NZ books receive $1m boost for 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair

12 December 2011

New Zealand books receive $1 million boost for 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair Guest of Honour profile

The Publishing Association of New Zealand (PANZ) and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage today announced funding of $1 million for New Zealand writers and their publishers to ensure they are able to make the most of New Zealand’s Guest of Honour role at the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair.

The funding is to enhance New Zealand writers’ international profiles and to increase translation of New Zealand books. German publishers will be able to apply for subsidies to translate New Zealand books as part of the funding scheme, while a portion of the funds will be used to support New Zealand writers and publishers to attend German literary events in 2012.

“This funding will enable more New Zealand works to be translated into German and grow an international audience and appetite for our work,” said New Zealand’s Frankfurt Book Fair Project Director, Tanea Heke.

The first of the German literary events is the Leipzig Book Fair in March 2012 which will showcase nine New Zealand writers supported by the fund. They are: Elizabeth Knox, Paula Morris, Ben Sanders, Antonia Steeg, Kyle Mewburn, Jenny Pattrick, Barbara Ewing, Kate Camp and Damien Wilkins.

In many cases these writers already have books translated into German or the German translation rights have recently been purchased.

“The Leipzig Book Fair in March is an important launch for the programme. We are taking authors to Leipzig who have already gained interest from German publishers. This is in part a success of the rights catalogue the industry produced for the Frankfurt Book Fair this year. We hope their presence at Leipzig will secure further translation deals for New Zealand,” said PANZ President, Kevin Chapman.

To find out more about New Zealand’s role at the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair:

For publisher and author funding information and criteria: http://bpanz.org.nz/

For New Zealand’s 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair Guest of Honour role and activities: www.nzatfrankfurt.govt.nz

For the Frankfurt Book Fair history and overview: http://www.book-fair.com/en/

ENDS

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