Barcelona to host international forum of Catalan literature translators in 2026

Barcelona will host the first international forum of translators of Catalan literature in November 2026.

Catalan president Salvador Illa announced the initiative, promoted by the Ramon Llull Institute (IRL), on Tuesday during his visit to the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), where Barcelona is the guest city of honour.

"It is a recognition of the work of translators and a boost to help Catalan literature become better known and reach new places," he said.

The event, which is expected to bring together around 150 translators and publishing professionals from around the world, is scheduled for the week of November 23, 2026, and will take place at Barcelona's Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB).

The forum will feature workshops, debates and meetings with authors and editors, as well as cultural activities open to the public to expand awareness and networks around Catalan literature.

Illa stressed the need to "open up" in order to enrich Catalonia culturally, and reiterated his commitment to allocating 2% of Catalonia's budget to culture.

Success at the Guadalajara International Book Fair

Visitors, editors and authors have praised the strong presence of Catalan literature at the fair, describing it as "extraordinary" and "another open window" for its international expansion.

"We came with everything, and we’ve achieved everything," Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni said after the fair's inauguration.

Patrici Tixis, president of the Publishers’ Guild, also celebrated the sector's strong showing.

He noted that more than 800 companies in Catalonia work in publishing, employing around 35,000 people directly or indirectly.

“What we need are two things: internationalization and reaching 2% of the public budget for culture," he said.

The president of the Catalan Language Publishers’ Association, Ilya Pérdigo, also praised the impact of the fair on Catalan literature.

"What we've seen these past few days has been powerful, forceful and solid. The growth has been meteoric," he said.

Catalan authors agreed that the fair has been "a great opportunity" to showcase Catalan literature abroad.

"I'm very excited," said Arià Paco, the latest winner of the prestigious Anagrama Catalan Novel Prize, with his novel 'Teoria del joc' (Theory of the Game).

It is his first book to be translated into Spanish, and this is also his first time attending the fair.

Writer Gemma Ruiz said it was "moving" to meet new readers "in Spanish and in Mexico," adding that she was surprised by how many people were interested in their literature.