Bologna Children’s Book Fair

8 - 11 April 2024

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is an industry leading event that has succeeded in bringing together a unique and diverse global audience thanks to 60 years experience. The result is the world’s premium copyright exchange hub when it comes to publishing  which also extends to current multimedia and licensing businesses for children’s stories, illustration, animation and related areas. 

The 2023 edition was attended by more than 1,400 exhibitors arriving from about 90 countries and regions around the world.

Publishers, illustrators, graphic designers, literary agents, authors, translators, mobile developers, licensors and licensees, packagers, printers, distributors, audiobook professionals, booksellers, brands, librarians and teachers all flock to the event each spring to experience the world of books and multimedia products in thousands of booths across six huge halls.

The world famous Illustrators Exhibition and industry recognized BolognaRagazzi awards are some of key pillars that make this event so special: BCBF is a unique mix of a cultural book show and an international rights business forum for all types of content for children.

BolognaBookPlus, the brand extension dedicated to general trade publishing organised in co-operation with AIE (Italian Publishers Association) and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids,the exhibition bringing together the major international licensing and entertainment players, in the kid’s industry, has become an integral part of Bologna Children’s Book Fair. 

Three global book events for international rights and licensing trading.

On the occasion of the 60th edition 

"Our wonderful adventure began in... April 1964. It was then that not only was a fabulous book fair born, but also an enduring friendship between Bologna and the global children's book community. The Bologna Children's Book Fair is unique as it takes place in an historic, lively and friendly city that has long embraced the opportunity to be the epicentre for children's education and culture.
Over the six decades of its existence, the Bologna Children's Book Fair has grown continuously, developed countless new projects, and opened up to other worlds, nurturing the creativity and spirit that has distinguished it from the very beginning, seeking to renew and keep alive over time that liveliness and determination that its historic director Francesca Ferrari had indelibly imprinted on it.
Today we enter our seventh decade with the same passion as always and with the pride of having created a network of initiatives ranging from Bologna to Shanghai, from children's books to licensing and, with its most recent initiative, BolognaBookPlus, serving general trade publishing.
On the occasion of our 60th birthday, we would like to express our thanks to all the publishers, all the professionals, and all the friends of the Bologna Book Fair: they are the real protagonists of this wonderful story, of these new chapters that are added year after year, of this inexhaustible excitement that is renewed each year, at each edition.
Grazie mille!"

The Teams of Bologna Children's Book Fair, BolognaBookPlus, Bologna Licensing Trade Fair and China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair - 6 March 2023

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