Announcing its evolving offering to the world of illustration, BolognaBookPlus is celebrating Norway, Guest of Honour 2026 and has named Mari Kanstad Johnsen as illustration ambassador.
Recognized as a leading talent across the general publishing and children’s sectors, Mari will be an anchor of the seminar and workshop program at the new space focussed on design and illustration, The Designer Studio. This 2026 development is dedicated to art direction, editorial graphic design, and general trade publishing illustration, conceived to enhance the dialogue between visual design and those who both commission and consume it.
The Designer Studio@BolognaBookPlus is curated by the acclaimed Milan institution, Mimaster Illustrazione, and further expands the cultural and professional offering for the fair’s audience, featuring four days of masterclasses, workshops, and portfolio reviews led by a distinguished lineup of internationally renowned art directors, graphic designers and illustrators.
Guest illustrators include Pablo Amargo, Jon Gray, Lorenzo Mattotti, and Riccardo Vecchio, alongside numerous art directors and graphic designers such as DJ Stout (Pentagram), Cecilia Flegenheimer (Mondadori) and Stefano Cipolla (L’Espresso).
Once again, with style, brands, design and illustration in the DNA of Bologna, a comprehensive programme of exhibits and content has been unveiled.
Talking Pictures: now in its third year, the 2026 edition showcases illustrated books from the Guest of Honour market, Norway. Talking Pictures is curated for BolognaBookPlus by a team of visual arts experts based in Italy and New York – Hamelin and Steven Guarnaccia. This year it is run in partnership with the Norwegian arts organisations, Grafill and NORLA.
Highlighting excellence in visual print production, through the presentation of selected books of the highest quality, along with a deep exploration of themes and topics supporting the selection, the winning books will be announced on 13 April.
The Society of Illustrators Exhibition: For the first time outside the United States, the prestigious Illustrators Annual Competition, organised by the Society of Illustrators, makes its debut in Europe. A selection of the Gold and Silver Medal winners in the book section for the 2022–2026 five-year period will be showcased at the Designer Studio as a global first. Featured artists include Pablo Amargo, Edel Rodriguez, Victo Ngai, and many others whose work represents the forefront of book design. This landmark exhibition underscores BolognaBookPlus’s commitment to bridging international markets and highlighting excellence in visual storytelling across trade publishing. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of related activities, including talks and guided tours.
A Preview: The Balbusso Twins, Solo Exhibition – Illustrating with Two Souls features a selection of illustration, art, and design pieces recounting 25 years of the professional journey of the world famous Balbusso Twins Artist Duo, which will be presented at the Society of Illustrators in New York in the Spring.
Jackets Off – Agatha Christie: The popular program returns in 2026 marking the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death. Alongside its annual display of international jacket designs, this year’s exhibition will showcase a curated selection of Agatha Christie covers by Italian designer, Ferenc Pintér, offering a unique lens on the visual reinterpretation of one of the world’s most published authors. The accompanying Jackets Off seminar will take place within the new Designer Studio@BolognaBookPlus.
BolognaBookPlus illustration ambassador 2026, Mari Kanstad Johnsen says, “I am very honoured and excited about being selected as the BolognaBookPlus 2026 Illustration Ambassador! I am of course delighted about the spotlight on the visual element of books, and cannot wait to talk with so many interesting people, and to be completely immersed in illustration, books and events for a week in lovely Bologna.”
Guest director BolognaBookPlus, Jacks Thomas comments, “One of the joys of working within the Bologna Book Fair brand is the opportunity to give the disciplines of design and illustration the focus and space they merit. The rights that are traded at the book fair will all need, and benefit from, the creative talent that is showcased so effectively and enthusiastically in BolognaBookPlus. With the introduction of the Designer Studio, a high-profile Illustration Ambassador, and major international exhibitions, BolognaBookPlus 2026 reaffirms its position as a global platform for the creative forces shaping the look and feel of books today.”
