London Book Fair

The yearly London Book Fair attracts thousands of publishers and agents from all over the world and acts as a forum for information exchange and networking opportunities. The British Council works closely with the organisers to provide visitors from developing and emerging markets within the publishing industry with the opportunity to forge new relationships with their counterparts in the UK. The British Council runs a seminar programme at the annual London Book Fair (April) as well as the International Welcome Point (IWP) for overseas visitors to the Fair and the International Young Publisher of the Year (IYPY) finalists talk about new titles from their countries not yet published in the UK. 

International Welcome Point (IWP)

The IWP environment reflects both the British Council and London Book Fair’s commitment to welcoming overseas publishers to the UK, providing space for business meetings, internet access and information services. 

Seminar Programme

We ran the Wicked Issues seminar programme from 2004 to 2007, a series of panel discussions led by key members of the UK publishing industry, continuing this theme in 2005 co-hosted with the Arts Council. Panel discussions have included: New writing; Growing audiences for live literature; and the relationship between the book retail sector and publishers with a focus on independent publishers. In 2008 we partnered the London Book Fair Arab World focus, bringing Arabic publishers to the fair and running an Arabic literature and publishing seminar programme. Details about the visitors, seminar programme and selected Arabic books for translation can be found on the British Council New Arabic Books website.

International Young Publisher of the Year (IYPY) award

This initiative is an innovative collaboration between us and London Book Fair to identify and nurture the international publishing industry’s next generation of leaders. Central to this concept is the belief that the UK – both at and beyond London Book Fair – is a fertile ground for international networking. It was founded in 2004. Young publishers from approximately ten different countries compete for both the title and the opportunity to develop their career through international dialogue and exchange. The group travel to the UK and embark on a week-long tour of the UK publishing industry before pitching their chosen books at the London Book Fair. The winner is announced at the Fair. To find out more about the IYPY see the British Council Creative Economy website.

'It’s a wonderful opportunity to come to a country with such a strong publishing industry and to learn the way the publishing sector works here.'
Eduardo Rabasa, IYPY winner 2004 (our first winner)

UK Young Publisher of the Year (UKYPY) award

This new award, again a collaboration between us and London Book Fair, recognises the potential of an individual to be a future leader of the publishing sector in the UK and internationally. The award is a British Book Industry Award (Nibbie). Through character and drive this person will demonstrate entrepreneurship and the ability to promote publishing in the UK as well as a vision for the future of UK publishing. The winner is announced at the British Book Industry Awards on the final night of The Booksellers Association conference annually.

For more information about the British Council at the London Book Fair see the British Council Literature Department website.