Malta Book Festival to take place in November

The National Book Council has announced that the 2019 Malta Book Festival, will take place from 6 November through till 10 November at the Mediterranean Conference Centre. 

The council said the poster for this year’s festival was produced by the popular illustrator Lisa Falzon, and graphic designer Steven Falzon, the latter of whom produced the visual work for last year’s edition also.  

The 2019 Malta Book Fesitval poster

The full programme of events and activities will be published in the second week of September and will be delivered in a physical copy to all households in Malta and Gozo.

“As is customary, the Festival will open with a conference, which will this year relate to the literary genres of sci-fi and fantasy, and will be led by a number of local and overseas authors,” the council said. Among them are Loranne Vella, the Brussels based author of Rokit and winner of the 2018 National Book Prize. The foreign authors attending the conference are Malta-born Jon Courtenay Grimwood, Kali Wallace and Dave Rudden.

The NBC said on weekday mornings the festival will welcome school visits. Students they said will be treated to a special programme of cultural and fun activities, including theatre pieces, reading, and meetings with writers. “Apart from these activities, a group of professional actors, lead by Antonella Axisa, will adapt last year’s Terramaxka Prize winners for the stage.”

The council said that following last year’s success, the comedy duo Danusan will once again be staging performances inspired by works which would have been awarded the 2019 Terramaxka Prize.

Tickets will be available for sale on at the Mediterranean Conference Centre’s website in the first week of September, and further information on receiving tickets to Danusan shows through the purchase of books at the festival will then be announced at a later stage.

“The NBC will also be retaining an extended exhibition space for this year’s MBF, which will include an extra hall for booksellers and NGOs, and a bigger activity area for the many book presentations, discussions, launches and cultural activities that will be taking place,” the group said.

The NBC added that in the coming weeks it would be also revealing the name of a renowned international author as this year’s special guest. The group said members of the public are urged to follow their Facebook page to stay up to date.