BolognaBookPlus Events

ENG

How to Sell Rights and Understand Licensing in Children's Books

Sala Suite

Services Centre - Wing D

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Note: Pre-registration required on BBPlus website

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Bringing Stories to Life: Inclusive Strategies for Accessible Illustrations

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Text and images each contribute in their own way to the experience of a story in children's books and more. Making images accessible to readers with visual impairments is essential for a complete and inclusive reading experience. Image description is a means of accessibility, as does the selection of inherently accessible illustrations. How can publishers, authors and illustrators tackle both challanges? This seminar offers the opportunity to experience what it means to miss out on illustrations and to learn how to effectively convey the richness of images through description. The event is organized within the framework APACE, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union.

Moderator

Neva Micheva, journalist, literary translator

Panel

Giorgia Spadoni, translator; Gergana Pancheva, poet and translator.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Fondazione LIA

In the framework of

APACE, co-funded by the Creative Europe Programme of the European Union

ENG

The Italian General Book Market 2024, including a Focus on the Children's Book Market

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

AIE provides a deepdive into the Italian general book market, with an additional focus on the children's book market.

Panel

Bruno Giancarli, AIE Research Department.

Organized by

AIE - Associazione Italiana Editori

In cooperation with

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Understanding What an Agent does and How to Become one

AIE Theatre - BBPlus area

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Literary Agents are at the core of the industry, yet it is not clear how to become one, nor the full range of activities that agents can carrry out. Hear more about the role of the agent, and some tips on getting started.

Panel

Louise Lamont, LBA Agency UK; Jane Acton, Agent; Jacks Thomas, Guest Director, BolognaBookPlus.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

The Global English Language Market with a Spotlight on Italy

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Nielsen BookData provides an overview of the English Language market globally, with an additional discussion in Italy.

Panel

Andre Breedt, Managing Director, Nielsen BookData.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Physical Books in a Digital World: Finding the Sweetspot

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

This seminar will focus on the current trend of the 'book as object,' exploring how books have become collectors' items in an increasingly digital world. The discussion will include debates on the characteristics of a great physical book and a great ebook, how both formats can coexist, and how to optimize a list across all formats.

Moderator

Jacks Thomas, Guest Director, BolognaBookPlus

Panel

Joanna Reynolds, CEO, The Folio Society; Nadim Sadek, Founder and CEO, Shimmr AI; Victoria Sutherland, Founder and Publisher, Foreword Magazine.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Publishers Working Collaboratively with Suppliers and Authors Drives Success!

AIE Theatre - BBPlus area

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Sarah Arbuthnot, Chief Commercial Officer, Supadu.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

What Buyers Want: New Research on Film & TV Rights

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Margaret Harrison, VP Digital Services at Ingram Content Group, shares new research into what slows down sales of film and TV rights, what buyers want, and why Ingram is launching Media Scout, a book to screen rights information service.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Creative Europe: EU Funding Opportunities for Literature and Publishing Sector

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Are you a publisher or part of an organisation in the book and publishing sector? The Creative Europe programme offers dedicated funding to support your work. Its mission is to enhance the translation, circulation and linguistic diversity of literary works across Europe and beyond, expand audiences for European literature, and boost the sector’s competitiveness through cooperation and networking between organisations in Europe.

Panel

Arnaud Pasquali, European Commission, Directorate-General Education, Youth, Sport and Culture.

Organized by

European Commission (DG Education and Culture), Creative Europe Desk in Italy

ENG

The Art of Publishing: The Beauty of Curating a List for the Perfect Bookshelf

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Design is at the heart of this seminar. It will discuss the enduring success of physical books, against the backdrop of this digital age, how books are collectable items. What makes a book beautiful? What is good design - is it objective or are there generally accepted standards?

Moderator

Jacks Thomas, Guest Director, BolognaBookPLus

Panel

Tom Walker, Publishing Director, The Folio Society; Sara Saorin, Co-Founder, Camelozampa; Christopher Maclehose, Open Borders Press.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

ThinkPub.eu: Tailored Training for Publishers

AIE Theatre - BBPlus area

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

ThinkPub.eu: Tailored training for publishers. Building an Online Library with Educational Resources focused on Innovation. For more details, see www.ThinkPub.eu. Supported by the European Commission under the Creative Europe programme.

