Illustrators Café

Debates and meetings on the latest developments in illustration around the world.

 


 


Monday 08 April 2024

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
BolognaBookPlus
Slovenia Guest of Honour
Bologna Licensing Trade Fair Kids

Opening ceremony of Bologna Children’s Book Fair, BolognaBookPlus, Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids, Slovenia Guest of Honour

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Awards & Contests

The winner of the Extraordinary Award for an Extraordinary Book

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

Winner The Extraordinary Award... For An Extraordinary Book: Bambini nascosti (Hidden Children), Vànvere edizioni, Italy. Text and illustrations by Franco Matticchio.

The Extraordinary Award for an Extraordinary Book is a special prize by Bologna Children's Book Fair created to acknowledge a title that has touched the Jury in an exceptional way.

Moderator
Marcella Terrusi, Professor, University of Bologna
Panel

Stefania Camilli, Vànvere edizioni; Giorgia Grilli, Professor, University of Bologna.

 

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

In the framework of

BolognaRagazzi Awards 2024

Illustrators Café

PREMIO ANDERSEN 43: i finalisti del riconoscimento italiano ai libri per ragazzi 2024

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

Uno sguardo alla produzione editoriale dell'anno: le scelte della Giuria del "Premio Andersen - il mondo dell'infanzia", aspettando la proclamazione dei vincitori sabato 25 maggio a Genova.

Organized by

ANDERSEN - La rivista e il premio dei libri per ragazzi

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Slovenia Guest of Honour
Awards & Contests

Chinese Excellence in Children's Illustration 2024: Meeting with the Jury & Prize giving Ceremony

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

The exhibition "Chinese Excellence in Children’s Illustration" showcases the best contemporary Chinese illustrators selected each year by a different Jury of leading Chinese and international experts, to present them to the international publishing community at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The exhibition 2024 (HALL 30, B46-C33) and the catalogue feature the 15 artists selected by the Jury: 3 winners and 12 finalists.

Moderator
Marcella Terrusi, Professor, University of Bologna
Panel

Elena Pasoli, Director, Bologna Children's Book Fair; Sara Wang, CEO, Sìdee Cultural Communication; Debbie Bibo, literary agent and editorial producer of children’s picture books and illustrated books, USA-Italy; Loïc Boyer, freelance graphic designer, Founder, Cligne Cligne Magazine, France; Anna Castagnoli, author, illustrator, researcher and collector of books for children, Italy; Hai Fei, publisher and writer, China; Wang Lijun, curator and Founder, China Picture Book Fair and the Zhang Leping Picture Book Award, China; Yang Zhong, PhD, Associate Professor, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Director, Department of Culture and Urbanism School of Urban Design, Director, Picture Book Creation Workshop and Master’s Degree Tutor, China; Zhang Mingzhou, Founding Director, Lifetree Culture Promotion Center, Executive Director, Publishers Association of China, China.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair, China South Publishing & MediaGroup, Sìdee Cultural Communication

In cooperation with

China Publishers

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

IBBY - International Board on Books for Young People: Annual Press Conference

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

The IBBY Press Conference presents the work of IBBY throughout the year and highlights its most important events, including the 39th IBBY World Congress (Trieste, Italy, 30 Aug - 1 Sept, 2024) and the 2024 International Children's Book Day. It is also the much-expected occasion to discover the winners of the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award and the IBBY Reading Promotions Awards.

Panel

Sylvia Vardell, President, IBBY; Carolina Ballester, Executive Director, IBBY; Valerie Coghlan, President, Bookbird Inc.; Yukiko Hiromatsu, JBBY Board Member; Elisabetta Lippolis, Vice President, IBBY Italy and 2024 IBBY World Congress Chair; Junko Yokota, Jury President, JBBY Reading Promotion Award; Liz Page, Jury President, 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award.

Organized by

IBBY - International Board on Books for Young People

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Silent Book Contest 2024 - Gianni De Conno Award. Announcement of the finalists

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

Presentation of the finalists of the 2024 Silent Book Contest - Gianni De Conno Award, the first international competition dedicated to the wordless book, this year in its 11th edition.

Panel

Patrizia Zerbi, publisher and Editorial Director, Carthusia Edizioni; Elena Pasoli, Director, Bologna Children's Book Fair; Walter Fochesato, President of the Jury and expert in the history of children's literature; Emanuela Bussolati, illustrator; Eros Miari, consultant, Turin Book Fair; Marco Gillo, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Corriere della Sera; Sara Wang, CEO, Niu Niu Culture Limited; Sonja Riva, journalist, Swiss radio and television; Lorena De Vita, Head of the Culture sector, BPER Banca.

