Networking – ArtistCongratz

33318 trade visitors in just four days, taking part in over 500 events.

Curated by BCBF and its 1,577 exhibitors from approximately 95 countries.

Covered by journalists from over 40 countries. ArtistCongratz 🇧🇪being one, took part for the first time. While blogging; accompanying, spotting and matching fine young talented illustrators and authors on their journey towards discovery💡✍️

📖🖼️🇧🇪🇸🇦
the only way, look 🆙 😉
Belgium meets Saudi Arabia
at Bologna’s Children’s Bookfair 2025

So far some impressions, facts and figures of the 62nd Bologna Fiere in a nutshell.

Care for more sneak peeks of our own journey as Bologna Fair Firsttimers?

Keep up the viewing ⤵️

Nice meeting Hooria from Germany/Iran (on the left in the picture). She is studying
educational science, working on a dentist project to be illustrated for kids AND parents. This was at the PublisHer Booth network event on Wednesday, while she’s watching drawings from Lauren, a young emerging Belgian illustrator who’s latest publication “Nachtraafmeisje” (author Gitta Van Lommel) was highlighted at the Fiere by Belgian Publisher Clavis ⤵️

Find out more about Lauren’s impressive work as an illustrator ➡️https://www.laurenpletinckx.com

Lauren Pletinckx, Belgian illustrator of “Nachtraafmeisje” written by Belgian author Gitta Van Lommel, published by Clavis

Harper Collins, one of the biggest international bookpublishers world wide, of course also present in Bologna

Presenting this year’s Guest of Honour Country: Estonia 🇪🇪

Nice booktalks in English & “un poco Italiano” over Dolce 🧁 & Espresso ☕️
at PublisHer Booth on
Wednesday morning 👌How about a story totally written in a fictitious language ?

Belgian and internationally renowned author Wally De Doncker taking a look at Lauren’s portfolio 🖼️🖌️Thank you for recognizing and encouraging young illustrating talent !

“Building new professional relationships”

ArtistCongratz is definitely on the same networking page as Antonio Bruzzone, General Director of BolognaFiere, who looks back on this 62nd extraordinary edition as a fair that continues to grow in participation and quality.

The success of the exhibitor numbers from all over the world is the result of the scouting work that the fair carries out, a constant and global commitment: being present worldwide, all year round, is essential to understand the trends of markets, including emerging ones, and to build new relationships.
Antonio Bruzzone
General Director of BolognaFiere

Antonio Bruzzone: We are also honoured to continue our collaboration with the United Nations, a prestigious partner with whom we share a commitment to sustainability, both in editorial content and in industrial processes, a theme that is increasingly crucial for the future of publishing and beyond.

Among new participating countries this year Albania, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Georgia, Guatemala, Iceland, Madagascar, Malta, North Macedonia, Peru, Sri Lanka (Thailand) and Saudi Arabia, where ArtistCongratz received a warm welcome 📸 while promoting the work of Belgian emerging illustrator Lauren Pletinckx

The fair confirms itself as the most important global stage for the exchange of rights and copyrights in the children’s and young adult sector, promoting content that develops throughout the entire book chain and beyond
⤵️

From scouting new talents to seeking new voices in emerging publishing markets. Additionally, among the main novelties of this edition was the new Games Business Centre – in collaboration with Frankfurter Buchmesse and created with Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids – which joined the second edition of the TV/Film Rights Centre, completing Bologna’s book-to-screen offering: a success with over 600 meetings held between publishers and professionals from the gaming and audiovisual industries.

The theme of sustainability was at the heart of the debate, through renewed collaboration with the United Nations and a focus this year also on the sustainability of publishing industry processes, in a meeting curated together with BBPlus, the space dedicated to general publishing that completes the fair’s editorial offering.

BolognaBookPlus 2025 was sold out with a waiting list for the first time. Rights were traded among the 56 participating countries. With an AI Summit run with Shimmr, an Audio Forum and a multitude of seminars featuring industry leading.

Along with the Fiere more than 100 underground events were organised by exhibitors at the exhibition centre and around the city. Four days of the event during which Bologna becomes the global capital of children’s publishing every year. But the fair is also international in terms of digital presence and media coverage, with over 2 million pageviews from more than 180 countries.

The 63rd edition of Bologna Children’s Book Fair, along with BolognaBookPlus and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids, is expected to take place at BolognaFiere from April 13 to 16, 2026, with Norway as the Guest of Honour Country.