Bright's Bologna Children's Book Fair 2026

Every April, for one week, Bologna becomes the beating heart of children’s publishing, and as always, Bright was there in force. Our team arrived at the Fiere armed with fresh portfolios, manuscripts and plenty of excitement to share. Representing Bright across the fair were CEO and founder Vicki Willden-Lebrecht, Global MD James Burns, Literary Agent Georgia Tournay-Godfrey, Managing Agent Susan Penny, Head of BCI Robyn Newton, International Agent Márcia Sousa, and Brand Partnerships Director Paul Black.

Day 1 — Hitting the ground running

The moment the doors opened, it was straight into back-to-back meetings. The halls were buzzing and the Bright team were fully in the thick of it.

As the fair closed for the evening, the celebrations began. We joined Anderson Press on their stand to raise a glass to their 50th anniversary. Then the team divided and conquered across the Nosy Crow, Puffin and Walker parties.

Day 2 — The talk, the meetings, and a night to remember

Tuesday brought another full day of back-to-back meetings, with the Bright team criss-crossing the halls to pitch new work and deepen relationships with publishers from around the world.

The highlight of the afternoon was Vicki Willden-Lebrecht and Paul Black taking to the stage at the Bologna Licensing Trade Fair. Their session, livestreamed and available to watch now on Substack, explored where the licensing world is heading and how Bright’s unique approach to brand licensing helps artists and creators grow into genuine household names. The room was packed, the conversation was lively and the response has been wonderful.

In the evening we welcomed friends, clients and artists to our annual Bright drinks party at the Royal Carlton Hotel. Nights like this are what Bologna is all about, the chance to slow down and celebrate the people who have worked with us and supported us, and toast what’s ahead.

Day 3 — One last push

The final morning brought more back-to-back meetings, because at Bologna, every last hour counts. Then it was bags, taxis and airports as most of the team made their way home. Already looking forward to next year!

Until next year

Bologna 2026 never fails to energise us. Watch this space for exciting announcements in the months ahead, and if you missed us at the fair, we’d love to connect. Get in touch here.