156 International Professionals from 95 countries and regions for the BCBF Invitation Programme.
Bologna is home to a unique three-inone event: the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF), the world’s leading trade fair for the children’s publishing industry; BolognaBookPlus (BBPlus), the extension dedicated to general trade publishing; and the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (BLTF/Kids), the BCBF licensing event for subsidiary rights of brands and properties for children, teens and young adults. From April 13-16, 2026, these three dynamic events will run concurrently, transforming Bologna into a leading global hub for copyright exchange across publishing, multimedia, licensing, illustration, and animation. The 2026 Guest of Honour will be Norway, bringing a dedicated programme of exhibitions and workshops both at the fair and around the city.
The Bologna Book Fair is proudly organised with the support and collaboration of the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
GET IN TOUCH bookfair@bolognafiere.it licensing@bolognafiere.it bolognabookplus@bolognafiere.it
TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER SHARING, CARING, INSPIRING: THE MANY FACES OF CHILDREN’S CONTENT
LET’S MEET IN BOLOGNA 13–16 APRIL 2026
Now in its 63rd edition, BCBF 2026 is set to impress with its signature highlights. This year’s Guest of Honour, Norway, will showcase a vibrant programme of exhibitions and events throughout the fair and across Bologna.
Expect an expanded lineup of features, including the Bologna Rights Centre for both children’s and general trade agents, the Comics Corner, the TV/Film Rights Centre aimed at fostering business between publishers and audiovisual producers, and the Games Business Centre organised in collaboration with the Frankfurter Buchmesse. In addition to all this, the fair will present a rich programme of initiatives. With more than 500 events spanning all industry sectors, an unforgettable experience is guaranteed!
What makes BCBF unique
It’s the home of children’s content
BCBF is the premium destination to dive deep into the world of children’s books and content, making it the essential meeting point for the entire industry.
It’s a cultural hub
BCBF is a thriving creative centre. Through exhibitions, workshops, presentations, and panel discussions, it serves as a global reference point for discovering fresh trends, emerging talent and innovative strategies in the field.
For industry professionals only
While copyright exchange is at the heart of BCBF, the event opens up a wealth of business opportunities for every player in the publishing world, making it the ultimate networking and dealmaking platform.
It’s a year-round event
BCBF is more than just a fourday fair—it’s a global, year-round presence. In addition to coorganising the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), BCBF embarks on the Bologna Grand Tour each autumn, bringing its highlights to the industry’s most prestigious events. Its reach extends even further through international book and illustration exhibitions, as well as global book donation initiatives that enrich library collections worldwide.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RIGHTS PROFESSIONALS AT BCBF
Recognised as a premium hub for copyright exchange, BCBF brings together international professionals in the field of publishing, multimedia, licensing, illustration, and animation.
Comics Corner
The Bologna hub for worldwide comics publishers
BCBF shines a spotlight on the booming comics industry with the Comics Corner—a dynamic hub for international comic publishers, enriched by an amazing lineup of events. In 2025, this vibrant space welcomed over 100 publishers from 26 countries, making it a key destination for industry professionals.
Visiting the Comics Corner is a great opportunity to discover cutting-edge trends and a diverse array of titles, gaining a panoramic view of the international comic book landscape. Additionally, Comics Corner offers a rich programme of events, including portfolio reviews, masterclasses, and the BolognaRagazzi Comics Award. Publishers also benefit from enhanced visibility through the Comics Corner Directory on the BCBF website and a dedicated section on the GREBologna Global Rights Exchange platform.
GET IN TOUCH
mariaelena.schiavo@bolognafiere.it
Rights Centre
The heart of copyright exchange for both children’s and general trade publishing agents
The centrepiece of the fair for copyright exchange, the Rights Centre welcomes over 200 rights professionals, including agents from both children’s and general trade publishing. Additionally, exhibiting publishers across BCBF and BBPlus can reserve tables or offices, offering their rights teams a dedicated space to meet and network alongside industry peers.
