Expanding Global Networks: İntrotema at the 2026 Bologna Children's Book Fair
As İntrotema Literary Agency, we proudly took our place with our own stand at the 63rd Bologna Children's Book Fair! Over the course of four highly intense and productive days, we had the distinct pleasure of hosting publishers, agencies, and industry professionals from every corner of the globe. Positioned at the very heart of the international publishing ecosystem, we seized the opportunity to forge powerful new collaborations and deepen our existing relationships.
One of the standout developments at this year's fair was the remarkable surge in visibility for the Turkic Republics. The strong participation of publishers from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan clearly showcased the accelerating momentum of regional publishing. Furthermore, the intense interest and frequent visits to our stand from Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, proved just how strategic and far-reaching our partnerships in those geographies have become.
However, we also observed a stark decrease in participation from Arab countries and Iran compared to previous years. The absence of Iranian and numerous Arab publishers—largely due to the effects of ongoing regional conflicts—was deeply saddening for us as an agency with strong ties to the region. Not being able to see the stakeholders we have collaborated with for years, including Iranian publishers and authors who are absolute staples in children's publishing, served as a sobering reminder of the global sector's fragility.
Throughout the fair, the prevailing atmosphere heavily focused on "protecting and strengthening reading culture." As publishers and industry representatives honed in on the future of reading habits among children and young adults, profound discussions took place regarding innovative approaches to encourage reading alongside traditional content production.
For İntrotema, the fair was a powerhouse of productivity. Currently representing over 200 publishing houses from 47 countries, our agency successfully expanded its global catalog by signing significant new representation agreements across various nations. The noticeable increase in the number of stands held by the publishers we represent, combined with the active field presence of representatives from our diverse global offices, allowed us to navigate the fair with unparalleled efficiency and impact.
This year's fair also presented phenomenal opportunities for our newly launched 2026 initiative: İntrotema Studios. Embracing the "Book to Screen" philosophy, we witnessed the rapid strengthening of bridges between the publishing and audiovisual sectors. Our strategic meetings with executives from major animation and content production companies revealed a massive, growing demand for screen adaptations of literary content. Bologna is clearly no longer just a book fair; it has evolved into a multi-layered industry summit encompassing licensing, media, and content production—making our strategic investments in this arena more relevant than ever.