Guide to the Bologna Children's Book Fair 2026 - The Good Ship Illustration

Absolutely knackered just thinking about Bologna? Same 😅

Here are our Bologna Children’s Book Fair survival tips. Whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned Bologna Book Fair-er. 

Exciting news: The Good Ship Illustration is exhibiting this year in Hall 25, and we’d love to see you there!

This episode:

• What even IS the Bologna Children’s Book Fair?
• Whether you reeeally need to go
• The biggest benefits of visiting
• What to pack, what samples to take, and how to prepare well
• How to manage your expectations / social battery / overwhelm
• The best bits beyond the fair itself, including food, bookshops and wandering round Bologna
• Following up afterwards and making the most of the contacts you make

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Intro, replay announcement, and come find us in Hall 25!
• 01:00 What is the Bologna Children’s Book Fair?
• 03:00 Should you go?
• 05:00 Benefits of visiting the fair
• 06:00 Talks, workshops and folio reviews
• 07:00 Bologna itself, food, sunshine and bookshops
• 08:00 The illustrator’s wall and what to stick on it
• 09:00 Accommodation tips and booking early
• 11:00 Tickets, discounts and Good Ship lanyards
• 12:00 Managing expectations and not turning it into a military operation
• 16:00 What to prepare and what samples to take
• 19:00 Dummy books, sketchbooks and standing out
• 20:00 The Bologna Illustrators Exhibition
• 22:00 Feeling overwhelmed, comparitis and pacing yourself
• 25:00 Practical survival tips, from snacks to spare batteries
• 28:00 Why the last day can be surprisingly good
• 29:00 Rest, museums, gelato and giving yourself permission not to do it all
• 30:00 Following up after the fair
• 31:00 Final tips, meetups and lanyard spotting

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Download and print your Bologna lanyard here!!
• Bologna Children’s Book Fair website
• Illustrator Survival Corner
• Inuit bookshop, Bologna

Byeeee for now!
x The Good Ship Illustration (Helen, Katie & Tania)

Come and say hello!

✏️ @thegoodshipillustration
🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.com

p.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