darrieussecq, Maram al-Masri, Dan Sociu, Ros Barber, Vera Duarte, Tim Parks, Philip ò Ceallaigh, Naomi Klein and Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.

Visit

Opening times:
Wednesday 11 November:  09:00 – 13:00, 17:30 – 21:30
Thursday 12 November:  09:00 – 13:00, 17:30 – 21:30
Friday 13 November:  09:00 – 13:00, 17:30 – 22:00
Saturday 14 November:  09:30 – 22:30
Sunday 15 November:  08:30 – 20:00

Admission free

Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC), Triq l-Isptar, Valletta, VLT 1645

School visits

Weekday mornings at the Festival are dedicated to school visits. A special programme of cultural and fun activities for students and teachers alike is set up, including theatre pieces, readings and meetings with writers.

Every year a professional team of actors adapts the Terramaxka Prize winners of the previous years, according to the age group of students. 

COVID-19 – notification

While preparations for the Malta Book Festival 2020 are well underway, the National Book Council is aware that plans may have to be altered should the authorities instruct to avoid public gatherings. Follow our website and Facebook page for updates.

Exhibitors

Applications for exhibitors, including publishers, and book sellers wishing to participate in the 2020 Malta Book Festival are now open. Download the application form here and make sure you peruse all terms and conditions before you apply.

Send your application as an email attachment to Michael Mercieca (michael.mercieca@gov.mt) and by post at the address that follows, by not later than Friday 14 August 2020 at noon (12 pm): Malta Book Festival 2020, National Book Council, Central Public Library, Prof. J. Mangion Street, Floriana, FRN 1800, MALTA.

The Sacra Infermeria and La Valette Halls will be hosting publishers, NGOs and libraries, as well as book sellers and bookshops.

Families

Please tune in later on for further information on family shows held during the Malta Book Festival 2020.

Exhibitors’ Media Scheme

New to this year’s edition, exhibitors may request a media subsidy whereby exhibitors who promote their participation at the Festival in the local press will be able to request a refund on their application fee.

The Exhibitors’ Media Scheme Application Form and scheme regulations can be downloaded here.

PREVIOUS EDITIONS

The 2019 Malta Book Festival

View the programme of events for the 2019 Malta Book Festival from here (mobile version here) – which featured book launches, presentations, poetry readings, meetings with authors, conferences and seminars.

A literary conference, relating to the genres of sci-fi and fantasy kicked off the festival on the evening of 6 November. Participating guest authors were Loranne Vella, author of the 2018 National Book Prize winner Rokit (Merlin Publishers), Malta-born Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Kali Wallace and Dave Rudden.

Special Guest to the 2019 edition of the Festival was American-Maltese Judge Hon. Rosemarie Aquilina, who skyrocketed to international fame after sentencing serial rapist Larry Nassar to 175 years in jail in a case that became a lightning-rod for the ‘#MeToo’ era.

The 2018 Malta Book Festival

The cultural programme for 2018 Malta Book Festival featured well over 80 events in book launches, readings, meetings with authors, and seminars. It enjoyed the Government’s support as part of Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture programme.

The highlight of this edition was world-renowned author and activist Naomi Klein, who was interviewed by local journalist Matthew Vella. Klein is the author of international bestseller The Shock Doctrine about disaster capitalism, which increased Klein’s prominence, with the New Yorker judging her ‘the most visible and influential figure on the American left’.

View or download the programme of events of the Malta Book Festival 2018.

Malta Book Festival 2018 School Visit feedback form

 

The 2017 Malta Book Festival

Poster EN(1)

MBF 2019 in pictures

MBF 2018 in pictures

MBF 2017 in pictures

The 2024 edition of the Malta Book Festival will be taking place between 6 and 10 November 2024. Applications for exhibitors will be open between 16 April and 10 May 2024. 

The Malta Book Festival is the foremost book celebration in the country’s cultural calendar. Annually, the MBF boasts an attendance rate of 50,000 visitors, the participation of some 50 exhibitors, and offers extensive networking opportunities for industry professionals.

2023 Malta Book Festival

The Malta Book Festival 2023 returns for its 39th edition and will be taking place between 18-22 October at the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali.

