The Cape Town Book Fair, which took place for the fifth time between July 30 and August 2, is an important event in the literary calendar of Africa especially since the demise of the Zimbabwe International Book Fair.
The event usually has a strong programme of events, author appearances and professional seminars, but is regarded as “modest” compared to Indaba at Harare, according to the website Publishing Perspectives http://publishingperspectives.com/?p=18394. The event attracts significant publishing houses from European countries, China, India and Korea, in particular, and this year there was a big delegation from Abu Dhabi.
While it is a slick affair, the question whether the South African market is too “insular” or that it lacks “a Pan-African ambition” has been raised by Publishing Perspectives. Locally too, the event has lost some traction from when it started.
While, at its beginning, it was the most visited event at the CTICC, the dearth of publicity this year suggests that numbers may have been lower this year, especially after, the Fair, like a range of events, was unseated from its usual slot by the World Cup.
Judging by its excellent programme and its more than a 1 000 fans on facebook it seems to be an event that still offers a great deal for an eager audience base. We welcome Claudia Kaiser http://www.capetownbookfair.co.za/press-and-media/1/releases-and-news/96/profile-of-cape-town-book-fair-director-claudia-kaiser into the hot seat as the Fair’s new director.
Claudia has a strong background in the book and book fair industry and was previously vice president of the Frankfurt Book Fair – the biggest book fair in the world (and a partner organisation to the Cape Town Book Fair).
