The Ministry of Culture takes part in the New York International Book Fair with a wide-ranging literary programme and a tribute to Lorca

The Ministry of Culture and Sport, through the Directorate General for Books, Comics and Reading, is taking part in the International Book Fair of the City of New York (FILNYC) 2023, an event that celebrates and gives visibility to literature in Spanish in the US. The meeting starts on 21 September and lasts four days.

The institutional participation in the New York fair aims to strengthen the presence of Spanish literature in the US, a potential market for Spain.

A delegation of authors and publishers, headed by the Director General of Books, Comics and Reading of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, María José Gálvez, will take part in the literary and professional programme of the fair which, under the slogan "Spanish, between resistance and memory", is being held in different venues at the universities of Columbia and New York.

The writers Kirmen Uribe, Luis García Montero, Yayo Herrero, Esther Paniagua, Mario Obrero, Eduardo Lago, Àngels Gregorio and Ana Vidal will take part in various round tables on poetry, critical thought and climate emergency. Meanwhile, publishers Santiago Tobón (Sexto Piso), Paca Flores (Periférica), Magda Anglès (Las Afueras) and Juan Romero (Litera Libros) will take part in professional meetings and will be able to present their publications in the exhibition and sales area that will be open to the public over the weekend at the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center at New York University.

In addition, the director general of Books, Comics and Reading, María José Gálvez, will take part in a round table with institutions from other Latin American countries to discuss the right to culture.

Tribute to Federico García Lorca

On the occasion of the commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the birth of Federico García Lorca, a tribute evening has been programmed in which the poet and director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, together with the poets Mario Obrero, Àngels Gregori and Kirmen Uribe will remember and celebrate the author of 'Poet in New York'. The activity, curated by Gregori, will be moderated by María José Gálvez. What is more, on the occasion of the event, the Ministry of Culture and Sport has commissioned Luci Gutiérrez, winner of the National Illustration Award 2023, to create a commemorative image that evokes the city's imprint on the poet from Granada.

With its participation in this fair, the Ministry of Culture and Sport aims to strengthen the presence of Spanish literature in the US, one of Spain's main strategic markets in terms of exports. According to the Avance de Comercio Exterior del Libro 2022, prepared by the Asociación de las Cámaras del Libro de España, Latin America is still the main area of Spanish exports. In 2022, the book sector (publishers and graphics) exported goods and services, mainly books, worth €182.43 million, 0.98% more than in 2021. By region, exports to North America (with Mexico in the lead, followed by the US) amounted to €18.98 million, 1.14% more than in 2021.

Internationalisation of Spanish literature

Barely two months after taking part in the San Diego Comic-Con, this latest institutional participation of Spain in the US highlights the Ministry of Culture and Sport's commitment to the internationalisation of Spanish literature written in all the languages of Spain. This strategy will continue, always hand in hand with the sector, with the participation as Guest of Honour at the next Book Fairs in Guadalajara (Mexico) in 2024 and Bogotá (Colombia) in 2025.

New York City International Book Fair

FILNYC is an initiative of the CUNY Institute of Mexican Studies that brings together book professionals, writers, editors and publishers, librarians and their audiences. Founded in 2019, over the course of the four editions held it has brought together more than 260 authors from 13 Latin American countries, as well as Spain.

Non official translation