With 55 guest authors, the 34th Salon du livre de Dieppe, which aims to be more inclusive and accessible, offering a diversified program, is returning to the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick. The fifty or so exhibitors will be gathered under one roof, from October 23 to 27.
For the past four years, the Salon du livre has been held primarily at the Centre des arts et de la culture de Dieppe (CACD). Last year, the publishers’ booths were divided between the CACD and the Wingate Hotel to provide more space for exhibitors. The new general director of the Salon du livre, Morgane Bonamy, emphasizes that the decision to return to the CCNB, Dieppe campus, was made following feedback from exhibitors, authors and the public.
“They found that the show was too small in the arts centre. Then at the Wingate Hotel, it was difficult for the public to go to one place and then to go to another place. So, there was a bit of confusion. So we said to ourselves we will see if the community college wants to accept us. Then the community college was very happy that we came back,” explained Ms. Bonamy.
According to her, returning to college allows them to have a larger show with a more extensive program that extends over five days instead of four.
“It’s certain that we will never be able to please everyone, there will always be people who will say that we are not close enough to the city centre. The Book Fair is 100 authors (authors invited by the fair and by publishing houses), around fifty exhibitors, a programme of 180 events (including 80 events in schools), we can’t hold that in the city centre of Dieppe, there are no premises that can support the Book Fair apart from the CCNB.”
Most of the programming of activities will take place at the college where all the publishing houses’ kiosks will be set up in the gymnasium. Activities will also take place in the Moncton and Dieppe libraries and at the Arts and Culture Centre.
Morgane Bonamy, the new general director of the Dieppe Book Fair. – Acadie Nouvelle: Sylvie Mousseau
Morgane Bonamy, the new general director of the Dieppe Book Fair. – Acadie Nouvelle: Sylvie Mousseau
A diversity of literary genres
Authors of novels, comics, illustrators, poets, essayists and children’s writers will be there. For her first show, Morgane Bonamy sought to represent a range of writing styles and cultures.
“Even if we speak French, we might not write in the same way depending on our cultural background, so we were really interested in taking authors whether it’s horror, detective, youth, biography, cooking, really to try to have a diversified palette to try to please our audience.”
The Salon will welcome, among others, the novelist France Daigle, the comedian Anabelle Hébert who is writing her first novel, Shayne Michael, author from the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, the poet, digital artist and musician Daniel H. Dugas, the journalist and novelist Nouemsi Njiké and the poet Christian Roy.
We also find Annette Léger White who is interested in the history of Acadian women’s clothing, the author of the comic strip series Les timbrés, Dominique Pelletier, the master of historical and esoteric suspense, Hervé Gagnon and Louisianan Chase Cormier. The executive director mentions that the proportion of youth authors will be a little greater in order to meet the needs of the school environment, with the 80 activities in the schools of the Francophone South School District.
In office since April, Morgane Bonamy, who has worked in the field of ecology and events, particularly with First Nations, has integrated into the programming round tables on the environment and on racism and reconciliation, themes that are close to her heart. Other topics will also be discussed during the five days of the event.
Cooking workshops, dance workshops in partnership with DansEncorps, theatre workshops in collaboration with the Théâtre Capitol, an improvisation show, a songwriting workshop and literary lunches (Francophonie in the kitchen) are among the new features.
Another new feature: an afternoon reserved for people with disabilities and seniors and their families. In addition to having access to book kiosks in a calm and less crowded atmosphere, the public present will be able to enjoy a musical performance by Joey Robin Haché.
The management of the show also intends to revitalize school visits to the show, which had lost some steam in recent years.
“When we send an author to a school, it’s an author who reaches a class. If the children come, they can talk with several authors. So, I think it’s really important and then it’s important for the dynamism of the community and it’s a school trip for the children.”
For the first time, entry to the fair will be free or in the form of donations. A way to make culture accessible to all, regardless of their income, believes the general director. The entire program will be available on the Salon du livre website starting Friday.
