BOoks | Bologna art books festival 2026

From Friday 2 to Sunday 4 October 2026, BOoks, the festival dedicated to art books and artists’ books, returns for its fourth edition. The festival is promoted by Danilo Montanari Editore in collaboration with MAMbo - Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna, part of the Settore Musei Civici of the Comune di Bologna.

Once again, the museum’s Sala delle Ciminiere will welcome Italian and international exhibitors, booksellers and publishers specialising in art books and artists’ books.

This edition will focus on Viste e riviste. I giornali nell’arte (Views and Magazines. Newspapers in Art), Le copertine di Luigi. La fotografia di Ghirri nei dischi e nei libri (Luigi’s Covers. Ghirri’s Photography in Records and Books) and La coincidenza dello sguardo (The Coincidence of the Gaze).

The festival layout is designed to encourage a welcoming atmosphere open to dialogue. As in every edition, there will be a dedicated meeting area, which this year will host conversations and discussions exploring the figure and work of Luigi Ghirri.

The latter two focuses and the programme of conversations pay tribute to the Emilia-Romagna photographer during the final days of the exhibition Luigi Ghirri e Gianni Celati. Verso la foce, curated by Lorenzo Balbi and Giulia Pezzoli and hosted in MAMbo’s Project Room, which will close on Sunday 4 October 2026.

This edition will once again feature a section of the festival dedicated to artists’ books created by students of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna, with the aim of promoting a new generation of authors and artists.

Danilo Montanari Editore will award a prize to the most deserving publishing project thanks to the support of Banca di Bologna, continuing its productive partnership with the museum in support of artistic and cultural projects.

BOoks is curated by Danilo Montanari and Lorenzo Balbi.