Bologna 2026: A Diverse and Inspiring Encounter with the Global Children’s Book Industry
When Norway was Guest of Honour at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April 2026, Norwegian children’s and YA literature was given a unique opportunity to shine before an international audience. The result was a great success.
During four intense and inspiring days, NORLA and its partners presented the broad and diverse Norwegian children’s and young adult literature and illustration. The programme brought together authors, illustrators, translators, organisations and publishers from around the world, and the events were consistently very well attended — most of them fully booked.
Norwegian Children’s Book Illustration at the Heart of the Programme
Among the highlights of Norway’s Guest of Honour programme was the illustration exhibition What if, a major exhibition featuring works by 49 Norwegian illustrators. It offered an impressive insight into the artistic quality and stylistic diversity that characterise illustration in contemporary Norwegian and Sámi children’s books.
NORLA also created a satellite version of the exhibition at Bologna’s main library, Salaborsa, where works by the 49 illustrators were displayed for one month, beginning the week before the fair opened.
An agreement was also made with the museum of contemporary art MAMbo, which showcased works by Kari Stai, Kristin Roskifte and Stian Hole during the same period. The exhibition was combined with workshops for school classes led by the illustrators, and these activities continued under the museum’s management until mid-May 2026.
Professional Programme at the Fair
NORLA developed a solid professional programme on the fair’s official stages, featuring 14 different events with authors, illustrators and experts.
For the first time in the history of the Bologna fair, a Guest of Honour country built its own stage as part of its stand. Nearly 30 well-attended industry events were held at the Norway Café, featuring authors, illustrators, translators and organisations. The programme was developed in collaboration with as many as 16 Norwegian and international partners.
The professional programme across the fair also included a number of discussions on current topics such as the importance of reading, censorship, democracy and artificial intelligence. These events brought together international voices and helped place Norwegian literature within a broader social context.
A Vibrant Literary Programme for Children and Families
Norway’s programme extended far beyond the exhibition halls. Across the city of Bologna, an extensive literary programme in Italian featuring Norwegian authors and illustrators was organised for school classes, kindergartens and families. Through workshops, readings, film screenings and creative activities, Italian children were able to learn how to draw trolls and explore Norwegian storytelling traditions in a playful and accessible way.
A Star Team of Norwegian Authors and Illustrators
Among the participants in the literary programme were some of Norway’s best-known names in children’s and YA literature, including Maja Lunde, Anna Fiske, Jostein Gaarder, Øyvind Torseter, Maria Parr, Bjørn Rørvik and Erlend Loe. At the same time, newer voices such as Håkon Marcus and Kjersti Synneva Moen had the opportunity to present their work to an international audience.
The nine participants in NORLA’s talent development programme New Voices also gained valuable experience and important contacts within the international publishing industry.
Representatives from Official Norway
Minister of Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery spoke at the fair’s official opening ceremony and subsequently opened the Norwegian stand with the Norway Café. She also spoke at the opening of the exhibition at MAMbo along with the Mayor of Bologna.
All 12 members of the Norwegian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Family and Cultural Affairs visited the fair, and several committee members participated in panel discussions as part of NORLA’s professional programme.
Their presence underscored the importance of Norwegian children’s and YA literature both as a cultural expression and as an export industry.
A Historic Opportunity
As Guest of Honour in Bologna Norway was given a unique opportunity to present itself as a leading and innovative literary nation for children and young people. The enthusiastic response from audiences and industry professionals alike demonstrates that Norwegian children’s and YA literature holds a very strong international position.
The project was carried out by NORLA with support from the Ministry of Culture and Equality, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Publishers Association, the Norwegian Writers for Children, and the Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Association, in collaboration with organisations across the book industry.
