Today, at the Centro Cultural La Moneda, a farewell was held for the Chilean delegation that will be present from 16 to 20 October at the world's most important publishing trade fair: the Frankfurt Book Fair. The event was attended by the Undersecretary of Cultures and the Arts, Noela Salas; the director of the Centro Cultural La Moneda, Regina Rodríguez; and the representatives who will travel to the fair.
“In 2014 we began our participation with a 16-square-metre modular stand and a delegation of 6 professionals. Today we have a 60-square-metre space, a delegation of 26 people and a literary exhibition of 36 publishers. Our participation as Guest of Honour will be a tremendous challenge. We cannot carry out this mission without the cooperation of the sector. We need joint work between institutions and the publishing ecosystem, and in particular with publishers, because the success of our presence in Frankfurt depends on the cohesion and agreements that are generated by and born from the sector,” said the Undersecretary of Cultures and the Arts, Noela Salas. She added: “It is not only important to chart a course that allows us to have an outstanding participation in 2027. It is essential that the opportunities generated along the way have continuity and stability, so that we can achieve a solid public policy for the publishing industry and its internationalisation.”
The national participation will include 26 representatives, as well as a literary exhibition of 36 publishers, trade associations and literary agencies, such as: NautaColecciones Editores, Cinosargo Ediciones, Editorial Muñeca de Trapo, Editoriales de Chile, Noctámbula, Ediciones Universidad Finis Terrae, Agencia Puentes, VLP Agency, Ebooks Patagonia, Neón Ediciones, Editorial Zig-Zag, La Pollera Ediciones, Pampa Negra Ediciones, Ediciones Ekaré Sur, Pehuén Editores, Editorial Usach, Editorial Mis Raíces, Claraboya Ediciones and Editorial Planeta. The following publishers will also exhibit their books at the stand: Ambos Editores, Calcetines Animados Editorial, Desastre Natural Ediciones, Dostercios Ediciones, Ediciones del Gato, Ediciones Filacteria, Ediciones Liz, Editorial Azafrán, Invertido Ediciones, La Parada Poética Ediciones, Loba Ediciones, Nifam Ediciones and ReCrea Libros.
“Being at a new edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair is key to continuing the internationalisation of Chile's creative industries, showcasing the diversity of our exportable offer. Frankfurt is the leading B2B fair where intellectual property rights for books are traded. This participation aims to increase the export figures of the publishing sector, which in 2023 amounted to US$9 million, with Germany as one of the main destinations. We want to keep growing the sector's business, and one way to do so is by attending events like this, thanks to joint work with public actors such as MINCAP and DIRAC, as well as with the publishing trade associations,” highlighted the Director General of ProChile, Ignacio Fernández.
Meanwhile, the director of the Division of Cultures, Heritage and Public Diplomacy (DIRAC), Ambassador Rodrigo Hume, stated: “For DIRAC, the Frankfurt Book Fair is an opportunity to renew our commitment to promoting and disseminating Chilean literature in leading cultural spaces abroad. It is also a key occasion to publicise our Translation Support Programme for Foreign Publishers, given the great confluence of publishers, translators and literary agents from all over the world. This becomes even more relevant on the eve of Chile's participation as Guest of Honour in Frankfurt 2027, where this programme will play a crucial role in expanding the reach and promotion of our authors around the world.”
All of them will be presented in a national pavilion designed and coordinated by ProChile, which this year grew from 16 to 60 square metres and offers five spaces for business meetings, as well as 38.4 linear metres to display books by Chilean publishers. The stand follows the visual line presented by our country at the cultural fairs and festivals of 2024, illustrated by Paloma Valdivia, guest-of-honour illustrator at the Bologna Children's Book Fair and winner of the Grand Prix of the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava.
This year marks 10 years of Chile's participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair. Being chosen as Guest of Honour in 2027 is the result of a trajectory that reflects the exponential growth of the national publishing industry and the tireless cross-sector work of the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, the Division of Cultures, Arts, Heritage and Public Diplomacy (DIRAC) and ProChile, both part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREL). This historic joint effort has made it possible to coordinate and manage Chile's representation at the fair, including the creation and strengthening of a translation hub, greater participation of Chilean publishers and authors, and a significant expansion of translated titles, among other areas.
The Chilean stand opens on Friday 17 October at 12:00 with a conversation between Emma Sepúlveda, author of Cuando mi cuerpo dejó de ser tu casa. Memorias de Ilse de Colonia Dignidad, published in German thanks to the Translation Support Programme of Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Chile's Ambassador to Germany, Magdalena Atria, who was a member of Chile's National Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Both will discuss human rights with journalist and writer Vivian Lavín (moderator). They will be joined by Germany-based writers Carolina Brown, Enrique Winter and Tomás Cohen.
The full agenda of the Chilean delegation is available at this link.