GET IN TOUCH
Children’s publishing agents: bookfair@bolognafiere.it General publishing agents: bolognaBookPlus@bolognafiere.it
TV/Film Rights Centre
Where content meets media producers
The TV/Film Rights Centre at BCBF provides an exclusive space for networking and collaboration between the publishing and audiovisual industries. The initiative offers carefully curated matchmaking opportunities between producers, publishers, and literary agents, aimed at discovering new book-based IPs. The dedicated business area includes meeting spaces, support services, and a complimentary bar. Additionally, the International Kids Licensing Days conference highlights the latest book-to-screen trends, giving registered producers valuable opportunities for increased visibility and networking.
GET IN TOUCH licensing@bolognafiere.it
Games Business Centre
Moving games with books and beyond
Now in its second edition, the Games Business Centre connects video game companies with publishers, film and TV producers, and licensing professionals (over 300 meetings held in 2025).
Alongside meetings, the Centre features events, previews, and talks on cross-media rights and the gaming industry’s impact on content for all audiences — from children to adults.
Participating companies gain access to a tailored matchmaking service, dedicated meeting areas, and a full range of professional facilities.
This initiative is organized in collaboration with Frankfurter Buchmesse.
GET IN TOUCH licensing@bolognafiere.it
PUBLISHING AWARDS
BCBF fosters a diverse and impressive array of prizes celebrating excellence in children’s publishing. BCBF’s awards play a key role in driving the fair’s core mission—promoting international copyright exchange by bringing exceptional works to the attention of a global audience.
Bologna Ragazzi Award
The BolognaRagazzi Award (BRAW), one of BCBF’s most prestigious prizes, marked its 60th edition in 2025! This coveted award recognises outstanding and innovative illustrated books in several key categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Opera Prima (for debut works), Comics, and Toddlers. Complementing BRAW is the highly anticipated Amazing Bookshelf exhibition, a much-loved feature of BCBF. Alongside the award winners, this exhibition highlights 150 remarkable picture books that came close to taking the top prize.
2026 BRAW
Special Category: Fables & Fairy Tales
This year special category invites publishers to submit works published within the past seven years. From timeless Aesopian fables to contemporary reinterpretations of classic tales, this genre has shaped storytelling traditions worldwide, captivating generations of young readers. The award also welcomes today’s new narratives that carry forward this universal heritage.
Submissions are open until January 31, 2026
Bologna Ragazzi Crossmedia Award
This prize, organized in partnership with the Mamamò association, comprises two categories: Crossmedia Projects, celebrating books born from multimedia creativity and narratives adapted across platforms such as TV, film, video games, and mobile apps; and Digital Reading Experiences, recognising innovative projects that bring children’s reading into the digital realm through apps, platforms, content libraries, or editorial series. Participation in the award is free and open to publishers, IP owners, authors, IP developers/producers and all others involved in the creation and production of the project.
In the 2026 edition, the Special Category Gender Equality & Environmental Sustainability is also introduced, cutting across the first two categories.
The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2026
BOP Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year
This award celebrates the innovative work of publishers worldwide, with nominees selected by peers, including publishers, associations, and reading promotion organizations globally. Winners are elected by BCBF’s exhibiting publishers, who are asked to honour those publishing houses that have stood out in terms of their creativity and innovation. The award is organized in partnership with AIE - Italian Publishers Association and IPA - International Publishers Association.
Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi
This prize is the children’s section of the Premio Strega, Italy’s most important recognition for literature.
Open to children’s books published in Italy, including translations, this award promotes reading among young people involving over 4,000 young readers as jurors. The prize is organized in partnership with Fondazione Bellonci, Strega Alberti Benevento and CEPELL - Centro per il Libro e la Lettura.
Premio Carla Poesio
This award recognises the most innovative and original Italian degree thesis in Children’s Literature, with the winning thesis being published thanks to the support of BolognaFiere. The award is organized in partnership with the Department of Education Studies of the University of Bologna.
