FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Province of British Columbia will proclaim Monday, April 23, 2018, as BC Book Day at an event to be held at the Legislature. BC Book Day brings together government and industry stakeholders, including BC publishers, authors, festival directors, librarians, and booksellers, to celebrate the literary landscape of our province.
This day also kicks off BC Creative Industries Week, which brings together stakeholders in film and television, digital entertainment, music and sound recording, and book and magazine publishing to showcase the growing contributions to the province’s economy.
Publishers, authors, and literary organizations will be set up in the Rotunda of the BC Legislature on Monday, April 23, 2018, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Remarks from The Hon. Lana Popham, Acting Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture; Shirley Bond, MLA for Prince George-Valemount; Adam Olsen, MLA for North Saanich and the Islands; Victoria Poet Laureate Yvonne Blomer; and Kevin Williams, President of the Association of Book Publishers of BC will be given as part of the celebration at 12:40 p.m.
“BC Book Day offers an opportunity to share with British Columbians the story of the books that are being produced right in our province, and to celebrate the local publishers, authors, booksellers, libraries, festivals, and cultural institutions that contribute to our sense of identity and place in the world,” says Heidi Waechtler, Executive Director of the Association of Book Publishers of BC.
British Columbia is the second largest English-language book publishing region in the country. There are more than 30 book publishers based in the province, each producing titles that reflect their region, BC, Canada and the world back to readers, in a variety of genres including literary fiction, poetry, regional interest, Indigenous perspectives, children’s literature, cuisine, and scholarly topics. ABPBC members operate in communities across the province, and employ an estimated 300 British Columbians.
BC publishers continue to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing industry, responding to calls for greater diversity and drawing acclaim for their literary contributions. The Inner Life of Animals and The Hidden Life of Trees, English-language translation of forester Peter Wohlleben’s books published by Greystone Books, continue to grace international bestseller lists. Arsenal Pulp Press recently launched VS. Books, an imprint with author Vivek Shraya to provide a publishing and mentoring opportunity for young writers of colour. Nisga’a poet Jordan Abel won the prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize in 2017 for his collection, Injun, published by Talonbooks, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2017. Orca Book Publishers published Monique Gray Smith’s Speaking Our Truth, opening up a dialogue on Reconciliation with readers of all ages.
April 23 is also UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day, offering an opportunity to highlight local voices and stories as part of a global celebration of book culture, and to advocate for fair compensation for Canadian creators.
BC Book Day continues to offer an opportunity for communities in all parts of our province to share in the celebration of BC books and authors. Readers are encouraged to share their BC reads and celebrate BC Book Day on April 23 by using the hashtag #BCBookDay on social media and tagging @ReadLocalBC.