Organized by

Carthusia Edizioni

In cooperation with

Bologna Children's Book Fair, Salone Internazionale del Libro di Torino, Comune di Mulazzo

With the support of

BPER Banca

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

L'occhio del mondo: 12 Independent Picture Book Publishers from Around the World

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

"L'occhio del mondo", Italian leg of L'œil du monde, involves 12 independent picture book publishers from around the world: A Buen Paso (Spain), Bakame (Rwanda), Baobab (Czech Republic), Jaimimage (South Korea), Magikon (Norway), MeMo (France), One Stroke (Japan), Petra Ediciones (Mexico), Planeta Tangerina (Portugal), Tara Books (India), Topipittori (Italy), and Wytwórnia (Poland). Twelve publishers as diverse as the countries they are from, but united by a common vision of childhood. Created in 2023 by Éditions MeMo, L'œil du monde celebrates a year of activities in libraries, public schools, and associations in every one of the twelve countries. This round table is the opportunity to present the results of the project, and reflect on the role of independent publishing in an increasingly multilingual world. L'occhio del mondo, Italian leg of L'œil du monde, co-financed by the "Creative Europe" project of the EU. First created by Éditions MeMo, L'occhio del mondo is curated by Topipittori and Hamelin.

Panel

Paolo Canton, Topipittori, Italy; Tereza Horváthová, Baobab, Czech Republic; Magdalena Kłos-Podsiadło, Wytwórnia, Poland; Christine Morault, Éditions MeMo, France; Ilaria Tontardini, Hamelin, Italy.

Organized by

Éditions MeMo, Topipittori, Hamelin

In cooperation with

Settore Biblioteche e Welfare culturale, Comune di Bologna

With the support of

Creative Europe Programme

In the framework of

BOOM! Crescere nei libri

Tuesday 09 April 2024

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Slovenia Guest of Honour

Why are silent books so loud?

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Organized by

Slovenia Guest of Honour

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Slovenia Guest of Honour

Slovenian illustrators at the Bologna Children's Book Fair exhibitions

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Organized by

Slovenia Guest of Honour

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Slovenia Guest of Honour

Will young Slovenian artists conquer the world?

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Organized by

Slovenia Guest of Honour

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Announcement of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2024

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

Announcement of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award 2024, broadcast live from Stockholm.

Panel

Åsa Bergman, Head of Office, ALMA; Kajsa Ravin, Director General, Swedish Arts Council; Samuel Sandberg Bremell, consultant, Embassy of Sweden to Italy; Boel Westin, Chairman of the ALMA Jury; Balsam Karam, Jury member, ALMA; Mårten Sandén, Jury member, ALMA; Bjorn Sundmark, Jury member, ALMA.

Organized by

Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Awards & Contests

Meeting with Andrea Antinori, winner of the 2023 International Award of Illustration BCBF - Fundación SM

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Panel

Andrea Antinori, illustrator; Pablo Núñez, Sara Rioja, Teresa Tellechea, Fundación SM.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

In cooperation with

Fundación SM

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

"Mac Barnett, are you ever going to write a real book?". Why children’s books are a very serious thing

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

After twenty years and more than fifty books published, in his first book for "grown-ups", The Secret Door (Terre di Mezzo Editore) Mac Barnett tells why children's literature is literature in its own right and why children are the ideal readers. «The best children’s literature is as good as the best literature humans have produced».

Panel

Mac Barnett, author; Maria Russo, Editor at Large, Union Square Kids, USA; Giulia Rizzo, Editorial Vice Director, Terre di Mezzo Editore.

Organized by

Terre di Mezzo Editore

In cooperation with

Bologna Children's Book Fair

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Reading of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

The United Nations recently celebrated 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the key document outlining the rights and freedoms of every human being. Children’s book authors, illustrators and publishers from around the world gathered at BCBF will read the thirty articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in their native language. This multilingual reading will inspire readers and listeners alike to think about how human rights, particularly those of young citizens, continue to be a central theme in 2024, and why we need to keep fighting to make them a reality for everyone, everywhere.

Organized by

United Nations, Bologna Children's Book Fair

In cooperation with

30 friends of the international children's book community

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Pictured Worlds: The Illustrated Children's Book Past, Present, and Future with Leonard S. Marcus

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

In this wide-ranging conversation, noted historian and critic Leonard Marcus talks with Marcella Terrusi about his path-finding, decades-long research into the history of children's books and their illustration, and shares some of his favourite discoveries about the origins, development and increasingly global reach of an art form that is only now beginning to enjoy the cultural standing it has long deserved.