ILLUSTRATION AT THE HEART OF BCBF
BCBF promotes illustration globally both at the fair and through year-round initiatives, exhibitions, roundtables, conferences, and pop-up events.
Illustrators Exhibition
The Bologna Illustrators Exhibition celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2026. This world-renowned showcase highlights outstanding works selected by an international jury from nearly 4,000 submissions, exhibited at the heart of the fair before embarking on a two-year world tour with stops including Japan, South Korea, and China. For artists, the Exhibition offers major opportunities: inclusion in the Illustrators Annual, the Meet the Jury! session with industry experts, the Portfolio Marathon with international publishers, and the Bologna Portfolio Award, granting the winner a trip to the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair. Further initiatives include the BCBF Visual Identity Workshop and prestigious prizes such as the International Award for Illustration BCBF–Fundación SM and the Ars in Fabula Grant Award.
GET IN TOUCH
illustratori@bolognafiere.it
A Focus on Norwegian Illustration as 2026
Guest
of Honour Pinocchio! 200 Years of Carlo Collodi
At the heart of the fair will be the Norwegian Illustration Exhibition, presented by Norway, Guest of Honour at BCBF 2026. This unique showcase offers a chance to explore the richness of Norwegian creativity, introduced under the slogan “What if”. More than a play on words, “What if” captures the essence of Norwegian literature and illustration for children and young people: an invitation to flip reality on its head, to ask bold questions, and to open doors to new worlds. It embodies a spirit of curiosity and courage.
To celebrate the bicentenary of Carlo Collodi’s birth, BCBF, in collaboration with the Accademia Drosselmeier, launches a special initiative dedicated to Pinocchio. A global cultural icon and one of the most translated books in the world, Pinocchio will be at the heart of an illustration exhibition to be showcased at BCBF 2026.
The project will bring together invited artists and illustrators selected through an international competition. Illustrators are invited to draw inspiration from The Adventures of Pinocchio. The Story of a Puppet. All details to submit your artwork are available on the BCBF website.
BCBF has always been the home of Pinocchio. Back in 1965, the edition of “Pinocchio” illustrated by Jacovitti and published by A.V.E. won the Torchio d’Oro — the precursor to today’s BolognaRagazzi Award.
Chinese Excellence in Children’s Illustration
Now in its third edition, this initiative showcases the excellence of contemporary Chinese illustration. Each year, a jury of international and Chinese experts selects the most talented illustrators, offering a remarkable overview of today’s creative scene in China. Presented at BCBF, the exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual catalogue in English and Chinese.
The initiative is organized by BCBF, China South Publishing & MediaGroup and Sìdee Cultural Communication.
The Original Art
Thanks to the collaboration with the Society of Illustrators in New York, BCBF presents at the fair a selection from The Original Art, the prestigious exhibition showcasing illustrations from the year’s best children’s books published in the United States. A curated selection of outstanding works will be on display at the BCBF 2026, enhanced by a series of guided tours.
The Illustrators Survival Corner
One of BCBF’s most awaited flagship initiatives, The Illustrators Survival Corner is the focal point for the illustrator’s craft with a very rich programme of workshops, masterclasses and portfolio reviews held by internationally renowned creatives. Registrations open online two weeks before the fair. In 2025, The Illustrators Survival Corner welcomed more than 4,000 participants from around the world, establishing itself as a vital hub for business and networking. This highly successful format has expanded to various international fairs and festivals, with the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair being the first to make it a regular feature. The space is managed and designed by Mimaster Illustrazione (Milan)
BCBF Visual Identity 2026
The BCBF Visual Identity Workshop offers a young artist from the finalists of the Illustrators Exhibition the chance to collaborate with Chialab Design Studio in creating the following year’s fair visual identity. For 2026, the selected artist is Bumi Cha (South Korea)
The theme 2026 is: faces, visages, portraits. From forehead to chin. The space within which to build a dense and intense relationship of gazes. Professionals and characters who live, love and bring books to life..
