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International conference. "Books. A Success Story."

September 9, 2016

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Every year, thousands of books are written around the world. Several hundreds of them are truly masterful, but only some become loved and popular. Is bad marketing to blame? Awkward management? Maybe it's just fate. But are we able to change it?

The International Writers' and Translators' House and Ventspils Library is hosting an international conference "Books. A Success Story" as part of the conference series "Ventspils paralēle" that will take place on 14 and 15 September, 2016.

Experts from France, Great Britain, Portugal and Sweden, as well as  professionals working in the book and publishing industries in Latvia, such as Andris Vilks (the National Library), Astra Pumpura (Ventspils Library), Renāte Punka ("Jānis Roze Publishers", Latvian Publishers Association), Evija Veide (publishing house "Lauku Avīze"), have been invited to share their experience.

On the second day of the conference, students of the Ventspils University College will be discussing alternative ways to approach language: through new technology, through translation, through music, continuing to touch upon the initial problems in the light of the theme: "The Word Found in Ventspils". The discussion will be hosted by the associate professor at the VUC, Dr. philol. Astra Skrābane.

The official languages of the conference are Latvian, English and French.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

PROGRAM

14th September, Ventspils University College, Inženieru iela 101, Room B1

Conference hosted by Aldis Ābele, Executive Director of Ventspils City Council

11:00 Registration

11:30 – 11:40 Opening speech by Aivars Lembergs, Chairman of Ventspils City Council

11:40 – 11:50 Speech by Dr. Kārlis Krēsliņš, Acting Rector at Ventspils University College

11:50 – 12:00 Speech by Andra Konste, Director of the International Writers' and Translators' House

12:00 – 12:20 Paulo Ferreira (Portugal), Director of Booktailors, literary agent

Call us Small, Southern or Peripheral: How to Sell Books in an Unfavourable Environment

12:20 – 12:40 Guy Fontaine (France), Founder of the Residence for European Writers, Villa Marguerite Yourcenar, editor of A History of European Literature

Ad augusta per angusta – to the Top Through Narrow Paths

12:40 – 13:00 Georgi Gill (Great Britain), Learning Manager at the Scottish Poetry Library

Bringing People and Poetry Together: How the Scottish Poetry Library Attracts New Readers, Overcoming Language, Social and Geographical Barriers

13:00 – 13:20 Lena Pasternak (Sweden), Director of the Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators

Visbija-Ventspils Mobile Festival: What Can a Festival, Workshop, and a Literary Agent Achieve?

13:20 – 13:30 Discussion

13:30 – 14:00 Coffee Break

14:00 – 14:20 Andris Vilks, Director of the National Library

Have Books got a Future?

14:20 – 14:40 Astra Pumpura, Director of the Ventspils Library

A Book's Journey to the Reader 

14:40 – 15:00 Renāte Punka, CEO of Rānis Roze publising house, president of the Latvian Publishers Association

Contemplation at the Crossroads: How to Keep the Publisher and the Book on the Path to Success.

15:00 – 15:20 Evija Veide, Dr. philol, head of the “Lauku Avīze” publishing

The Open World: How Books Travel Into Other Languages

15:20 – 16:00 Discussion

15th September, Ventspils Pārventa Library

10:00 – 13:00

Discussion “The Word Found in Ventspils”.

Hosted by VUC associate professor, Dr. philol. Astra Skrābane

Panel Members: Astra Skrābane, Maija Baltiņa, Laura Zīle, Laimdota Sēle, Gatis Dilāns, Jānis Veckrācis, Andris Akmentiņš.

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