Catalan, an open book
The Catalan Book Week begins on Friday in avinguda de la Catedral with a dose of optimism and confidence. A study by the Federation of Publishers’ Guilds says that 2016 showed a turnover of €238.65 million, an increase by 3.6% for the third consecutive year without an increase in the number of books published, “is a fact, therefore, doubly positive because it means that what we publish, we are selling more of and more effectively,” according to Montse Ayats, president of the Association of Catalan Language Publishers (AELLC).
Book sales in Catalan account for 25.4% of the market, and of the 11,343 titles published, 1800 correspond to translations. This year the funds set aside to subsidise translations amounted to €300,000. Publishers are now looking to increase translations for comics and science fiction.
The Catalan publishing industry is part of the Reading Plan 2020, created by the Department of Education, and also works towards gaining greater visibility for books in Catalan in chain stores and supermarkets.
“This is the most international Catalan Book Week so far, and not only because Paul Auster will be here, but also the Italian artist Nanni Balestrini, British author Mary Beard, and from Syria, Gulnar Hajo,” Joan Sala, president of the event said yesterday. One reason that the fair is gaining prominence is the change to September, once people are back at work and school and with the hype of the Sant Jordi literary festival now out of the way.