Paris book fair cancelled for a second year

The French Publishers Association (Syndicat National de l’Edition, SNE) has cancelled the 2021 Paris book fair, Livre Paris, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is the second year running that the fair has been scrapped. This year’s event was originally scheduled for 19th-22nd March, and had been postponed to 28th-31st May. But “uncertainties for the months ahead and the health restriction in force preclude organising a public event on this scale in satisfactory conditions,” the SNE said.

The SNE ruled out the idea of rescheduling for the autumn and mobilising thousands of people—exhibitors, publishers, authors, speakers, local authorities, ministries, and partners from more than 50 countries—when the outlook remains “very uncertain”.

The deposits paid by “numerous” exhibitors will be reimbursed, and “a new event” will be held in 2022, the SNE added.

Exhibitors at Livre Paris usually total some 1,200, with around 3,000 authors, and some 160,000 visitors from the general public.

In an interview with the trade magazine Livres Hebdo in January, SNE president Vincent Montagne said the model of the fair must be revamped and that the SNE would end its partnership with organisor Reed Expositions France this year.

A few hours after the SNE’s announcement, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said that Paris and 15 other departments with high Covid rates would be partially locked down for at least four weeks from midnight tonight (Friday 19th March). However, in contrast with the two national lockdowns, bookshops will remain open this time, having been officially classified as “essential” last month.