From April 8 to 11, the 61st version of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair will be held, a meeting considered the most important for children’s and youth literature and illustration.
Its purpose is to reflect on the state of the book industry in its field and new trends, both in technology and associated services.
Chile’s participation in Bologna will be developed thanks to the collaborative work between the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, through the National Book and Reading Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREL), through DIRAC and ProChile.
Minister of Culture
The Minister of Cultures, Carolina Arredondo, states that “our presence at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair is a concrete example of the progress that the internationalization of the Chilean publishing sector has had.”
“It is a relevant milestone due to the recognition given to the quality of the work of our creators. This is demonstrated in the different nominations for some of the most important awards that are awarded as part of the fair, and that are linked to children’s and youth literature.”
“Bolonia is an excellent showcase to disseminate the high level achieved by the Chilean publishing industry, whose presence in foreign markets is increasingly powerful. This interest is systematically supported by the virtuous articulation between the Ministry of Cultures, ProChile and Dirac,” he added.
This year Chile will have a delegation that will have six illustrators, composed of Francisca Yáñez, Joanna Mora, María de los Ángeles Vargas, María Jesús Guarda, Leonor Pérez and Sebastián Ilabaca. Added to this is the Entrelineas Foundation and five companies: Editorial Escrito con Tiza, Ediciones Liebre, Editorial Zigzag, Editorial Muñeca de Trapo and the Literary Agency Vuelan las Plumas.
Through the Dissemination Support Line will be joined by: illustrators Andrea Mahnke (selected among the 10 illustrators chosen by the fair to form part of the illustration show) and Karina Letelier; Pablo Espinosa, cultural journalist who will cover the actions of the delegation. The Ibby Chile Corporation and the publishing houses Child Editor, Ekare South Publishing House, A Cardboard House Publishing House, Amanuta Publishing House and Claraboya Publishing House. Through the Italian Trade Agency, Saposcat, Pehuén and Spiral Fish Books will participate. And on their own initiative, the delegation will be joined by Puentes Agency, Mis Roots Publishing House, RB Publishing House, illustrators Caro Celis, Blanco Pantoja and Mustakis Foundation.
The pavilion for the Bologna Fair was designed by the illustrator Paloma Valdivia, who this year is the guest of honor at the fair, after winning the Grand Prix of the Bratislava Illustration Biennial with Pablo Neruda’s book of questions (Enchanted Lion Books, USA 2022). In addition, she is a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen prize, known as “the Nobel” of children’s books. She was nominated by the International Organization for Children’s and Young People’s Books, IBBY, an institution that was born in Zurich in 1953, and that since 1964, at the initiative of the writer Marcela Paz, also has a section in our country.
“Since 2016, Chile has participated in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the largest children’s literature meeting in the world and a key event to position ourselves as a country in this growing market. ProChile, the export promotion agency dependent on the Foreign Ministry, has worked together with MINCAP and DIRAC to support the internationalization of the varied offer in this sector and that is why in 2024 we will participate with a delegation of more than 20 illustrators, more editorials. In this delegation, SMEs predominate and a high participation of women in the field of illustration and editors with high-quality publications that contribute to our country image based on attributes such as talent and creativity,” highlights Lorena Sepúlveda, national director of ProChile. .
The director(s) of the Division of Cultures, Arts, Heritage and Public Diplomacy (DIRAC) of MINREL, Roberto Abu-Eid, highlights that “children’s literature in Chile has experienced great development in terms of excellence, visibility and diversity of styles and approaches, which, together with the growth of the industry and the international recognition of its artists, continues to gain importance and admiration at a national and global level.”
In this sense, “this fair offers a privileged space for cultural dissemination and exchange for creators and editors, who have the opportunity to learn about new perspectives, styles and trends, enriching and expanding their creative horizons. Likewise, it is an opportunity for emerging authors, whose participation is essential for the development of new talents and the constant renewal of the national children’s and youth literary scene.”
It should be noted that the publishing houses Liebre and Muñeca de Trapo were nominated for the BOP (Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publishers of the Year), which is a recognition of the best children’s publishers in the world, in the group of Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean.
For this fair, a change has been made in the implementation of the stand, opting for sustainability, selecting noble materials and a design that allows elements to be reused between different fairs, markets and sectors.