This year 2024 saw Quebec highlighted in several major literary events in France: the Paris Book Festival, Étonnants Voyageurs in Saint-Malo, the International Comics Festival in Angoulême… so many events which show to what extent the literature of La Belle Province is on the rise.
An ultra dynamic Quebec market
On the Canadian side, in Montreal, where the Montreal Book Fair takes place like every year, we have observed for around fifteen years major transformations in an editorial landscape which continues to become more anchored and confirm its success . “ Quebec literature is doing very well », confirms Genevieve Pigeon (president of the National Association of Book Publishers of Quebec, ANEL, and editor of L’instant even), even if she concedes that it ” must remain vigilant “. Indeed the book market in Quebec is on the rise, but the costs of transport and distribution over such a vast territory remain a major issue, as do the budgets allocated to culture which threaten to be cut according to the next political developments.
Even 20 years ago, French production was widely represented – at 80% – while the Quebec offering, often considered “out of date” or regionalist, represented only 20% of its own market. This has changed a lot today: 50% of sales are provided by the Quebec edition. “ Big Quebec names like Kev Lambert (Héliotrope) or Sébastien Dulude (La Mèche) did not exist as such until a few years ago », recalls Geneviève Pigeon.
In youth and poetry, an exploding offering
Gilda Routy et Marine Grenaderespectively responsible for development and director of publisher relations & commercial strategies at Gallimard Diffusion, have also observed, for more than 15 years, an expanding literary scene and production with “ an explosion of creations from small publishing houses (La Peuplade, Héliotrope, La Pastèque, Pow Pow, etc.) who wanted to overturn institutions with a more oral, intimate and committed approach. » These creations are part of the lineage of houses created in the 1990s-2000s such as Écosociété, L’Oie de cravan, or even Lux.
On the bookstore side, we see a rich and varied offering of literature which is developing in all publishing segments: in youth, the market has literally exploded, in comics, in the human sciences, particularly with essays on non-white identities, feminisms, but also poetry, whose influence has no equal in France and which is becoming a highly important market which increasingly influences French creation.
Readings and performances
Georges Thomasbookseller at Port de tête in Montreal, notes the strong interest of the Montreal public in performances and readings of poetic texts. “ In our bookstore, this is the space that works the most, in proportion to the space reserved for it. » For example, poetry is so successful that the prestigious Governor General’s Literary Prize awarded the poet Névé Dumas for its sublime title Degenerate poempublished by Éditions de L’Oie de Cravan.
Same observation at the young bookstore Un livre à soi, where Olivia Sofia et Leo Loisel confided: “ We want to show and hear the diversity and dynamism of a literature that has grown significantly over the past ten years.. »
These bookstores, which host up to three events, meetings, readings, per week, have become places where literature lives, alongside a few addresses which open their stage to poetry or literary performances such as the Quai des Brumes or even the Paris Bistrot.
Develop while maintaining historical links with France
As Geneviève Pigeon explains, This success is the result of the political efforts that have been made over the last twenty years to promote and encourage Quebec literary creation and in particular French-speaking: aid from SODEC, writing scholarships as well as the The proliferation of publishing houses and independent bookstores are now promoting Quebec literature that has emancipated itself from the French market.
« At one time, we were trying to export everything to France. Now, and after Covid which has reinforced the idea of proximity, more and more activities are being launched on Quebec territory even if we continue, always, to strengthen our very strong links with the landscape and the market French », concludes Geneviève Pigeon.
