The book fair returns to the Grand-Place in Arras this weekend. The event, which brings together around 25,000 people each year, starts this Saturday with its launch evening (DJ set planned for the occasion on the Grand-Place) and ends with the day of 1er may. On the program is a joyful catch-all intended for book lovers: poetic performances, readings, illustration and writing workshops, meetings with authors and publishers…
New theme: languages
Like every year, a theme. After the “empty” in 2022 and “being, thought, society” last year, this 2024 edition will have “languages” as its subject. “ It came to us from the last edition, with the work involved around orality and the creation of a marquee dedicated to performance », slips Stéphanie Delcloque, director of the Colères du present association.
To illustrate this theme, translation games will appear under the marquee dedicated to performances. “ Battles organized by a student association which wants to raise awareness about less widely used languages. »
Meetings
The living room is before (tons of) books. It was literary advisor Tara Lennart who selected the works present at the show. We find all forms of book there: essay, youth, general literature, comics… In all, around sixty publishers And nearly 80 authors will be present on Wednesday. “ We are reaching the end of our reception capacities, this is the first time that we have had to refuse so many publishers. »
Among the names announced, Maram Al Masri (Syrian poet), Benoît Collombat (investigative journalist), Cécile Coulon (novelist), Catherine Zambon (playwright), Tania de Montaigne (writer) but also lesser known names like Adlynn Fischer, young author who released her first comic book.
Many debates
Inside two marquees erected on the Grand-Place, 14 debates will continue all day. “ We are at our maximum capacity. » Each debate has a first phase of exchanges with the guest, then a second with the public. Let us cite as an example the one around artificial intelligence with François Péréa, teacher-researcher who published an essay on the question. But also the one with the journalist Ixchel Delaporte who published an observational survey in a psychiatric hospital which deals with the issue of mental illness.
Angers of the present
The association was created in 2002, between two rounds of the presidential election, the Chirac-Le Pen duel. “ The show was born from the desire to create debate. » However, the association refutes any political label. “ We are regularly approached by politicians who want to hold stands. Every time we refuse. We are political in the broad sense: to ask questions but not impose answers. »
However, Stéphanie does not hide the activist dimension of the association. “ We are indeed an association of popular education and social criticism, obviously the show is oriented in its programming, by its choices. » In 22 years of existence, the team has evolved significantly. “ When I arrived about ten years ago, we did the connections ourselvesrecalls Stéphanie. We finished at midnight and we couldn’t take it anymore, we didn’t even have time to talk with the guests. »
The complete program is available on the Colères du present website
