The 39th edition of the Fira Internacional del Llibre de Guadalajara (FIL), the most important cultural meeting in Latin America and one of the most important publishing events in the world, will have a Catalan accent as Barcelona is the guest city of honour.

The invitation coincides with the tenth anniversary of Barcelona’s recognition as a UNESCO City of Literature, with the city’s participation in the event to include over sixty authors in the literary programme plus a wide range of music, visual and performing arts and gastronomy.

The Barcelona programme puts the spotlight on current voices yet also pays homage to key figures such as Carmen Balcells, Joan Brossa, Mercè Rodoreda and Manuel Vázquez Montalbán. All this, with the desire to generate a dialogue between the literary present and the city’s cultural roots.

The slogan is “Flowers will come”, inspired by a story by Mercè Rodoreda (the writer chosen as a symbolic figure and ambassador for this participation), poetically linking Barcelona and Guadalajara, known as the city of roses, and the tradition of Sant Jordi, a symbol of Catalan culture. Names in the literary programme include Eduardo Mendoza, Xavier Bosch, Carme Riera, Carlos Zanón, Josep Pedrals, Txell Feixas, Javier Cercas, Mireia Calafell, Marta Orriols, Irene Pujadas, Victoria Szpunberg, Miquel de Palol and Jordi Puntí.

One of the main attractions will be the Barcelona pavilion, located in the main foyer of the trade fair site. Designed by Fàbric i Santiago de León and entitled Espai Publicitat, the pavilion recreates a Barcelona square as a place for meeting and conversation. With 1,183 square metres, the pavilion includes a large bookstore with 10,000 books linked to the city and an auditorium with a capacity for 120 people to host part of the literary and professional programme.

Beyond books

The programme transcends literature. Barcelona will also be present at FIL Ciencia and FIL Pensamiento, with speakers from universities and research centres, and will share reflections on major contemporary challenges. There will also be visual arts exhibitions, film screenings and a music cycle at the Foro FIL, with emerging and consolidated artists such as Maria Arnal, Rigoberta Bandini, Love of Lesbian, Mushkaa and Roger Mas and the Cobla Sant Jordi.

Theatre and dance also have their place, with projects such as Sonoma, by La Veronal, Jo, travesti, by Josep Maria Miró, and an adaptation of La plaça del diamant directed by Carlota Subirós.

The cook Gerard Bellver will be tasked with combining Catalan and Mexican cuisine for the opening supper and the gastronomy festival at the fair. In addition, a business mission promoted by Barcelona City Council and the Chamber of Commerce will link the cultural presence with economic opportunities in Mexico.

The image for the event has been designed by Barcelona’s Bakoom Studio, the first time that the graphics for the FIL have been created outside of Mexico.

With more than 900,000 visitors last year, the FIL is an essential event for the Latin American publishing sector. The FIL 2026 is expected to bring together nearly 750 writers from 49 countries and over 2,000 publishing companies. Some 3,000 activities are being held at the fair. Barcelona will be making the most of this window to affirm its role as a global publishing capital, with a programme curated by the journalist Anna Guitart and collectively conceived with the cultural sector.