This year’s edition of the festival carries the theme #beyondbooks, highlighting the medium’s potential to transcend the written word and manifest itself in various media – from illustration to audio, theatre to film adaptation. The programme of events includes about 100 events over five days – free of charge and held in designated halls – that range from shows and activities for the family and students, to book launches and discussions, writing workshops, performative readings, and professional meet-ups between the public and book industry stakeholders.

The concert VII / Fidwa tal-Bdiewa is the only ticketed event at the 2023 Malta Book Festival; attendance to the Festival and to all other events is free of charge. Some masterclasses and workshops require participants to register in advance, check event pages for details.

The Malta Book Festival 2023 Animation Video

Witness our four beloved characters coming to life as we unveil the animation of our festival poster thanks to the incredible talent of local illustrator Moira Scicluna Zahra and digital animator Kyle Xuereb Cunningham.

The MBF Story

The first edition of the MBF was held in 1979, then called the Malta Book Fair (1979-2012), and has since grown into a festival that celebrates the book culture in all its forms. The international dimension of the Festival is increasingly reflected in the lineup of guest authors and publishers which in previous years have included Gilbert Sinoué, Ros Barber, Shad Alshammari, Basma Abdel Aziz, Patrick McGuinness, Alek Popov, Marie Darrieussecq, Maram al-Masri, Dan Sociu, Ros Barber, Vera Duarte, Tim Parks, Philip ò Ceallaigh, Naomi Klein, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, Sir Salman Rushdie, Irvine Welsh, Joe Sacco and John Boyne.

The Malta Book Festival 2023 Poster

The official poster for the 2023 Malta Book Festival embodies the multi-sensory spirit of this year’s edition of the beloved national celebration of the written word, taking you #beyondbooks!

Illustrated by Moira Scicluna Zahra and designed by Sarah Cachia Falzon, the poster gives vibrant visual expression to this mission. Previously introduced through NBC’s social media platforms, the mascots include Ray il-Qarrej, an imaginative fisherman whose nose is always stuck in a book; the enigmatic writer Filip il-Kittieb, whose passion lies in the performed word; Ċiċi l-Ispettatriċi, the curious cat who purrs at the sight of a literary show; and Mia s-Semmiegħa, the music enthusiast who jams to aural stories.

Useful Information

From Illustration to Book Exhibition

 


The second edition of an exhibition dedicated to book design and illustration, showcasing the work of Malta’s leading contemporary book illustrators and designers, as well as paying homage to the country’s book illustration and design pioneers. This initiative forms part of a strategic collaboration between the National Book Council and Arts Council Malta.

Opening Hours

Families and Children’s Activites

The Malta Book Festival makes for a great family outing, and it’s no different this year.

Throughout Festival week (Wednesday 18 – Sunday 22 October) we’re putting up a number of shows to entertain the whole family.

More information coming soon. 

How To Get There

The National Book Council will be ensuring that, besides ample parking space at the MFCC north entrance available to those visiting by car, everyone can reach the Festival by public transport thanks to enhanced bus routes offered by Malta Public Transport. The current routes leading to Ta’ Qali will be increased in frequency from Wednesday to Sunday.

MFCC Ta’ Qali will be served by three routes. Click on each for a detailed schedule:

a) Route 56 (Valletta — Ta’ Qali);

b) Route 186 (Rabat — Buġibba);

c) Route 202 (Rabat — Sliema).

-Route 56 covers Dingli, Rabat, Attard, Balzan, Birkirkara, Swatar, Msida, Pieta, Floriana, Valletta.
-Route 186 covers Rabat, Attard, Mosta, Burmarrad, St Paul’s Bay and Buġibba.
-Route 202 covers Rabat, Attard, Mosta, Naxxar, San Ġwann, Kappara, Swieqi, Pembroke, San Ġiljan.

Competitions

VII/Fidwa

Get a chance to win two tickets to VII/Fidwa – the musical theatre concert featuring the New Victorians taking place at the Malta Book Festival on 20 October at 20:30.

Find out more here.

