The National Book Council Goes To The 2024 London Book Fair


The National Book Council (NBC) of Malta is proud to announce its participation in the 2024 London Book Fair (LBF), scheduled from 12–14 March at Olympia, Kensington. 

This annual event serves as a crucial platform for promoting Maltese literature on the international stage. The NBC’s presence at the London Book Fair underscores its commitment to promoting Maltese literature. By enabling Maltese authors and publishers to connect with their counterparts worldwide, the NBC aims to foster greater visibility and financial opportunities for the Maltese literary community.

As part of its efforts at LBF 2024, the NBC launched several initiatives to support publishers, authors and illustrators from Malta. Through its yearly initiatives the NBC seeks to empower local talent and showcase the richness of Maltese literary culture on the world stage.

Through a literary export initiative, Maltese publishers were invited to showcase up to 5 of their titles to feed a foreign rights catalogue to be distributed at the London Book Fair and other international events throughout 2024. Authors were encouraged to collaborate with their publishers to participate in this initiative, which aims to facilitate collaboration in the global book market. The NBC also invited Maltese illustrators to submit proposals to feature their artwork at the NBC stand during the London Book Fair 2024. Eight artworks will be displayed in a gallery at stand 6A34, London Olympia, during the London Book Fair opening days, offering exposure to industry professionals and the general public. Additionally, all submitted artworks will be featured in the Literature from Malta: Foreign Rights Catalogue 2024.

Also as part of the same initiative, the NBC offered guest passes to publishers, authors, and translators from Malta to attend the LBF with the aim of promoting Maltese books internationally; with 20 passes allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

The NBC is also organising the seminar Beyond Island Horizons – Literary Exploration on the Global Stage Starting in Malta, featuring panelists including writer Rita Saliba, UK publishers Kat Storace and Jen Calleja, and UK literary agent Simon Trewin. Taking place on Wednesday 13 March from 2pm at the International Markets Theatre, the discussion will invite the audience to consider the intriguing particularities of the Maltese literary scene, while also opening up a frank conversation about the challenges small island nations like Malta face when striving to export their literary product to wider international markets.  

Look out for the NBC stand, 6A34, at the London Book Fair in Kensington Olympia, London. 

A pdf of the Literature from Malta – Foreign Rights Catalogue 2024 is available for download in English here, with a mobile-friendly version accessible here.

Design and Concept: Sarah Cachia Falzon
Illustration: Mattie De Bono
Primary Typeface: Hannah Grech Pirotta