Bologna

With over 60 years of history, the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF) has established itself as the most important international event for the publishing industry dedicated to children's literature and illustration. It is a key hub for copyright exchanges and meetings between publishers, authors, illustrators, literary agents, translators and distributors from all over the world.

The Bologna Fair was launched in 1964, quickly gaining popularity and becoming a global platform. Its original aim was to create a place where professionals could meet, make deals and discover new talents in the field of children's books. Over the years, it has grown to include prestigious competitions and exhibitions. Among the most important elements are the Illustrators Exhibition and the BolognaRagazzi Awards, which recognize the best books in different categories. The fair stimulates international cooperation and the quality of children's literature worldwide. Today, it is part of a larger complex that also includes BolognaBookPlus (for general trade literature) and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids (for licensing).

Bulgaria traditionally participates in the Bologna Fair, often organizing a national stand under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture or through associations such as the Culture and Literature Association with a pavilion titled "Bulgarian Books for Children". The aim is to present the latest and most emblematic Bulgarian children's literature and illustration to an international audience.

Over the years, Bulgarian illustrators have achieved significant success by being selected for the prestigious Illustrators' Exhibition. Among the Bulgarian names whose works have been displayed or distinguished are Yasen Grigorov, Ina Hristova, Kapka Kaneva, Elena Zhablyanova and others, who represent our country on the international stage. Bulgarian participation also includes side events, meetings with foreign publishers and presentations of authors and books.

The largest competition open to individual artists within the framework of the Bologna Children's Book Fair is the Illustrators Exhibition. The application procedure is entirely online and is carried out through the official website of the fair..

Who can participate: Illustrators of any nationality, born before a certain date (usually towards the end of the year before the fair), whose work is intended for children's books. Both professionals and art students can participate.

Requirements for the works: Applicants must submit 5 (five) illustrations, which must be on the same theme. They can be unpublished or published after a certain date (usually in the previous year). Both traditional and digital techniques are accepted.

Format and fee: Works are submitted in digital format (e.g. JPG or PNG) with certain technical parameters. There is usually a fee for participation (except for students submitting through their educational institutions, who may receive a special code for free participation).

Deadline: The deadlines for submitting applications are usually in the fall of the year before the fair itself.

Selection: An international jury of five experts (publishers, illustrators, curators) reviews all submitted works and selects the finalists, whose originals are subsequently sent for the exhibition in Bologna and for a traveling exhibition around the world.

The other major competition, the BolognaRagazzi Awards (BRAW), is aimed at publishers and honors the books themselves in categories such as Fiction, Non-Fiction, Debut, etc.

Author: Nikoleta Gologanova