The London Book Fair is a literary highlight of the year in a city regarded as one of the world’s literary capitals, spanning everything from Shakespeare to JK Rowling and everything in between. So, make sure that from Monday 9 March to Sunday 15 March you are making the most of London Hotels Special Offers so that you can also get involved with all things bookish this March at the 49th edition of The London Book Fair. Here is everything you need to know about The London Book Fair 2020.
When is The London Book Fair?
Tuesday 09 March 2021: 9:00 am – 6:30 pm
Wednesday 10 March 2021: 9:00 am – 6:30 pm
Thursday 11 March 2021: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where is The London Book Fair?
Olympia London, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, London, W14 8UX
What is The London Book Fair?
The London Book Fair is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels. It is an industry-focused series of events, talks, exhibits, awards and programmes which aim to forge indelible connections between professionals and creatives striving forward in the world of publishing and books.
What’s On at The London Book Fair?
A number of conferences will take place throughout the fair. Introduction To Rights is a half-day conference aimed at helping industry newbies to understand the nuances of rights and opportunities. What Works? Education Conference is focused on copyright development, resources for educators and the digitalisation of learning. The Research & Scholarly Publishing Forum ensures attendees leave with a deeper understanding of trends internationally in Research & Scholarly Publishing, as well as a conception of necessary business practices. The Writers’ Summit is where every aspiring writer in London should be bee-lining, to get an insight into what is necessary to maintain a flourishing author career. Nielsen Book UK Children’s Summit: Exploring the World of Non-fiction Content for Children: Books & Other Media is one of two children’s media conferences taking place during the fair, and is dedicated to unpacking the latest developments in the children’s book market, including Q&A opportunities with booksellers. The second of the two children’s conferences is CMC Exchange, a networking opportunity for potential partners in broadcasting and children’s content production.
One of the top hits of the fair are the array of awards which aim to celebrate those contributing to the industry. There are three award ceremonies, including the International Excellence Awards, The UK Book Blog Awards, and The Trailblazer Awards.
More info?
Phone:
+44 (0)20 82712124
What is London Book and Screen Week?
London Book and Screen Week is the element of The London Book Fair for those less interested in industry standards and developments, and more into the world of books and entertainment. It is likely the top feature for The Montcalm Hotel London guests looking to inject some culture into their itinerary between a delicious meal at Hankies at The Montcalm and a walk around one of London’s Royal Parks. London Book and Screen Week links readers, writers, gamers and film fans with a series of fascinating events that highlight the quintessential union between the book and the screen.
What’s On at London Book and Screen Week?
Poetry Beyond Print: Scarlett Sabet in conversation with Jimmy Page
When: Monday 9 March 2020
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Groucho Club, 45 Dean Street, London, W1D 4QB
Price: £20 – which includes a drink!
Dates here will change/rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Scarlett Sabet is an increasingly fixed part of the poetry and performance world, with her latest spoken-word album Catalyst, produced by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, gaining great traction. She was described by London’s Hunger Magazine as “one of the brightest new stars on the international poetry scene”, and it goes without saying that poetry enthusiasts should not be missing this top-notch event. There is no doubt that this conversation about poetry, and its role off the page and as part of performance art, will kick off the week of multi-platform creativity with a mighty bang.
An evening with Lynda La Plante
When: Tuesday 10 March 2020
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Groucho Club, 45 Dean Street, London, W1D 4QB
Price: £20 – which includes a drink!
Dates here will change/rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Lynda La Plante is one of the UK’s most successful writers of crime drama, and a superstar in her own right on the literary scene. Best known for writing the television crime series, Prime Suspect, she is a prime example of how the worlds of words, stage and screen harmoniously blend together. The event will take the shape of a discussion about Lynda La Plante’s highly successful career, paired with a gin cocktail as well as a sneak peak of her upcoming book Buried. Between winning the BAFTA Dennis Potter Best Writer Award in 2000, and having produced more than 170 hours of international television, it goes without saying that Lynda La Plante can offer insight into the world of books, screens and everything in between like nobody else.
Coming of Age Cult Classics with Joe Dunthorne and Lisa Owens
When: Wednesday 11 March 2020
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Groucho Club, 45 Dean Street, London, W1D 4QB
Price: £20 – which includes a drink!
Dates here will change/rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Coming of Age is a tale as old as time, and throughout the years has proven a critical element of literary history. To pay this remarkable genre true homage, this event could not be bringing together a more suitable panel than what is in store on this fine March evening. The event will be a discussion with authors Joe Dunthorne and Lisa Owens, hosted by Leena Normington.
