An Illustrator’s Guide to the Bologna Children’s Book Fair

Written By Deerling Illustration

Based on my experience in 2025

2025 BCBF See You In Bologna

This year, I finally experienced the Bologna Children's Book Fair (BCBF) in person! In this post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my illustrator journey to Bologna, share what I learned, what I’d do differently, and offer some insights that might guide you if you're planning to attend this magical fair in the future.

Preparing for Bologna

Preparation began long before packing my bags. I first stumbled upon the BCBF last year while immersed in DTIYS challenges on Instagram. This year, I was thrilled to post “See you in Bologna” illustration titled “Here I fly, Bologna!”—which also became a new piece in my portfolio.

The official BCBF website was a great resource. Once I spotted the 2025 dates (March 31–April 3), I registered as an illustrator to receive a discounted ticket code and opted for a four-day pass; one- and two-day options are also available (more on that later).

Due to some last-minute logistics, flights and accommodation turned out to be quite expensive. The exhibition center heavily influences Bologna’s hotel market, and with limited availability, prices climb quickly. Lesson learned/confirmed: book early.

Initially, I wanted to skip portfolio reviews—my inner critic told me my work wasn’t “ready.” However, after an encouraging conversation with my partner and a timely announcement from SCBWI offering free reviews to its members, I realized that feedback could only help, not hurt.

So I made a plan: curate my strongest existing pieces, create a few new ones to fill in the gaps, and get the portfolio organized. It was quite a bit of work—no wonder I wanted to avoid it—but I nearly completed everything I set out to include, and it felt like I had something tangible.

The “Here I fly, Bologna!” piece became a magical milestone, featuring a character I connected with so much that I made it my new profile picture. It also marked a stylistic shift for me, as I explored a lineless style.

Inspired by a YouTube video about the Illustrators Wall, I created a custom sticker with my Instagram handle and website to be able to mark my presence. I searched for a local printing service that offers sticker printing and went for pinguindruck.de. The quality was great, and the staff were friendly. I packed my stickers, powered through the final portfolio tweaks, and began planning our itinerary.

Arrival and First Impressions

The fair runs from Monday to Thursday, so we flew in on Saturday to explore the city first. I was lucky to have my partner join me; he is the best sightseeing companion. The Marconi Express speeds up the journey from the airport to the city. Buying return tickets via the website was easy, though the ride itself was literally a bit of a rollercoaster. We arrived at Bologna Centrale and walked to our hotel in the Bolognina district. While practical in terms of location—between the fairgrounds and old town—it lacked the charm I was hoping for. Thankfully, the old town more than made up for it.

Exploring Bologna

In the afternoon, we wandered into a local book festival, where I sneakily left a few stickers on display. We explored the lecture halls and anatomical theater of the Archiginnasio Palace. To my delight, I discovered a small book exhibit featuring a few pieces from my favourite childhood animated series, Richard Scarry’s Busy Town—it was instant nostalgia.

Bologna Anatomical Theater Book

Sunday took us through the old town again to visit Bologna’s historic towers— le due Torri, the Piazza Maggiore, and the gorgeous Basilica. Later, we enjoyed our coffee and tea on the terrace of the Chalet dei Giardini Margherita café. With sunshine, fountains, and lake views in the green oasis, it was one of those precious moments when life feels utterly beautiful.

I ended the day by downloading the BCBF app—a handy tool for navigating the packed event days — and finalizing my Monday schedule.

The BCBF

On Monday morning, we walked to BolognaFiere as the sun rose. The fairgrounds are vast—multiple halls across several buildings. At the entrance, I picked up a physical program booklet, which served as a helpful map to orient myself and as a nice souvenir later.

My first mission was to post my sticker on the famed Illustrators Wall. I imagined a charming bulletin board, but the reality was closer to an epic (The Great Wall) installation, with stunning prints, beautiful business cards, cleverly presented contact details, and stunning bookmarks among many professional-level marketing artifacts.

BCBF 2025 Illustrators Wall

A small detail of the Illustrators Wall

Several illustrators attached holders to the wall for their business cards, and huge applause to the ones that remained on the wall until the end of the event. The wall surface was—politically correctly expressed—not designed for sticking things onto it. Unfortunately, the area between the wall parts sometimes resembled a war zone due to the fallen holders and pictures. It was cleaned up from time to time, with an effort to restore some of the pieces that I found truly honorable from the organization’s side.
My modest sticker was a humble addition, but the experience was inspiring nonetheless.

I also quickly realized the value of business cards. I hadn’t brought any—my initial reluctance toward portfolio reviews meant I hadn't prepared for networking. Thus, I repurposed my remaining stickers as business cards.
I took some time to admire the wall, gathered contacts, and noted what worked for future reference.

Pro-tip: Arrive as early as possible to secure good spots!

The next priority was to get my coffee before the opening ceremony. I didn’t know what to expect in terms of beverages and food, so here is a visual reference to get an idea about the supply in the cafeterias. 

BCBF 2025 Cafeteria

I was positively surprised by the coffee prices and the fact that they offered alternative milk. Outside, several other kiosks and stands were offering a wide range of food options. I think 1-2 days are doable despite the high prices, but if you plan to go out for dinner, it can quickly add up. So the next days, I packed my salad from a nearby supermarket.
In the park, and in the cafeteria, I became familiar with the annoying concept of 2 queues - in 1 you pay, get your receipt, with which you stand in the other to get your order. The first time you realize that you were standing in the wrong queue is not funny.