Themes, cultures, and professions blend, multiply, and evolve, imagining new ways to shape the physiognomy of children’s content and giving rise to a vibrant multitude of expressions.
An exhibition at the fair showcases the original drawings and creative process behind the 2026 visual identity.
In partnership with
With the support of
TRADING FOR GENERAL PUBLISHERS
BolognaBookPlus, for general publishing is the European Spring opportunity. BolognaBookPlus welcomes the world, and is the gateway to Italian publishing through its partnership with AIE - Italian Publishers Association
Exhibit & Showcase Area
BolognaBookPlus aims to give general trade companies an opportunity to expand their reach through a variety of exhibiting packages. They range from ‘space only’ options, turnkey ‘turn up and trade’ stands, through to rights tables in the combined children’s and general adult trade Bologna Rights Centre. BCBF exhibitors who take additional space in BBPlus will be entitled to a 50% discount on their BBPlus stand.
GET IN TOUCH
bolognabookplus@bolognafiere.it
BOLOGNA RIGHTS CENTRE
Open to all literary agents, scouts and exhibiting publishers –general and children’s.
Translation
Our annual Translation Focus looks at the trends in sales of translated books and hot topics in the world of translation.
Seminars
The book fair has grown so impressively since I was last there - not least in terms of general publishing and topical and highlevel seminar activity. This year’s visit was a particular pleasure and of real value: the multiplicity of international stands and so many publishers… of an invigorating diversity.
Two successive years of exhibiting at BolognaBookPlus has proven the worth of the investment. Apart from the busy aisles with lots of footfall from wellqualified people, there’s a special focusing of people’s minds when they come to the ‘adult’ sector of the famous Children’s Book Fair. They come deliberately, they come to learn, they come to engage. Most people didn’t ‘drive-by’, they paused, enquired, interacted. In addition, the opportunities to speak, and to attend high-quality, wellcurated sessions, added great value to our investment. We’ll be back again next year!
In 2023, Bologna opened up the rights centre to include exhibiting publishing professionals and all general publishing literary agents and scouts. This reflects the extension into general publishing via BolognaBookPlus.
How to Sell Rights and Understand Licensing in Children’s Books is the definitive training for all those wishing to get into rights, or in their first role, taking place Sunday 12 April 2026.
As a first-time visitor, it was incredible to see the buzz around and get the opportunity to connect with publishing houses all over the world. I also wanted to thank you for the incredibly informative training sessions on How to Sell Rights and Understand Licensing in Children’s Books. As a junior in the publishing industry, opportunities like these are invaluable and essential to my growth.
Nadim Sadek Shimmr AI
A topical seminar programme takes place throughout the fair. It considers the challenges and opportunities facing the industry through short seminars led by industry names from across the globe. Submissions to be considered for this
Christopher MacLehose Open Borders Press
Shurooq Kamal Emirates LitFest
Summit
A half-day deep dive into the opportunities and challenges for publishers.
Self-Publishing
The Self-Publishing in Italy event covers all aspects of the growing self-publishing scene. Day one focusses on children’s books, day two explains how to self-publish.
Audio Forum
A half-day conference sharing how to leverage audio content.
Author Ambassador
Bologna resident, Tom Benjamin took centre stage in 2025: watch this space for the 2026 Author Ambassador to be named! The chosen author attends the fair, speaking at a range of seminars and events and represents success and international publishing.
DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION AT BOLOGNA BOOK PLUS
Recognition of
the production and design work of general trade publishing will be celebrated once again in 2026.
Illustration Ambassador
Following our inaugural year with Poland’s Joanna Karpowicz, we are delighted to continue this popular initiative. The 2026 illustrator will be Norway’s Mari Kanstad Johnson.
Indie Authors Book Jacket Award
This is an initiative born in 2024 that enables the discovery of new talent, through the variety of covers that represent them. 2025’s winner was Italy’s Laura Usai.