Moderator

Aljaž Koprivnikar, Beletrina

Panel

Alma Čaušević Klemenčič, Beletrina; Marko Hercog, Beletrina; Carlo Carrenho, Aline Global Collective; Nathan Hull, Beat Technology; Rüdiger Wischenbar, Content and Consulting.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Brand Advantage: Using AI to Find Your Edge in a Content-Rich World

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Moderator

Nadim Sadek, Founder and CEO, Shimmr AI

Panel

Nancy Traversy, Barefoot Books; Tom Benjamin, author; Kelly Garner, Treefort Media.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

AI Discovery: When Every Book Finds its Reader

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Moderator

Searsha Sadek, Shimmr AI

Panel

Gaurav Sabharwal, Prakash Books; Raul Perez, Grupo Planeta; Sarah Arbuthnot, Supadu.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Recognition and Reward: How to Make Money from LLMs

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Gaurav Sabharwal, CEO, Prakash Books; Raúl Pérez, Head of Digital, Grupo Planeta; Sarah Arbuthnot, Chief Commercial Officer, Supadu; Tom Benjamin, author.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

AI Summit: Audience Town hall

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Moderator

Edward Nawotka, Senior Editor, Publishers Weekly.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Illustrators Annuals: Discovering Talent, Showcasing Art, Empowering Publishers

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Steve Compton, Director of exhibitions and collections, Society of Illustrators; Eugenia Mello, Board Member and illustrator, Society of Illustrators.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Society of Illustators

ENG

Teaching Philosophical Thinking in Saudi Arabia

AIE Theatre - BBPlus area

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Study of philosophical thinking in Saudi curriculum is a step towards building critical minds capable of overcoming the major challenges of life. Such thinking helps them develop analytical and logical skills that enhance their ability to face their challenges in life.

Panel

Mawadda Al-Hamid

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Author Ambassador Tom Benjamin In Conversation

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Tom Benjamin, author; Natasha Poliszczuk, Content Director, BookBrunch.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Design According to your own Rules: Stand out with High-Quality Local Design

AIE Theatre - BBPlus area

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Glib Kaporikov, Creative Director, Projector Publishing and Mentor; Mykhailo Boychuk, Kyiv State Academy of Decorative Applied Arts and Design; Yuliia Kozlovets, Director and Coordinator, International Book Arsenal Festival; Anna Karnauh, Editor-in-Chief, Projector Publishing; Oleh Gryshchenko, artist, illustrator, co-curator of Pictoric.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Talking Pictures: Estonia

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

AWARDS & CONTESTS

Panel

Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator and designer; Jacks Thomas, Guest Director, BolognaBookPlus; Ilaria Tontardini, Hamelin.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Talking Pictures - Steven Guarnaccia and Hamelin, Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

ENG

Masterclass - The Folio Society: Illustration and Cover Design

The Illustrators Survival Corner - Masterclass Area

HALL 30

THE ILLUSTRATORS SURVIVAL CORNER

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Moderator

Ivan Canu, director, Mimaster Illustrazione

Panel

James Rose, Head of Editorial, The Folio Society; Sophia Schoepfer, Editor, The Folio Society.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

The Folio Society

ENG

Overview of the Taiwan Children's Book Market

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Taiwan's most influential education and parenting media, providing credible information for parents of children up to 15 years old. It combines current issues in education, parenting, and family lifestyle. A high-quality reading experience is offered through various categories for children and teenagers, with a strong following built among parents, educators, scholars, and education policymakers.

Panel

Sheryl Ho, Supervisor, CommonWealth Education Media and Publishing Co, LtD; Rhea Lin, Marketing Editor, PaPa Publishing House.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

The Content Revolution: CETERA and ImagiBook for Visionary Publishers

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Illustration Ambassador Joanna Karpowicz in Conversation with Steven Guarnaccia

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Joanna Karpowicz, painter, illustrator and comics artist; Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator and designer.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

AI Summit: Welcome and Living & Thriving in the World of AI

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

This inaugural AI Summit offers a thorough consideration of how AI can assist publishing

Moderator

Searsha Sadek, Founder and Chief Product Officer, Shimmr AI

Panel

Nadim Sadek, Founder and CEO, Shimmr AI.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

Self-Publishing Day 1: Indie Children and YA

Sala Concerto

Services Centre - Wing D

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Note: Pre-registration required on BBPlus website

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Argentovivo

ENG

The Power in Your Hands: Defining the Future of Publishing

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Chantal Restivo-Alessi, Chief Digital Officer, HarperCollins.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Going Global: Trends and Voices in Contemporary Bulgarian Literature

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Unlike Western European or American approaches to publishing literature in translation, the Balkans have been significantly underdeveloped in terms of agenting traditions, copyright management and local strategies in promoting national literatures. However, there is an upswing in publishing titles in translation from the region in the last few years as curiosity has been aroused towards Bulgarian authors for sure. Georgi Gospodinov and his International Booker Prize-winning, best-selling novel Time Shelter in 2023 shed a different light on contemporary Bulgarian literature and its newly emerged or already well-established voices. More and more Bulgarian titles showcase authentic voices that discuss modern topics like domestic violence, life right after the end of the Cold War, feminist issues or global warming. A lot of titles published build anti-utopian worlds and discuss universal themes through local voices. What is the very reason for these titles to arouse more interest and what makes them appealing for the international literary scene?

