On Saturday night admission was free, the Book Fair was filled with people and the El Libro Foundation thought about it: Why not have more free hours? This Sunday – after the Infobae scoop – there was intense discussion, the accounts were made, negotiations were held with the Buenos Aires government – which appeared willing to financially support the measure – and, after 9 p.m., the news arrived: the Book Fair will have two free hours, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Thursday. On Wednesday the 1st, free admission will not apply.
This year, given the crisis and the cost of admission – 3,500 pesos a week, 5,000 on Saturdays and Sundays – there was some fear that the photo of the Fair exploding could not be taken. This Sunday, however, there were many people walking through the Book Fair, audiences at all the talks and even some – modest – queues to pay for books.
This week it will be free on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the designated times. Next time, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Earlier Alejandro Vaccarothe president of the El Libro Foundation – the entity that organizes the Fair – explained the idea to Infobae: “Well, last night there really was a significant explosion of people at the Fair. In general, the first Saturday is always the one with the least amount of people, for obvious reasons, the Fair has just begun and the diffusion is taking shape as the days go by. Without a doubt, an important factor, attractive to the public, is that starting at eight p.m. Admission was free.”.
In a statement issued that night, the president of the Foundation expresses: “In light of the socioeconomic crisis that our country is going through and with the spirit that the greatest number of people can attend the Fair and not create obstacles of any kind. , we have decided that the Fair will have free entry from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., for the next two weeks from Monday to Thursday (with the exception of May 1). There will be seven days with turnstiles released from 8:00 p.m.
The City’s participation is still in talks: “I also want to point out that we are very close to reaching an agreement so that the government of the City of Buenos Aires support this action. If the sponsorship is finalized, we will officially announce it. It is very important that all Argentinians who want to enter the Fair can do so without any difficulty,” they said in the statement.
The Book Fair had free admission in April 2001. That year the City of Buenos Aires paid a fixed amount – it was 500,000 pesos – and with that the Foundation was able to freely open its doors. It was around $500,000; If the calculation is made by inflation, the result is around 500 million pesos.
Is it an economic problem for the Fair to stop charging admission? Of course, part of the Foundation’s financing depends on the (many) people who go each year. However, unofficially, the government of the City of Buenos Aires says that they would be willing to support financially that effort.
“Entry is charged not so that the Foundation makes money but to finance the Fair”says Carlos Díaz, general director of the Siglo XXI publishing house in Argentina. “I understand that it is a measure countercyclical that takes note of the reality of the country and in that sense it seems very positive to me.”
Do you agree with releasing public entry for certain periods?
“Any measure that facilitates the access of more readers to the Book Fair is celebrated. We hope to continue having the rooms full of people looking for a time of culture and relaxation,” says Valeria Fernández Naya, Marketing and Communication Director of Penguin Random Houseone of the largest publishers in the world.
“It seems perfect to me,” says Adriana Fernández, editorial director of the group, forcefully. Planet, another international publishing giant. “No one can disagree with not allowing more people to enter, right?”
For your part Pablo Braun, from Eterna Cadencia, also agrees: “Yes, it clearly seems like a good initiative to me. Obviously, anything like this that can help more people come in, who are coming less and without a doubt buying less, is good for all of us. And it helps that the fair makes that effort to not have a part of the proceeds. I even think it’s a good gesture on the part of the fair, because everyone, the publishers and the stands, are having less income, even though the rental cost remains the same. And that the fair helps in some way is always good news.”