Portfolio Reviews & Highlights

WiFi at the fair is notoriously unreliable. I finalized my portfolio as a PDF in Google Drive but forgot to compress it—and failed to download it to my iPad in advance. Naturally, hotel WiFi couldn’t handle the file. In the end, I used my phone’s hotspot to download it, and then I had a bit of time to mentally prepare for the portfolio review rounds.

My first session was with TeMika Grooms, Illustration & Design Manager at SCBWI. I was pleased about this assignment, as I appreciated her sharing her journey and insights during the masterclass panel discussion. She was thoughtful, supportive, and offered great advice: separate styles to different sections for clarity, and lean into the themes I’m most emotionally aligned with. It was a perfect first review—constructive, kind, and confidence-building.

Throughout the fair, I attended talks, explored booths, and signed up for more reviews. My partner joined me on Day 2. It was lovely to share the experience, and for him to witness it firsthand, especially since I felt I could not convey its true scale through words alone. I also met fellow SCBWI illustrators—some of whom I reconnected with at the charming SCBWI party in a city bookshop later.

BCBF 2025 Exhibition

On the third day, I attended a review session at Ravensburger. I signed up for their Disney Lorcana card design review the day before. I had the session with the nicest art director. She pointed out that my illustrative style is not that suitable for the copy art but encouraged me to submit for other projects. 

Other reviews varied in depth—some were insightful, while others were brisk or vague. It left me wondering whether investing in paid reviews at the fair or mentorships onwards might provide more targeted feedback in the future.

Pro-tip: Start queuing for portfolio reviews well before the scheduled start time, even if the organizer suggests “just come before 10 minutes.” Otherwise, you might face a queue length that blocks you from attending the session.

The PublisHer’s area also offered a professional photo shoot—an opportunity worth taking advantage of. Plus, the waiting time provided an unexpected chance to network.

The Illustrator’s Survival Corner

This was one of the most valuable areas of the fair. I attended two standout masterclasses:

Masterclass with Anna Goodson - The Business of Illustration in Today's World

Anna’s session was both inspiring and practical. She shared personal stories of building her agency, branding advice, and navigating the business side of illustration. Some of her best insights:

  • Be professional, do your research, tailor submissions, and don’t start your email with “Dear Sir or Madam”. Make the contact special.

  • Don’t try to please everyone—follow what you are passionate about.

  • Stand out with originality and consistency - have your signature style.

  • A strong portfolio has rather 12 fantastic than 24 mediocre pieces.

  • Be persistent. In case of rejection, don’t think it means that you’re not good. It might not be a match. Contact someone else.

  • Great artwork is what you are emotional and most excited about. It creates this cathartic reaction in the viewer’s gut.

  • AI—we can worry about it, or instead, spend energy on creating. Understand it, learn about the tools, but don’t get overwhelmed.

  • Don’t follow trends, create them.

  • When facing a creative block, take a walk, unplug, and reset.

Building a Career as an Illustrator

Led by SCBWI’s Sarah Baker and a multidisciplinary expert panel, this masterclass covered how to start a career in illustration, catch an agent’s eye, and what sells in the children’s book market. Takeaways included:

  • Strong portfolio—include only your best work and what you want to do. Create a body of work, not just one-offs, to give the impression that you can create an entire book

  • Originality—your work can remind of someone else’s, but make sure it’s original and not a duplicate.

  • Consistency—don’t feel the pressure that you have to be all things.

  • Show the soul in your art—emotional connection matters. Step into the character's shoes, feel what they feel, and represent their emotions through facial expressions and body language.

  • Humor adds warmth, even in serious stories.

  • Think in narrative arcs—can your art tell a story across pages?

  • Be clear about your target market and keep your website focused.

  • Make the book you’d have wanted as a child—personal satisfaction, original, win-win.

What I’d Do Differently

Next time, I’ll register early for workshops and reviews—they fill up super fast. I’d also schedule reviews with professionals in different roles (agent, publisher, art director) to get diverse perspectives. And yes, I’ll bring business cards - I am already excited about designing them!

Last Day, Last-Minute Souvenirs

I skipped the final day as I did not find any relevant programs.  I could begin the day by comfortably reviewing the materials I’ve collected, and as expected, they instantly inspired me like a charm.

I picked up souvenirs on my way to the airport at La Bottega del Regalo near the central station. It had much better options and far more efficient service than the airport’s (though the espresso there was excellent).

After The Fair: Thoughts & Tips

In the next days, I’ve reflected on my experience and takeaways and applied to some of the places from the portfolio review outcomes.

If you're considering BCBF, my advice is: go at least once. Two days are great for content; three days are ideal if you want to network and explore more deeply. For a first-timer, it’s truly unforgettable.

Here’s what I recommend preparing:

  • A strong, consistent portfolio (and download it before travel!)

  • Business cards—lots of them, with your artwork, name, and connection details

  • Materials for the Illustrators Wall—bring something that can hold your business cards, and images, and some tools (scissors, glue) with which you can bulletproofly attach the holders

  • Early sign-ups for reviews and workshops

  • And don’t forget the Virtual Illustrators Wall—a great way to stay visible beyond the fair.

Mark your calendar for next year: April 13–16, 2026
Tickets go live in January!

Got any questions about the fair? Feel free to reach out—I’m happy to help or connect if you just want to say hello!

References

Deerling Illustration