En route to Frankfurt in 2020!

A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, MARCH 2020

En route to Frankfurt in 2020!

Fellowship of German Publishers to visit Western Canada

For Immediate Release 

VANCOUVER, B.C. (Feb. 21, 2019) – Canada FBM2020 and its partners are pleased to support a fellowship of German publishers to Western Canada for professional development and networking opportunities, as part of the preparations for Canada’s presence as the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2020.

Nine German publishers will attend networking sessions and programming in Vancouver, BC and Edmonton, AB from February 25 to March 1. They will meet with Canadian publishers from BC, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.

“We are delighted to be partnering with our colleagues to bring a delegation of German publishers to Vancouver and Edmonton and showcase the richness and diversity of literature and culture coming out of Western Canada,” said Gillian Fizet, Executive Director of Canada FBM2020. “This initiative will play an important role in Canada’s preparations as the Guest of Honour at the world’s largest book fair in 2020.”

The initiative is designed to support the development of Canadian publishers’ professional networks with German publishing houses and introduce German publishers to Canada’s evolving publishing sector.

“We are thrilled to invite the fellowship of German publishers to BC where they will meet their Canadian peers and learn more about BC’s esteemed publishing industry,” said Prem Gill, CEO of Creative BC. “This unique partnership with the Association of Book Publishers of BC and Canada FBM2020 ensures that BC’s book publishers will build their connections with the German publishing sector and prepare for their showcase at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2020.”

On behalf of the Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada FBM2020 has been organizing fellowships, trade missions, and other business exchange programmes for professional development and networking exchanges between German and Canadian publishers.

While in Western Canada, the visiting German publishers will meet with their Canadian counterparts for organized quick-pitch meetings. Through a variety of presentations given by experts in the field, they will also learn about the diversity of the Canadian publishing industry and the literary traditions and innovations of the region.

Throughout their stay in Western Canada, German publishers will also be introduced to Indigenous publishing and culture, including a movie screening in Alberta of Three Feathers based on the novel by bestselling author Richard Van Camp.

The initiative is the first of its kind in Canada, with partnership from Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia (ABPBC), the Book Publishers Association of Alberta (BPAA), the Association of Manitoba Book Publishers (AMBP), the Saskatchewan Publishers Group (SaskBooks) and with the financial support of the Embassy of Canada to Germany, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service in Germany, the Province of British Columbia through Creative BC, and the Alberta Cultural Industries Branch.  

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About Canada FBM2020

Canada FBM2020 was established in collaboration with the Association of Canada Publishers (ACP) and the Association nationale des éditeurs de livres (ANEL) to manage, in Canada’s official languages, the role and involvement of Canada’s book publishing industry at the 2020 Frankfurt Book Fair. Canada FBM2020 receives financial support from the Department of Canadian Heritage and strategic oversight from a steering committee that includes representatives from the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts, Global Affairs Canada, and Canada FBM2020’s Board of Directors. A not-for-profit organization, Canada FBM2020 is governed by an independent Board of Directors and works with key partners in government and the publishing industry to deliver the principal elements of Canada’s Guest of Honour programming. 

The Canadian publishing industry extends across Canada and comprises publishers of all different sizes and genres. Canada FBM2020 is an entity that uses Canada’s official languages to represent English, French, and Indigenous publishers from across Canada. For more information on Canada’s role as the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2020, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on our website.

About Creative BC

Creative BC is an independent society created and supported by the Province of BC to sustain and help grow BC’s creative sector (film and television, digital and interactive media, music, and magazine and book publishing industries). The society delivers a wide range of programs and services to expand BC’s creative economy. These include the administration of the provincial government’s tax credit programs for film and television; development funding and export marketing support; and motion picture production services to attract inward investment and market BC as a destination for domestic and international production. The society acts as an industry catalyst and ambassador to help BC’s creative sector reach its economic and creative potential both at home and globally.

Media Contact

Jennifer-Ann Weir | Director, Public Relations 
Canada FBM2020 
514-516-7524