Panel

Leonard S. Marcus, children's book historian and critic; Marcella Terrusi, Professor, University of Bologna.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Fostering African Illustration: Training, Contest and Exhibition

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

This training initiative, beginning Autumn 2024, focuses on the design of illustrated picture books. It systematically covers the fundamental stages of the creative process: analyzing and narratively scanning the text, storyboarding, and creating final illustrations along with a proposed cover design. In addition to the design process, the course provides insights into the dynamics of the publishing market, equipping illustrators with the necessary knowledge to present and promote their projects. Professional tools and skills, such as book presentation cards, editorial research, and techniques for contacting and engaging with a publishing house, are also covered. All participants will work on topics provided by editorial teams, allowing them to immediately engage with the editorial reality and develop a book project with inherent potential for publication. The main instructor is the illustrator and designer Francesca Chessa, with professionals from the publishing field contributing on specific topics related to the illustrated picture book industry. Access to the course, limited to 16 participants, is granted through a portfolio selection contest. The book projects created during the course will be showcased at the Bologna Children's Book Fair 2025, forming the initial core of an exhibition dedicated to African illustration. This initiative is a collaboration between BCBF, Aké Arts and Book Festival, in Nigeria, and Mimaster Illustrazione.

Panel

Elena Pasoli, Director, Bologna Children's Book Fair; Giacomo Benelli, Mimaster Illustrazione; Ivan Canu, Mimaster illustrazione; Lola Shoneyin, author and publisher, Ouida Books, Nigeria.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

In cooperation with

Aké Arts, Book Festival, Mimaster Illustrazione

Wednesday 10 April 2024

Illustrators Café

Leggere ancora Alberto Manzi. Le nuove uscite e le sorprese nel Centenario del maestro

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

Orzowei, La luna nelle baracche, Testa rossa tornano disponibili per scoprire l’universo narrativo del maestro di Non è mai troppo tardi.

Moderator
Centro Alberto Manzi
Panel

Stefania Dimella, traduttrice, Rizzoli Ragazzi; Alessandra Falconi, Responsabile Centro Alberto Manzi; Carlo Gallucci, Fondatore casa editrice Gallucci; Massimo Manzi, figlio di Alberto Manzi; Emma Petitti, Presidente Assemblea legislativa Regione Emilia-Romagna; Anselmo Roveda, giornalista e scrittore, Rivista Andersen.

 

Organized by

Centro Alberto Manzi

Illustrators Café

When Two Seas Meet in Bologna. A Sea of Creativity: Taiwan. A Sea of Stories: Davide Calì.

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

The exhibition, hosted at the Archaeological Museum of Bologna from April 9th to May 26th, 2024, features over forty illustrators, comic artists, and digital artists from Taiwan, along with twenty-four illustrators of stories by Davide Calì. The event highlights cultural connection, the fusion of imagination and technology, and the link between text and images.

Panel

Davide Calì, comics artist, illustrator and author, Italy; Rex How, publisher, Taiwan; Grazia Gotti, Accademia Drosselmeier.

Organized by

Accademia Drosselmeier

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Awards & Contests

The reason behind a choice. Meeting with the Illustrators Exhibition Jury 2024

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Moderator
Marcella Terrusi, Professor, University of Bologna.
Panel

Marco Ghidelli, Raum Italic, Italy; Xiaoyan Huang, Everafter Books, China; Lee Ho Baek, Jaimimage, illustrator, South Korea; Øyvind Torseter, illustrator, Norway.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Awards & Contests

Announcement of the winner of the International Award of Illustration BCBF, Fundación SM; Announcement of the winner of the 2024 Ars in Fabula Grant Award; Prize giving ceremony of the 2024 Illustrators Exhibition selected artists

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Literature as the driver of change. IBBY Italia towards the 39th IBBY World Congress 2024

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

From 30th August to 1st September 2024, Italy will host the 39th International Congress of IBBY - International Board on Books for Young People. More than 600 participants from the world of children's books (writers, illustrators, translators, publishers, librarians, booksellers, educators and reading promoters, scholars, trainers, volunteers, health professionals and more) are expected to gather in Trieste from all continents around the main theme "Join the Revolution. Giving every child good books". Along the path leading to the Congress, IBBY Italia has invited Roberto Innocenti (the first Italian author to receive the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2008 after Gianni Rodari in 1970) to contribute to the theme of "Literature as a driver of change". Paola Vassalli, author and curator, Executive Board IBBY Italia and Valentina Zucchi, curator Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence will dialogue with the author on the role of literature, in particular youth literature, in building society and promoting revolutionary practices in education and within our communities. Introduced by Elisabetta Lippolis, Vice President IBBY Italia, coordinator IBBY Congress 2024

Panel

Roberto Innocenti, iIllustrator, HCA Award 2008; Paola Vassalli, author and curator, Executive Board, IBBY Italia; Valentina Zucchi, curator, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, Florence. Introduced by Elisabetta Lippolis, Vice President, IBBY Italia and coordinator, IBBY Congress 2024.