Designer Studio@BolognaBookPlus
Talking Pictures
BolognaBookPlus 2026 introduces a new programme dedicated to the creative minds shaping the general trade publishing world, from book cover designers to illustrators and art directors. Through a series of masterclasses, workshops, and portfolio reviews led by internationally renowned designers and art directors, this initiative aims to shine a spotlight on the vital role of visual content creators in adult publishing. Complementing The Designer Studio@BolognaBookPlus there is an evolving, broad programme, featuring — for the first time in Europe — a selection of award-winning book covers from the past five years of the prestigious Society of Illustrators annual competition in New York. Jackets Off this year looks at the covers of Agatha Christie’s crime novels, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the iconic author’s death. The Christie showcase shines a spotlight on international cover designs and the works created by the Italian-Hungarian illustrator Ferenc Pintér for the Oscar Mondadori editions.
Talking Pictures a collaboration between BolognaBookPlus, Hamelin Association, and author and illustrator Steven Guarnaccia, that explores the cultural importance and ongoing impact of the contemporary international visual book. It comprises a showcase, a jury and a seminar with a jury discussion.
LICENSING MEETS CONTENT
BLTF/Kids is the licensing trade show for subsidiary rights of brands and properties for children, teens and young adults offering opportunities across publishing, licensing, gaming, and audiovisual media.
Bringing together top international players, BLTF/Kids showcases over 800 brands within a dynamic exhibition space at the heart of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Not only a rich exhibition area, but also a dedicated Licensing Business Lounge ensures that international attendees have all the resources they need for successful business connections.
A tailored matchmaking service offers attendees the opportunity to meet key industry players and retailers, making participation in the event highly worthwhile. Moreover, its prime location in the heart of the BCBF allows licensing companies to connect and engage with leading companies from the publishing, audiovisual, toy, and gaming industries.
Licensing Business Lounge Arts Licensing Area
BLTF/Kids provides companies with the opportunity to rent a table or office in the exclusive Licensing Business Lounge. This premium space offers a range of services, including reception and secretarial support, meeting schedule management, cloakroom facilities, and a full bar service.
The Arts Licensing Area is a vibrant marketplace where creativity meets global opportunity. It brings together art licensing agencies and independent talents with an international network of publishers, toy brands, licensees, and professionals from TV, film, and gaming — all gathered at BCBF to discover fresh ideas and forge new partnerships.
SPECIAL EVENTS AT BLTF/KIDS
Located at the heart of BCBF, BLTF/Kids also offers an exciting programme of events including the Bologna Licensing Awards, the Licensing Portfolio Reviews and the International Kids Licensing Days.
International Kids Licensing Days
The International Kids Licensing Days are a premier series of conferences focused on the latest trends in children’s content. Covering key sectors such as licensing, publishing, toys, video content, gaming, retail, and the digital revolution, these events provide valuable insights into innovative strategies for capturing the attention of an increasingly fragmented and dynamic audience. In 2025, the event hosted over 60 international C-level speakers, offering a truly global perspective on the future of the industry.
Bologna Licensing Awards Matchmaking With BCBF Exhibitors and Special Areas Licensing Portfolio
The Bologna Licensing Awards stand out as a premium international prize recognising exceptional licensing projects across the globe, addressed to children, teens and YA. These prestigious awards celebrate achievements in key business categories and target age groups, including PRESCHOOL, KIDS, TEENS and YA. They also honour excellence in specific sectors such as FASHION, RETAIL, PUBLISHING, TOYS and GAMES. To top it off, the highly coveted PROPERTY OF THE YEAR award highlights the most impactful brand or character of the year.
All BLTF/K exhibitors enjoy exclusive access to personalized matchmaking opportunities, connecting them with licensees and retailers, as well as with BCBF exhibitors and companies from the fair’s dedicated business areas, including the TV/ Film Rights Centre and the Games Business Centre. This creates a unique opportunity for the licensing industry to enhance brand content development by connecting with key players across publishing, audiovisual, and gaming sectors.