Sensory-Friendly Room

 

This autism-friendly space (with low stimulation and some basic sensory items and autism-friendly resources) allows children on the spectrum to have access to storytelling activities in a safe and inclusive environment. Il-Kamra Sensorja is managed by Inspire Foundation and supported by APS Bank. Access is allowed to children accompanied by their parents/educators. 

Special Guests


Sam Blake

Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin writes crime as Sam Blake, the multiple No 1 bestselling author shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year three times. Her seventh bestseller, The Mystery of Four, and her recently published YA debut, Something Terrible Happened Last Night, are both in shops now. Vanessa is the founder of Europe’s biggest writing resources website, the award-winning writing.ie, the Writers Ink online writing group, and Murder One, Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival. Vanessa is a board member of the Society of Authors, and a fellow of the RSA. Having developed a range of initiatives in the writing world, she is a champion for emerging writers, working with agents and publishers both in the UK and Ireland, and spotting new talent. Vanessa joined the Board of the Crime Writers Association in 2021 and takes a dynamic lead in organising National Crime Reading Month.

Sam Blake’s full schedule of events at the Malta Book Festival 2023:

Inspiration, Technique, Success – A Creative Writing Masterclass By Sam Blake For Post-Sec Students

Masterclass: What’s Your Story: 5 Steps To Writing A Bestseller

Finding the Words – an exchange between Sam Blake and Leanne Ellul on ideas and words in fiction writing 

Charlie Castelletti

Charlie Castelletti is a writer and children’s books editor for Macmillan. He holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from King’s College, London, and an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, where he focused on nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature, period adaptations and queer audiences. He is the author of The Manor House Governess under the pseudonym C.A. Castle, and he is also a picture book author for young children. Castelletti is a poetry anthologist with Macmillan, where he contrasts the old with the new – from zodiacs and queer life to modern dating – always with a view to capturing the zeitgeist. He spends his time between London and Cambridgeshire.

Charlie Castelletti’s full schedule of events at the Malta Book Festival 2023:

Writing for children and young adults – a masterclass by children’s books editor Charlie Castelletti

Book launch: ‘The Manor House Governess’ (Black and White, Bonnier Books) by C.A. Castle 

Simon Trewin

A UK-based literary agent, Simon Trewin has a global imprint in the publishing industry, owing to a 30-year career during which he’s orchestrated deals for books, film, and theatre, translating over 40 debut novels into international acclaim, including Man Booker and Costa wins. A two-time finalist for the British Book Awards Literary Agent Of The Year and a Digital Influencer Of The Year nominee, his expertise is unrivaled. He is a Trustee for the Arvon Foundation For Creative Writing, and an advocate for heritage printing at The Garage Press.

Simon Trewin’s full schedule of events at the Malta Book Festival 2023:

Inside Publishing – Routes To Market: A Masterclass By Simon Trewin

Finding the Words – an exchange between Sam Blake and Leanne Ellul on ideas and words in fiction writing (moderator)

The MBF 23 Map @MFCC, Ta’ Qali

Exhibitors

More details about exhibitors at the Malta Book Festival 2023 can be found here.

Publishers, book sellers, authors and other book-related agencies applied to participate in the 2023 Malta Book Festival between 11 May and 12 June 2023. Application form and regulations can be found here.

The Exhibitors’ Media Refund Scheme

The Exhibitors’ Media Refund Scheme is organised by the National Book Council in a bid to promote the Malta Book Festival to a wider audience through the advertising and promotion in the local press and social media of each exhibitor’s events, books and/or participation at the Festival.

For the 2023 Malta Book Festival, exhibitors requested a full or partial (50% minimum) refund on their application fee if they opt to register for the Exhibitors’ Media Refund Scheme. Exhibitors were advised to read through the terms of the scheme and register via the same Exhibitors’ forms above.

Schools

 

School visits at the 2023 Malta Book Festival are back. School visits are free, however schools booked their visits in advance. We reached out to schools to invite them to visit with their students and enjoy the shows and of course lots of book browsing.

Registrations are now closed.

 

All registered students will be receiving a €5 voucher redeemable at the Festival and will be able to attend an age-appropriate show at the Festival Theatre, or enjoy street theatre performances in the Bookshop area.

Previous Editions