South African Book Fair, 8 – 10 September 2017

Museum Africa, Newtown, Johannesburg.

The South African Book Fair is now owned by the South African Book Development Council (SABDC) and will be incorporated into the successful annual National Book Week, which has already established itself in the SA calendar in the first full week of September.

The Fair is a unique opportunity for the book publishing industry to collectively position itself as a relevant, inclusive and important part of South Africa and Africa’s development. It is an opportunity to interact and engage with all links in the value chain, with government and the public at large. In turn, South Africans from all walks of life will be able to access the diverse content produced by its world class book industry, listen to, mingle and debate with a wide variety of authors.

The Newtown Precinct will be the home of SABF 2017. Various venues will be used to provide the necessary spaces and platforms for the programme of activities planned. They include Museum Africa, the Market Square, the Market Theatre, Kippies and the Newtown Junction.

The Literary Programme
The literary component of SABF 2017 offers a varied line-up of events for diverse audiences, with generous offerings of fiction and non-fiction. There will be everything from readings of children’s books, through poetry and performance, to engagement around contemporary political issues; from book tours and book-club chats to test kitchens for recipe books on local-cuisine; and from practical workshops to ‘philosophy cafés’. With more than 100 South African writers and at least five international guests participating, and more than 60 events on the programme, this aspect of the Fair will amply showcase the tantalising benefits of being part of a reading public.

The Business to Business space
The slightly more industry focused, but equally stimulating, Business to Business programme promises interaction among the various key stakeholders in the book value chain. This space is intended to provide opportunities for all those who use it to full effect.

Exhibition spaces
The key information for exhibitors is as follows:

• There is exhibition space of more than 600 m2 available, with storage space a priority.
• Stand sizes range from 2 m2 to 24 m2.
• Exhibitors will include book-industry companies, ancillary services and institutions in the book trade.

Publicity and marketing
“In 2016, National Book Week (NBW) garnered R44 million in PR value. Its hosting of the SABF means that the ‘muscle’ of NBW can be used to encourage support for the Fair.
PR coverage will be garnered from all media platforms and we are also proud to confirm the renewed support of the SABC Foundation for NBW 2017. This entails TV adverts on SABC 1, 2 and 3, and radio adverts on all 11 SABC stations. We will weave Book Fair messages into these adverts, to encourage people based in and around Gauteng to attend the Fair,” says Elitha van der Sandt, CEO of the SABDC.

Suggestions welcome
“The planning phase has grown the Fair into an organic and exciting book-industry event. Very creative ideas have been hatched by all those we engaged with, and we are carefully nurturing these ideas into fully fledged events.
We continue to welcome suggestions for SABF 2017, and invite you to share your energising and forward-moving ideas with the SABF team at: sabookfair@www.southafricanbookfair.co.za. “

The theme of the SABF 2017 is: #OURSTORIES
South Africans have a rich heritage and a strong sense of culture, and these are embodied in the stories we tell. Each one of us has a story to share. Some of these stories have been documented, given spoken and/or written form, while others simply live in our hearts, souls and minds.
Our diversity makes us who we are, but at times we let ourselves down by judging instead of celebrating each other. Sharing our stories has a uniquely unifying purpose. This is especially the case with ‘stories without boundaries’, that is stories that are created in a spirit of freedom.
This year’s South African Book Fair wants to be – first and foremost – about sharing and celebrating our stories and those of our continent.
Stories have a transformative power that ought to be made manifest to readers and non-readers alike. This can be achieved by supplying potential readers with a pragmatic reason for picking up a book and exploring the adventure in its pages. We can also share with these readers how books remind us of who we are, encourage us, instil hope in us, educate and empower us.

These aims can only be achieved through a vibrant book industry, which for centuries has been the strongest enabler in us telling #OURSTORIES.