Established in 1975, the Buenos Aires International Book Fair was not the first book fair held in Argentina’s capital. Earlier fairs took place since the beginning of the 20th century, but none of them were held at least semi-regularly. The first annual book fair in Buenos Aires was organized by the Argentine Society of Writers (SADE) and was held in March 1975. It featured 50 authors and over 100 exhibitors from 7 countries, and attracted 140,000 attendees.
Over the years, it has grown to become one of the largest cultural events in the entire South America. Held at La Rural (the exhibition center and fairground of the Argentine Rural Society), it draws about 1.2 million visitors from all over South America. The expo features nearly 1,500 stalls from 50 countries, showcasing all kinds of literature.
The Buenos Aires International Book Fair is designed for both the literary community and the general public. That’s why its extensive program features an impressive selection of events and activities for readers as well as professional sessions, business opportunities, and an academic program.
The cultural program of the fair includes conferences, workshops, readings, book presentations, and more. Attendees have a unique opportunity to meet outstanding authors from across the world. Past guests of the Buenos Aires Book Fair include Ray Bradbury, Isabel Allende, Susan Sontag, Paul Auster, Jorge Luis Borges, and others.
The fair’s professional sessions and networking events are designed for national and international publishers, booksellers, editors, translators, distributors, literary agents, illustrators, graphic designers, librarians, educators and other industry professionals. Three days of intense training are filled with meetings, round table discussions, presentations, conferences and other events focusing on the latest trends in the publishing industry, publishing and translation rights, and more. The highlight of the academic program is Librarians’ National Meeting.
Photo: Beatrice Murch
