You will find the CZECHIA national stand in Hall 29. The Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic has entrusted the Moravian Regional Library with its implementation. For the fourth year in a row, students from Prague’s UMPRUM are creatively contributing to the stand’s visual design with the support of the Czech Literary Center, under the expert guidance of Michaela Kukovičová and Juraj Horváth. Visitors will find the most interesting Czech book titles for children and young adults from the past five years, including award-winning publications, translated works, and titles recommended for translation. These include books from the publishers Baobab, Euromedia, Host, Labyrint (& Raketa), Petrkov, Slovart, and the National Gallery in Prague. This presentation is part of the preparations for Czechia’s Guest of Honour appearance at the Frankfurt Book Fair this October.
Representatives from the Prague Book Fair “Svět knihy” will also be in attendance in Bologna. The Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, as well as the publishing houses Albatros, Argo, Paseka, and Albi, will also have their own stands at the Bologna Book Fair.
Matchmaking GERMAN STORIES & CZECHIA / April 13, 2026, 4:30 p.m.
On Monday, April 13, in the afternoon, a “Matchmaking” session is scheduled for Czech publishing houses with German publishers of children’s and young adult books, who are exhibiting at the German collective stand German Stories in Bologna. They will discuss rights and licenses with representatives from the German publishing houses Oetinger, Kosmos, DTV, Monterosa, Moses, and ArsEdition.
GET TOGETHER AND DRAW WITH CZECHIA / April 14, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
The Frankfurt Book Fair and Czechia, as its Guest of Honour, will host a reception for international exhibitors at the German Stories booth on Tuesday, April 14, in the afternoon. The event will feature a presentation by Czech illustrator Marita Kelbl, who will draw live with the help of visitors to the publishing meeting.
Marita Kelbl (1996) focuses her work on poetic and playful illustrations for children’s books, comics, and original publications. Her works in Czech have been translated into German and Italian. She specializes in book illustration, combining a delicate style with a sensitive color palette and an emphasis on storytelling through atmosphere and detail. She collaborates with publishers and cultural institutions, for which she creates illustrations and visual concepts. She also organizes workshops for children and adults as part of extracurricular education in the field of visual arts.
Exhibition “Mamma mia?”
This exhibition of eight young Czech female illustrators explores the female perspective and lived experience. The title “Mamma mia?” uses its question mark to challenge established stereotypes, the expectations society places on women, and the status quo. Through the eyes of cis and trans illustrators, the exhibition explores notions of womanhood in the 21st century, but instead of a clear-cut answer, it offers a diversity of perspectives and a series of questions. The exhibition presents a variety of approaches, ranging from classic book illustrations and comic sequences to artist-made zines and paintings, as well as textiles and objects. The project documents how contemporary Czech illustration transcends the boundaries of the printed page and naturally extends into three-dimensional space.
Illustrators: Barbora Idesová, Jana Jarošová, Veronika Homolová, Marita Kelbl, Dana Lédl, Barbora Müllerová, Ilona Polanski, Barbora Tögel
Curator: Nadia Bilinová
Co-organizers: LUSTR Illustration Festival and the Czech Literary Center – under the auspices of the City of Prague
Opening: April 12, 2026 / 6:30 p.m.
Exhibition: April 13–16, 2026 / 4:00–8:00 p.m.
Associazione Parsec APS Gallery, Via del Porto 48 c/d, Bologna