Reviews
In 2025 the Licensing Portfolio Reviews facilitated 400 connections between global companies and international artists. The initiative will be back again in 2026. This exclusive matchmaking event offers a rare opportunity to bring together talents and companies from the gaming, media, and consumer products industries.
BCBF Official Merchandising
To celebrate the vibrant Bologna community, BCBF has launched its official merchandise line. Discover and collect new must-have items designed to make your Bologna experience even more memorable!
BOLOGNA: DRIVING THE GLOBAL COPYRIGHT EXCHANGE FORWARD AT THE FAIR
Bologna offers professionals two powerful matchmaking tools to discover new contacts and schedule meetings. In addition to the Global Rights Exchange, available all year round, since the last edition Bologna has also offered its exhibitors a dedicated matchmaking platform, active during the days of the fair, to help them make the most of their experience.
Bologna Matchmaking Platform
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair, BolognaBookPlus, and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids have launched a free matchmaking platform to spark business connections. This smart digital space makes it easy for professional visitors and exhibitors to connect, discover new partners, and schedule meetings during the fair
Introduced in 2025, the tool was met with great enthusiasm, generating over 1,700 meetings in four days.
Starting in January, exhibitors can set their search preferences, choose who to meet, and schedule time slots for appointments at the fair.
From the first access, it’s possible to connect with all exhibitors across BCBF’s areas — including BBPlus, BLTF/Kids, Rights Centre, Comics Corner, TV/Film Rights Centre, Games Business Centre — as well as selected professional visitors for even greater networking opportunities.
Exhibitors can manage their agendas easily through the platform and rely on a dedicated help desk for support.
Scan the QR code to receive your personal invitation and get ready to make the most of your Bologna experience.
ALL YEAR ROUND
Bologna Global Rights Exchange
The Bologna Global Rights Exchange (GRE) is the virtual marketplace dedicated exclusively to the international rights, distribution and licensing of content. Born in 2020, the GRE is a key tool of the BCBF digital strategy and hosts approximately 23.000 titles and more than 200 properties. It ensures the international community 365° support and plays an active role throughout the year enabling BCBF exhibitors and visitors to continue to display, discover and trade rights across the world.
GRE has been enhanced with numerous functions and includes BBPlus to offer rights trading opportunities across general trade publishers and agents and BLTF/Kids to learn what is new in licensing brands and properties. The Comics Corner section features comics and graphic novel companies attending the BCBF area dedicated to this exciting medium. The Bologna Global Rights Exchange working as an all year round rights marketplace, GRE offers exhibitors the opportunity to present their titles and brands, create and name their own showcases, search contents and trends, have instant chats, schedule and hold calls and video meetings directly on the platform.
GRE is open to publishers, agents/ literary agencies, scouts, licensees, licensors, developers, licensing agencies, TV/audiovisual producers, promotion and services providers free to all in person fair exhibitors of BCBF, BLTF/Kids, BBPlus.
www.globalrightsexchange.com
FEATURES INCLUDE
TRANSLATABLE INSTANT CHATS
Chat on the GRE in your own language Create group chats.
INSTANT VIDEO MEETINGS
Schedule and hold meetings directly on the platform. Screen sharing and files sending available within the video chat.
IMPROVED SEARCH FEATURES Filters specifically targeting the children’s book market. Search filters by book topic, book type, age level, country, and more. Highlight function of membership in a national association or collective.
USER-FRIENDLY UPLOADING OF CONTENTS
Easy-to-use automated single or bulk upload of titles and pdfs. Highlight function for key titles. New Titles/ Brands showcase section to create custom digital catalogues.
BLOGS FROM RIGHTS EXPERTS Keep up with current thinking and news with GRE blog series from respected voices in the world of Rights trading.
ONE TRADITION, TWO GLOBAL EVENTS
China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair
Shanghai, 14–16 November 2025
Since 2018, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has proudly co-organised the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) — the premier event in the Asia Pacific region dedicated entirely to children’s books and content.