Moderator

Neva Micheva, translator and journalist

Panel

Giorgia Spadoni, translator; Gergana Pancheva, translator.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

International Award-Winning Children's Authors from Taiwan

AIE Theatre - BBPlus area

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Chang Yeou-Yu, author; Liu Hsu-Kung, author.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Translation Forum 1: Opportunities in Poland, Estonia and Norway

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Publishing & Translation Trends: Opportunities in the Polish, Estonian, and Norwegian Markets. Bestseller Trends & Translation Rights: What’s Selling and What’s Next. A snapshot of literature trends in the market - what is selling well in original language. What publishers wish to sell in terms of translation rights (what's hot within each market).

Moderator

Nerrilee Weir, Director, Bold Type Agency

Panel

Agnieszka Rasińska-Bóbr, Deputy Director, Polish Book Institute; Ilvi Liive- Roosipuu, Director, Estonian Literature Centre.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

ENG

Translation Forum 2: What Poland, Estonia and Norway are Buying

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

ESTONIA GUEST OF HONOUR

Inside the Market: What Polish, Estonian, and Norwegian Publishers Are Buying and How to Sell Translation Rights to them

Moderator

Nerrilee Weir, Director, Bold Type Agency

Panel

Anna Nowacka-Devillard, Member of the Board, Polish Chamber of Books, Co-owner of Widnokrąg Publishing House; Kadri Rahusaar, Managing editor and Member of the Board, Koolibri Publishers, Member of the Board, Estonian Publishers’ Association.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Estonia Guest of Honour 2025

ENG

Jackets Off! Considering Cultural Iterations of The Great Gatsby

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator and designer; Ivan Canu, director, Mimaster Illustrazione

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Mimaster Illustrazione

ENG

Audio Forum Welcome, and In-Conversation with Kelly Garner, Treefort Media

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

How audio itself can be the leading source for new IP into books, movies and beyond. And how spoken-word entertainment can lead us down wonderful information rabbit holes.

Panel

Jacks Thomas, Guest Director, BolognaBookPlus; Nathan Hull, Chief Strategy Officer, Beat Technology; Kelly Garner, Founder and CEO, Treefort FM.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Audio Forum: Serialized Content in Audiobooks, Books and Podcasts

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

From audio-only publishing and multi-cast recordings, to short-form and serialised audiobook publishing – how and why audiobooks should be seen (and heard) in their own light.

Panel

Tina Jürgens, Co-CEO, Zebralution.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Audio Forum: Beyond the Basic Audiobook

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Lance Fitzgerald, Senior VP, Content and Business Development, PRH US.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Audio Forum: Audio Rights - A New Frontier

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Book publishers, audio publishers, studios and all in the audio space are wrestling to serve the ever-growing appetite for the spoken word. What are the main challenges, opportunities and trends with rights, across the general and children’s markets, when seeking to grow catalogues and distribute internationally?

Moderator

Emma House, Founder, Oreham Group

Panel

Colin Hauer, CEO, Hörbuch Hamburg; Sonia Draga, CEO, Draga; Heather Alexander, Audible.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Presentation – Indie Authors Book Jacket Award: Winner announcement

The Illustrators Survival Corner - Masterclass Area

HALL 30

THE ILLUSTRATORS SURVIVAL CORNER

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Audio Forum: 420 Million Plus Speakers. The Arabic Opportunity

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Arabic is the fifth most commonly spoken language on the planet, and its countries’ cultures’ foundations are based on verbal storytelling. Arabic audio is about to bloom.

Panel

Ahmed Riwehel, Co-Founder, Arabookverse.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Audio Forum: AI's Role in Audio

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

From production and process enhancements to recordings themselves, AI’s role in audio publishing will be fundamental to the format’s growth, particularly in nascent markets.

Moderator

Jon Watt, Head of Commercial and Audio, Bonnier Books

Panel

Laure Sageet, MD Audiolib, Hachette; Ani Atamian, Founder, LEM; Hugo Rayne, General Manager Europe, Eleven Labs.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Where Next: New Players, Models and How to Grow Markets

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Panel

Mariana Feged, GM Spanish Markets, France & EMEA Bookwire.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ENG

Audio Forum: Finding New Readers. The Power of Partnerships

BolognaBookPlus Theatre

HALL 29 MALL 1

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Partnerships, B2B and more: In the complex world of platforms via for our listenership, how can platforms offer new routes to market, find new listeners and offer more reach; and how can publishers capitalise on this.

Moderator

Nathan Hull, Chief Strategy Officer, Beat Technnology

Panel

Clara Ferrari, Chief Content Officer, YouScribe; Miriam Spinnato, Commercial Director, Mondadori; Fabio Uehara, AYA Books.

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

ITA

Self-Publishing in Italy. Day 2

Sala Concerto

Services Centre - Wing D

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

BOLOGNABOOKPLUS

Note: Pre-registration required on BBPlus website

Organized by

BolognaBookPlus

In cooperation with

Argentovivo