Publishers and exhibitors who will take part in any Abu Dhabi book fair this year will be exempt from paying any rental and participation fees

It was announced on Tuesday that publishers and exhibitors who intend to participate in any Abu Dhabi book fair this year will not be required to pay any rental or participation costs. The programme is being led by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), a division of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), as part of efforts to help the domestic and global publishing sector.

All publishing houses, exhibitors, and publishers participating in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2023, Al Ain Book Festival 2023, and Al Dhafra Book Festival 2023 will be exempt from fees for the third year in a row. ALC and DCT-Abu Dhabi hope that by making this choice, they will provide a compelling incentive for more publishers and creators to take part in these exhibitions, which enrich the local and regional cultural landscape, provide Arab libraries with a large selection of international publications, and promote the emirate as a global cultural capital, a thriving centre for commerce, and a hub for intercultural dialogue.

The 32nd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, which runs from May 22–28 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, opens at the same time as the announcement.