63rd edition 13- 16 April 2026 | Bologna - Italy
63rd edition 13- 16 April 2026 | Bologna - Italy
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Award-winning Ukrainian book design meets European illustration in a conversation on visual storytelling across cinema, literature, and contemporary book culture.
Moderator
Yuliia Kozlovets, Cultural Manager and Director, International Book Arsenal Festival, Kyiv, Ukraine
Panel
Anita Wincencjusz-Patyna, historian and art critic, Ph.D. in Art History, Assistant Professor, Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, Associate Dean, Faculty of Painting and Sculpture, Poland; Halia Verheles, illustrator, designer, Art Director, Osnovy Publishing House, Art Editor, Creative Women Publishing, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, International Book Arsenal Festival, Ukraine
Designer Studio
HALL 29
DJ Stout, Arabelle Liepold, and Steve Compton trace the evolution of the Annual Competition, featuring archival highlights, book design, insights into the application process, and selection criteria.
Panel
DJ Stout, Pentagram partner, Art Director, designer, author, Principal of the Pentagram Austin, Texas office, USA; Arabelle Liepold, Executive Director, Society of Illustrators, USA; Steve Compton, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, The Society of Illustrators
In cooperation with
Pentagram Austin
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Panel
Jon Gray, book cover designer, UK; Riccardo Vecchio, Chair, MFA Illustration as Visual Essay, School of Visual Arts, visual artist, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio
HALL 29
The 2026 Talking Pictures Award celebrates Norway's visual book excellence. A dedicated jury selected winners for their creative innovation and outstanding visual impact.
Moderator
Ilaria Tontardini, Hamelin, Italy
Panel
Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator, designer, USA; Jacks Thomas, Guest Director, BolognaBookPlus, UK.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
In cooperation with
Hamelin, Steven Guarnaccia
With the support of
Grafill and NORLA-Norwegian Literature Abroad
In the framework of
Talking Pictures
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Explore the intersection of editorial illustration and poster design, learning how to "distill" an image for maximum visual impact without losing the raw, expressive energy of the hand-drawn mark.
Panel
Mari Kanstad Johnsen, illustrator, Ambassador BolognaBookPlus, Norway.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio - The Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition
HALL 29
Join us for a guided tour of the Society of Illustrators Annual Book Award exhibition, featuring winning works from the past five years and insights into the competition and innovation in publishing.
Panel
Steve Compton, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, The Society of Illustrators
In the framework of
In the framework of The Society of Illustrators Annual
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Only for Italian illustrators and graphic designers
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Panel
Anna Castagnoli, children books authorand critic, Italy; Giacomo Benelli, coordinator, Mimaster Illustrazione, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Marking the centenary of Agatha Christie’s passing, this talk explores her literary success from an editorial perspective alongside the visual design of her book covers, exploring the intertwined threads that keep the Queen of Crime a timeless icon.
Panel
Ivan Canu, illustrator, author, Italy; Cecilia Flegenheimer, Art Director, Mondadori, Italy; Paolo Verri, Director, Fondazione Arnoldo e Alberto Mondadori, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
In cooperation with
Fondazione Arnoldo e Alberto Mondadori
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Moderator
Emilio Varrà, President, Hamelin, Italy
Panel
Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator, designer, USA; Øyvind Torseter, cartoonist, illustrator, Norway.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
In cooperation with
Hamelin and Steven Guarnaccia
With the support of
NORLA-Norwegian Literature Abroad
In the framework of
Talking Pictures
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio - The Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition
HALL 29
Join us for a guided tour of the Society of Illustrators Annual Book Award exhibition, featuring winning works from the past five years and insights into the competition and innovation in publishing.
Panel
Steve Compton, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, the Society of Illustrators
In the framework of
The Society of Illustrators Annual
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Italian artist duo Anna and Elena Balbusso join Pentagram’s DJ Stout and SI’s Arabelle Liepold to reflect on their 25-year career and upcoming New York show in a conversation moderated by Steven Guarnaccia.
Moderator
Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator and designer, USA
Panel
Anna and Elena Balbusso; award-winning Italian artist duo working internationally in the fields of illustration, art and design, Italy; Dj Stout, Pentagram partner, art director, designer, author and principal of the Austin, Texas office, USA; Arabelle Liepold, Executive Director, Society of Illustrators New York, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, the Society of Illustrators
In cooperation with
Balbusso Twins, Pentagram, Bologna Children's Book Fair
With the support of
Pentagram
In the framework of
Balbusso Twins: Illustrating with Two Souls - A Special Preview, Society of Illustrators, New York, April 15 - July 11, 2026
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Panel
Jon Gray, Book Cover Designer, UK; Cecilia Flegenheimer, Art Director, Mondadori, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio - The Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition
HALL 29
Join us for a guided tour of the Society of Illustrators Annual Book Award exhibition, featuring winning works from the past five years and insights into the competition and innovation in publishing.
Panel
Steve Compton, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, the Society of Illustrators
In the framework of
The Society of Illustrators Annual
Designer Studio
HALL 29
The connections between the publisher, the illustrator, and The World of DOT studio—from the initial brief to the collaborative exchange that transforms a book’s text into its cover.
Panel
Francesca Leoneschi, Art Director, the World of DOT, Italy; Mauro De Toffol, Graphic Designer, the World of DOT, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio
HALL 29
An exploration of visual synthesis with Pablo Amargo: how image and book design merge into a poetic, rigorous aesthetic.
Panel
Pablo Amargo, illustrator, graphic artist, Spain; Elizabeth Pérez Fernández, Publisher, Bonito Editorial, Spain.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio
HALL 29
A reflection on the book as a crafted design object, where paper plays a defining role—not just as a container of creativity but as content itself—starting from the presentation of Best of Publishing, Fedrigoni’s tool for choosing the right paper for editorial projects.
Panel
Luca Amoroso, Backseller Creative Communication, Fedrigoni, Italy; Pietro Corraini, Corraini Edizioni, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, Fedrigoni
In cooperation with
Corraini Edizioni
Designer Studio - The Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition
HALL 29
Panel
Steve Compton, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, the Society of Illustrators
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Introducing Zig Zag Festival: a program celebrating "graphic alliances" between Italy and the US, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
Moderator
Ilaria Tontardini, Hamelin, Italy
Panel
Elena Pasoli, Director, Bologna Children's Book Fair, Italy; Steven Guarnaccia, illustrator, designer, USA; Felicita Sala, illustrator, Italy; Marianna Coppo, illustrator, Italy; Arabelle Liepold, Executive Director, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaFiere, Hamelin, Steven Guarnaccia
In cooperation with
Istituto Italiano di Cultura di New York
Designer Studio
HALL 29
During this workshop on illustration and graphic journalism, participants will develop an editorial cover by transforming real events into a powerful visual concept.
Panel
Michela Rossi, Art Director, illustrator, comic book artist, Italy; Simone Rea, illustrator, Italy.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
With the support of
Domani
Designer Studio - The Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition
HALL 29
Join us for a guided tour of the Society of Illustrators Annual Book Award exhibition, featuring winning works from the past five years and insights into the competition and innovation in publishing.
Panel
Steve Compton, Director of Exhibitions & Collections, Society of Illustrators, USA.
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, the Society of Illustrators
In the framework of
The Society of Illustrators Annual
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus
Designer Studio
HALL 29
Organised by
BolognaBookPlus, ChiaLab Design Studio
