BolognaBookPlus: the boutique spring event for general adult trade publishing

Building on an exciting and successful edition in 2023, BBPlus April 2024 (April 8-11) offers the full range of book fair offerings, plus a bit extra: flexible exhibiting opportunities; matchmaking; training conferences; a translation forum; hosted bookseller and publisher programmes; strategic partnerships, market of honour; Author Ambassador; a new audio forum, and a topical seminar programme.

In addition to the packed programme for April 2024, BBPlus holds events globally around the year. The next two events are in London. Partnering with Nielsen BookData, they return with the Bestseller Awards in-person ceremony, 22 January in Hamyard Hotel, Soho, London. A new Illustration & Design Forum takes place 23 January at the Groucho Club, Soho, London, aimed at those new to illustration and Design. The autumn took them to Frankfurt and New York as part of the Bologna Grand Tour, where they hosted various networking events.

Exhibit & Showcase Area: BolognaBookPlus aims to give general trade companies an opportunity to expand their reach across Europe and beyond, through a variety of exhibiting packages. BBPlus is an additional focal point on the trade calendar, allowing those who traditionally visit BCBF additional opportunities for their general trade colleagues. Packages range from ’space only’ options, turnkey ‘turn up and trade’ stands, through to rights tables in the new combined children’s and general adult trade rights centre. BCBF exhibitors wanting to expand their reach with stands in the BBPlus area will also receive a discount.

Agents: Literary Agents represent an important, vital community and the Bologna Rights Centre is their primary home, where they sell rights, build relationships, and promote their authors’ brands. For those wishing to get into this side of the business, one of the suite of training events is Call Your Agent: How to Become a Successful Literary Agent 9 April 2024.

Rights Training: The new Bologna Rights Centre hosts those exhibitor publisher rights professionals across the industry, trading rights in both adult and children’s publishing. One of the key tools designed by the fair to foster rights trading is the Bologna Global Rights Exchange (GRE), a dedicated rights trading platform, enabling exhibitors and visitors to continue to showcase, discover and trade rights across the world. How to Sell Rights and Understand Licensing in Children’s Publishing is one of suite of training events, taking place on the eve of the fair, Sunday 7 April 2024. It is the definitive training for all those wishing to get into rights, or in their first role in the rights arena.

Audio Forum (New): New for 2024 is a forum focussing on all things audio, in partnership with Beat Technology. The world of podcasts, with creators, platforms and marketers, will be discussed, plus voices from the diaspora- how languages from Romania, Turkey, Poland, and Spain can capitalise on the diaspora reach.

Translation: The annual Translation Forum looks at the trends in sales of translated books; hot topics in the world of translation, and selling and promoting translated books.

Seminars: The topical seminar programme considers the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Themes covered in 2023 included Artificial Intelligence; accessibility; sustainability and accessibility. 2024 will deliver much to entice audiences on the current challenges and opportunities that surround publishing. Seminars are delivered by a mix of partners and those successful applicants from the call for seminars, open until 11 January 2024.

Self-Publishing: ”Learning how to self-publish one’s own work can be overwhelming. Understanding the commercial side, rights, distribution, marketing, and social media is vital to navigate this route to market. BBPlus, in partnership with Argento Vivo, offers a comprehensive two-day training event Self-Publishing: How to Succeed in Italy and Abroad, 8-9 April 2024, where the first day focuses on writing for success.