Organized by

IBBY Italia

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Awards & Contests

Premio Strega Ragazze e Ragazzi 2024. Annuncio del libro vincitore nella categoria "Narrazione per immagini"

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Moderator
Marcella Terrusi, Docente, Università di Bologna
Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

In cooperation with

Fondazione Bellonci

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café
Awards & Contests

A talk with Paloma Valdivia. Winner of the 2023 BIB Grand Prix and Author of 2024 Illustrators Annual Cover

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

BCBF hosts every other year the winners of two prestigious children's book awards in the arts, the BIB - Biennial of Illustration Bratislava and the Hans Christian Andersen Award, to create the Illustrators Annual cover: the catalogue collecting all the works of the artists selected for the Illustrators Exhibition. The 2024 Illustrators Annual cover has been created by Paloma Valdivia, Chile, winner of the 2023 BIB Grand Prix.

Panel

Paloma Valdivia, illustrator, Chile; Marcella Terrusi, Professor, University of Bologna.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

La Terre Tourne: a conversation with Anne Brouillard

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

After an incredible career and more than 40 illustrated books, Anne Brouillard finally arrives in Italy. A keen observer of nature and a master of impression and atmosphere, Brouillard questions the meaning of life itself, evoked by a train passing through a landscape, the nocturnal adventure of a puppet falling from its owner's stroller, or the life of a goofy, talking dog. In this panel, Brouillard talks about her art and her vision, which naturally leads her to confront childhood: because children, just like her, cannot help but wonder how and why we are here, on earth, spinning.

Panel

Anne Brouillard, author; Emilio Varrà, Hamelin.

Organized by

Hamelin

In cooperation with

Bologna Children's Book Fair, orecchio acerbo, Babalibri, l’École des loisirs, Esperluète éditions, WBI. In partnership with Gruppo Hera.

Event Highlights
Illustrators Café

Estonia Guest of Honour Country at BCBF 2025

Services Centre
Illustrators Café
Panel

Elena Pasoli, Director, Bologna Children's Book Fair; Triin Soone, Director, Estonia Children's Literature Centre; Asta Trummel, Adviser on Literature, Ministry of Culture; Kaidi Urmet, Managing Director, Estonian Publishers Association.

Organized by

Bologna Children's Book Fair, Estonian Publishers Association, Estonian Children's Literature Centre

Thursday 11 April 2024

Illustrators Café

Un concerto a scuola, una app in biblioteca, un cartone animato per un festival?

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

I linguaggi della creazione danno forma al Centenario del maestro Alberto Manzi. Vieni a scoprirli e crea il tuo progetto.

Moderator
Alessandra Falconi, Responsabile Centro Alberto Manzi
Panel

Alberto Baioni, cartoon maker; Alessia Canducci, attrice; Garilli Sound Project; Luca Nardone, percussionista e maestro; Gianni Zauli, cartoon maker.

Organized by

Centro Alberto Manzi

Illustrators Café

Premio LiBeR 2023. Premiazione di Nicola Cinquetti con il libro L'estate balena e di Lisa Balavoine con il libro Un ragazzo è quasi niente

Services Centre
Illustrators Café

Nicola Cinquetti con il libro L'estate balena (Bompiani) e Lisa Balavoine con il libro Un ragazzo è quasi niente (Terre di Mezzo Editore) sono i vincitori del Premio LiBeR per il miglior libro 2023 secondo il sondaggio annuale degli esperti che collaborano con la rivista.

Panel

Ilaria Tagliaferri, Direttrice, rivista LiBeR; Nicola Cinquetti, scrittore; Nicoletta Gramantieri, responsabile, Biblioteca Salaborsa Ragazzi, Bologna; Lisa Balavoine, scrittrice; Gabriela Zucchini, Equilibri Cooperativa Sociale, Modena; Ufficio Stampa, Bompiani Editore; Ufficio Stampa, Terre di Mezzo Editore.

Organized by

LiBeR

In cooperation with

Bompiani, Terre di Mezzo Editore