Illustration Festivals and Book Fairs in the Development of Ukrainian Illustration as a Sector of Creative Industries

The purpose of the article is to clarify the meaning and functions of illustration festivals and book fairs from a socio-cultural perspective, as well as to determine and summarize the level of Ukrainian illustration’s representation in the international space through participation in such events. Research methodology. Empirical method, method of analysis and synthesis were applied. Journalistic materials on international events containing locations for the presentation of illustrative works and professional communication between illustrators were subject to analysis. Scientific novelty. The article considers the theoretical aspects’ importance of professional exhibitions of illustrators at international book fairs, competitions and festivals in the field of illustration for the development of this sector of creative industries. It is determined that these events are a powerful socio-cultural phenomenon and an effective platform for social communication between the main players in the sector. The events also perform a compensatory and motivating function for both professional environments and ordinary viewers of illustration, and their festivity and positive public response increase the illustration importance as a creative industries’ sector among the population. Also, for the first time, the article synthesizes factual data on the awards and prizes of Ukrainian illustrators, which exist in separate news publications, in the chronology of each event. It turned out that the most attractive for the participation of Ukrainian illustrators is The Illustrators Exhibition – Bologna Children’s Book Fair, as the chronology of achievements at this event is the longest and largest. The most successful illustrators in terms of international awards are Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv («Agrafka»creative workshop). Conclusions. Over the last decade, Ukrainian illustration has been actively asserting itself internationally. The works created in 2010 correspond to world trends and attract the attention of foreign colleagues, publishers and critics. In recent years, the promotion and PR of illustrators have reached a much higher level, which increases the publicity of Ukraine’s achievements and strengthens the prestige of the sector in the public. The constant worldwide recognition of a narrow circle of Ukrainian illustrators in the presence of many talented authors raises the question of forming a culture of Ukrainian illustrators’ professional ambitions, when presenting themselves in international competitions and festivals, submitting their work should be understood as part of professional activity. The presentation of Ukrainian illustration in such events can be interpreted as a tool of cultural diplomacy of Ukraine in the international space.

The Internationalization of the Catalan Novel

This article analyses the translation and reception within the German speaking countries of Maria Barbal’s novel Pedra de tartera (Stone in a Landslide). The article focuses on two main issues: on the one hand, external factors that determine the projection abroad not only of Maria Barbal’s work, but more generally of Catalan literature; on the other hand, literary factors that define the novel’s reception abroad. For the first set of factors, this study describes the role played in this process by the Institut Ramon Llull, several publishing houses, literary agencies and international book fairs. For the second set of factors, it analyses the reaction of academia, literary criticism and the media, and, equally important, the opinion of Heike Nottebaum, German translator of the book, and Rainer Nitsche German publisher.

Mapping out Arab international book fairs

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the status, challenges and impacts of the Arab international book fairs, with particular focus on the Muscat Book Fair. This study proposes a framework to assist in the design and organisation of future Arab book fairs. Design/methodology/approach The study used a variety of methods to obtain data, including questionnaires, site visits (both regional and international), observations and interviews. A literature review was also undertaken which helped determine major worldwide issues related to aspects of book fairs and the publishing industry, focusing on Arab book fairs. Findings Arab international book fairs remain relatively traditional, however, there are several examples of innovative improvements in some states. Reading habits and literacy trends were found to be influenced by dominant socio-cultural factors, emphasising religion and children’s literature. This seems to have a reverse effect on the publishing industry. Results also revealed a number of disadvantages related to economic downturns and political instability. Despite continuous expansion, Arab book fairs still suffer from various obstacles which affect the publishing industry’s growth. There are other obstacles that they face which are directly associated with distribution and marketing as well as violations of intellectual property laws. Practical implications This study proposes a framework for future improvement of the Muscat Book Fair. It discusses the engagement of local cultural institutions, non-profit community and academic organisations, as well as private sector organisations. These will leverage value and help keep abreast of international developments in book fairs/publishing. It is hoped that the proposed framework will be beneficial to those running book fairs at a regional level, and to countries with developing economies. Originality/value There have been no previous empirical studies investigating book fairs in the Arab states. This study adds to the currently scarce body of literature related to book fairs and the publishing industry.