“If you’re not at the Frankfurt Book Fair, then you pretty much don’t exist.” That’s what she told me when I said that I was from Malta, and that Malta doesn’t have a stand in any bookfair. “Malta’s an EU member, isn’t it? It really should have a stand in every major bookfair – Frankfurt, London, Abu Dhabi, Thessaloniki, Prague, Alexandria, Bologna...” “Yes,” I thought, “should is definitely the operative word here!”
I’ve just come back from the Children’s Book Fair in Bologna. This was the 47th edition; this year, Slovakia was the guest of honour. The Fair had 20,000 square metres of space dedicated solely to children’s books. A multitude of stands, each with a different story, hall after hall bursting with illustrations, stories, fairy tales, big books and small books, dolls, puppets, elements of all the different worlds that make up children’s literature. India, Korea, Ghana, Romania, Serbia, Iran, Tunisia... there are stands from most countries. This Book Fair isn’t really open to the public, it isn’t a fair where one goes to buy books; it’s more of a trade fair than anything else. It’s meant for literary agents, publishers, literary representatives and illustrators. And they’re all there to sell their country’s literature, illustrations and publications, as well as translation rights to enable books to be published in other languages and other countries.
So there I was, pretty much alone and without a stand that I could call home, clutching a meagre pile of books and trying to figure out what was going on. I walked from stand to stand trying to get my hands on a few good books, the eccentric kind, the ones that inspire. Nobody knows anything about Malta. Nobody knows that it has a literature. People ask me about the Maltese language. (In spite of the fact that Malta’s been an EU member for a while, nobody seems to know anything about Maltese.) Nevertheless, many publishers and literary representatives are thrilled at the prospect of a Children’s Literature Festival happening somewhere in the middle of the Mediterranean sea (it is going to happen, at St James Cavalier between April 21 and 25), so everyone tries to foist a book or two (or even three) on me, to make sure they’re represented. What really matters to them is that their name is rendered visible – rightly so, I think – and that they get to open up even more – rightly so, indeed – so that the world gets to know their literature.
I remember that some four years ago I’d attended a literary conference in Barcelona, where I’d shocked everyone present by replying no to every question they asked me. I remember telling them that Malta didn’t have a cultural policy, didn’t have a literature centre, and didn’t have any representatives from the literary world. It also didn’t have anything resembling a structure for the promotion of Maltese literature beyond our shores, with its own finances and human resources dedicated full-time to the job. I remember telling them that whatever happens in Malta relies on work carried out on a voluntary basis. And I remember the laughter that this provoked!
Let me not be cynical. Let me concede that some things have changed since then. I can finally say we have a cultural policy and an annual literature festival that happens in September (though all the work that goes into it is still done on a voluntary basis). We now also have an Arts Fund that has substantial funds at its disposal to support artists and artistic projects. Thanks to the support of the Arts Fund, this year will see the first ever Festival of Children’s Literature. (Hopefully, we’ll be able to secure funding to keep this going at least once every two years.)
So some things do change, there’s no denying that. But I’d really like to know when the government is going to make up its mind to start paying for a stand to represent Maltese literature at the world’s main bookfairs in Frankfurt, London and Bologna, so that we can finally find our place on the literary map. Yes, this is actually something that governments have to do. It’s not individual publishers or authors that invest in stands at bookfairs.
Now, while I was there, I thought I’d do a little homework to make this a tiny bit easier. So: a stand at the Bologna Bookfair costs 4000 Euro for four days, on top of which you need to factor in payment for the representatives who actually man the stand (people from the National Book Council and the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts would be ideal), as well as shipping costs both to and from the fair for the books themselves. As I nosed around I thought that perhaps 4000+ might be a bit too much for us, so I began to ask around about ways of allowing ourselves in by the back door. Turns out there’s actually a scheme in place for countries that can’t afford to pay their way. They get a free stand or share one with somebody else. On the other hand, it is with some regret that I have to reveal that this time, Malta won’t be able to play the naive Johnny-come-lately with the usual pleas about a lack of funds. The scheme isn’t open to countries like Malta: Malta is a member of the European Union. This year, Georgia was awarded a free stand by the Bologna Bookfair organisers... I think the rationale for this particular decision should be fairly clear to all. On the other hand, there’s another route we might decide to take (I did say I did my homework in the couple of days I spent there). We could actually join this association called IBBY (the International Board on Books for young People). Elisabeth, the IBBY representative, told me that Malta is one of the few countries that aren’t members (please note: one of the few). “Does membership cost anything?” I asked. “Well, of course it does... how would the NGO manage to get by otherwise!” So I asked whether Malta could perhaps get a discount. She said no: discounts are given to countries which are in a state of war, not European Union members. She promised she’d work out the cost of Malta’s membership, based on our GDP. Once I get the information, I’ll pass it on, I promise. But what would we gain? Well, to start with, children’s books by Maltese authors would be represented on the IBBY stand at every international bookfair. Perhaps we could start to earn a reputation, a place on the literary map of the world. But then again, IBBY works exclusively with children’s books. Maltese authors deserve more. They deserve a stand in every major bookfair.
Given that Maltese authors are so prolific (a total of 400 books for children and adults were published last year, if I’m not mistaken), it’s a real pity they don’t get represented at the major bookfairs. As I’ve already noted, it’s not up to individual authors, illustrators or publishers. It’s countries that represent their writers, publishers, illustrators, designers and translators. So I’m trying to remember whether our government’s plan... No, sorry, “government’s plan” won’t do: the “Prime Minister’s plan” is probably the expression I’m after here. So, let me rephrase: I’m trying to remember whether the Prime Minister’s plan to turn Malta into a centre of excellence by 2015 includes lots of stands in lots of different bookfairs. I can’t seem to remember anything of the sort. Actually, I don’t think anything along these lines was even mentioned. I find I have to grit my teeth very hard to stop myself from bursting into tears, or screaming in frustration, or stamping my feet. I suppose I could simply laugh at the whole pathetic situation.
So, Mr Prime Minister, sir, I’d like to ask a question if I may: when are you going to decide that Malta should become part of the literary map of the world? While we’re at it, might I also remind you that Malta – this Malta that is virtually unknown to the attendees of bookfairs around the world – is soon going to be Europe’s Cultural Capital.
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