Joe Dunthorne wrote Submarine, which was made into a film in 2010 by Richard Ayoade. Lisa Owens was the scriptwriter for Days of the Bagnold Summer, which was an adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name by Joff Winterhart. Both Dunthorne’s novel The Adulterants and Lisa Owens’ novel Not Working were great successes, and only add to the list of reasons why the two are the perfect people to be talking to Leena Normington about the coming of age phenomenon. Leena Normington is a poet, podcaster and booktuber – another example of how the world of books translates to the screen and can be expected to contribute a wealth of experience and insight to the discussion.
Yes Minister! Jonathan Lynn in conversation with Ayesha Hazarika
When: Thursday 12 March 2020
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Groucho Club, 45 Dean Street, London, W1D 4QB
Price: £20 – which includes a drink!
Dates here will change/rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of Britain’s best-loved political satires were co-created by Jonathan Lynn, who will be in conversation about the role of satire in modern times with writer, broadcaster, political commentator and highly respected comedian, Ayesha Hazarika. The two are matched to discuss the nuances of political debate and discussion, in conjunction with specialist careers in the industry. Jonathan Lynn’s films, Clue, Nuns on the Run, My Cousin Vinny, Greedy, Trial And Error, The Whole Nine Yards, The Fighting Temptations and Wild Target were incredibly successful, but perhaps his career move most relevant to this discussion will be Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, which he co-wrote and created with Antony Jay.
Regenerating the Doctor: Celebrating 15 years of the Revived Doctor Who
When: Friday 13 March 2020
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Groucho Club, 45 Dean Street, London, W1D 4QB
Price: £20 – which includes a drink!
Dates here will change/rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
If you are staying at The Barbican Rooms By Montcalm and find yourself down the road at a local pub’s quiz night, there is something you can be relatively certain of: there is usually a Doctor Who themed question – it’s just the way these things go in London! Well, if you are the kind of person who relishes in these questions because of your ardant fandom, then you need to head to this penultimate London Book and Screen Week event – a celebration of the 15 years of Doctor Who! The panel will include a whopping selection of Doctor Who experts, including: Sophie Aldred, Vinay Patel, Simon Guerrier and Samira Ahmed. Their credentials are essay-worthy, so to keep it brief: Sophie Aldred is the beloved actress known for her role as the seventh Doctor Who companion, Ace. Vinay Patel is an actor and BAFTA-winning artist, having won the BAFTA Breakthrough Brit. Simon Guerrier is a writer whose subject matter is largely all-things-Doctor-Who for BBC Books, Big Finish Productions, Doctor Who Magazine and the Doctor Who Figurine Collection. Samira Ahmed is a journalist and broadcaster, who is an editorial review board member for Doctor Who Magazine. All in all, an all-star Doctor Who panel cast who will ensure the conversation is suitably otherworldly.
Brunch with Miguel Barclay
When: Saturday 14 March 2020
Time: 10:45 am – 1:00 pm
Where: Good Housekeeping Institute Cookery School, 25 St Anne’s Court, Soho, London W1F 0BJ
Price: £25 – which includes a copy of Meat-Free One Pound Meals and a free tea/coffee on arrival.
Dates here will change/rescheduled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Heard of Miguel Barclay? Perhaps you know him as ‘The One Pound Chef’. This much-appreciated chef reminds people just how simple, hassle-free and inexpensive cooking at home can be – especially those looking to take on a meat-free life but are not sure whether they are cut out for it in the kitchen, or feel anxiety about the prospect of needing to buy the kind of ingredients you mission to Whole Foods for rather than your local Aldi. Miguel Barclay will be demonstrating recipes from his new meatless recipe book, reminding everyone that basic kitchen cupboard essentials are all you need to make a wonderful, flavoursome meal. Not to mention, £1 from each ticket will be donated to The Trussell Trust! Get booking and cooking!
The Cameo Awards
Though nominations for The Cameo Awards are already passed the deadline, it is still useful to understand what they are all about so that you feel in-the-know when the winner announcements are made. In collaboration with the Publishers Association, London Book and Screen Week have created the Cameo Awards to pay tribute to the relationship of books and screened industries like plays, film, TV, audio and games. The judges choose a winner based on a whole manner of things, which include box office ticket sales, reviews, press coverage, critical acclaim, social media profile, peer-to-peer recommendation, and industry prize nominations – as well as a number of other influential factors.
The prize is open to any individual or organisation in the United Kingdom, who have played a role in the transition from book to screen. The categories include: Book to Film, Book to TV, Book to Stage and Book to Audio. Can you think of who you would have nominated, or examples of each category that you hope were nominated?
More information?
Phone:
+44 (0)20 8271 2124
So, if you were unsure of whether there was something for you at The London Book Fair this year (and consequently London Book and Screen Week), then you should have no doubt in your mind now – whether you are a literature/television lover, or a professional working in the publishing industry, there is something for everyone. With the details, events and experience laid out in front of you here, as well as any contact numbers and websites you may need to clear up any uncertainties, all that is left for you to do is click a link and book your ticket to enjoy what will be literary highlights of the year.