Launched in 2013, CCBF has rapidly earned a reputation as a mustattend event for the global children’s publishing community. Over the past decade, it has become a key platform for copyright exchange, promoting high-quality literature and nurturing a strong reading culture among young audiences.
In 2025, CCBF is expected to host 500 exhibitors from over 35 countries and regions, with more than 50,000 visitors across a 25,000-squaremeter exhibition area. With a strong professional orientation and an exclusive focus on children’s publishing, CCBF is the only event globally comparable to BCBF. Its programme of seminars and professional events covers vital topics — from business strategies and market trends to creative workshops and illustration masterclasses led by world-renowned experts.
GET IN TOUCH
Mariaelena Schiavo Special Projects Manager mariaelena.schiavo@bolognafiere.it
Highlights of CCBF 2025
CCBF is becoming more and more international!
This year it welcomes National Pavilions from a wide range of countries such as Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Korea, the UAE, and the UK. The programme is also growing richer, with the introduction of new events and expanded professional opportunities.
NORWAY IN THE LIMELIGHT
Among the most anticipated highlights is a preview of Norway’s Guest of Honour programme for Bologna 2026, featuring leading Norwegian illustrators and a special focus on the country’s children’s publishing.
THE ITALIAN PAVILION
Organised by the Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with AIE-Italian Publishers Association, the pavilion will showcase a wide range of Italian exhibitors, including several making their Shanghai debut
NEW! CROSSMEDIA LOUNGE
Featuring finalists and winners of the BolognaRagazzi CrossMedia Award, including international projects such as BookGorae (South Korea), Frontiers for Young Minds (Switzerland), MakeMake Digital Library (Colombia), and Weltentdecker (Germany).
SPECIAL LOUNGES
CCBF hosts a range of special lounges: the BOP Lounge, showcasing winners and finalists of the Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year; the Asia Pacific New Entry Lounge, highlighting innovative publishers from the region; and the Belt and Road Lounge, dedicated to publishers from BRI partner countries and fostering international exchange.
SPOTLIGHT ON NEW BOOKS
A brand-new feature for 2025, it offers a platform for new international title launches, author signings, and rights exchange sessions, facilitating new partnerships between publishers and industry players.
CHILDREN PLUS
A special book exhibition and seminar programme aiming to cast light on a trend, a topical subject, a book category. This year’s exhibition will be “COMICS: Exploring the World, One Bubble at a Time” an international selection of comics with over 200 titles showcased, with a dedicated panel to deepen the conversation.
GOLDEN PINWHEEL YOUNG ILLUSTRATORS COMPETITION & EXHIBITION
The international illustration contest designed for illustrators under 40. It aims to build bridges between illustrators and children’s publishers, both locally and globally. The contest features two categories: Book Publishing and Commercial category highlighting illustrators’ ability to create visually captivating works that can be applied to many commercial purposes.
THE ILLUSTRATORS SURVIVAL CORNER
One of the BCBF’s flagship initiatives, where artists can gather, share experiences and receive professional advice on their art and profession. The space is managed and designed by Mimaster Illustrazione (Milan) and offers masterclasses, creative workshops, oneto one mentorships supporting emerging talent and creative career development
SHVIP – SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK FAIR PUBLISHERS’ FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME
The SHVIP Fellowship Programme brings six international professionals to Shanghai. Participants will follow a curated itinerary across Shanghai’s bookstores and publishing houses, gaining a deeper understanding of China’s children’s publishing market.
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMME The CCBF professional programme will present 17 conferences and seminars. Among the key sessions: the “International Children’s Reading Promotion Forum”, supported by the Shanghai Press & Publication Administration and IBBY. Other sessions will include the Award Winners’ Series, analyses of Chinese and global book retail markets, and discussions on IP operations, AI in education, Asian children’s content, and innovative storytelling. The programme will also welcome a stellar lineup of guests, including Sydney Smith, Shinsuke Yoshitake, Leo Timmers, Alessandro Sanna, Øyvind Torseter, and Matthew Forsythe.
