A call for a design that celebrates books and reading
Liber launches its Illustration Competition to create the poster for its next edition
Liber, the international book fair organised in 2026 by Fira de Barcelona and promoted by the Federation of Publishers’ Guilds of Spain (FGEE), has launched its traditional Illustration Competition to select the visual identity for its next edition, which will take place in Barcelona from 29 September to 1 October. The competition is open to professional illustrators invited to offer a creative interpretation of the world of books and the promotion of reading.
Created in 2021, the initiative aims to highlight the importance the publishing industry places on illustration as a discipline that enriches the reading experience and enhances the value of publications, enabling ideas and emotions to be communicated visually.
The competition is open to illustrators of legal age who are resident in Spain. Entries will be assessed on their ability to place the book and the encouragement of reading at the center of the proposal, while also reflecting the fair’s international outlook and its role as a meeting point and business hub for the publishing industry. The winning work will become the official image of Liber 2026 and will be used across all promotional and communication materials.
Participation will take place in two stages. In the first, interested applicants must register and submit, by 20 February, a portfolio of up to five previous works that showcase their style. In the second stage, a committee will review the portfolios received and select three finalists, each of whom will receive €600 to develop an original proposal—created without the use of AI—intended to become the official image of Liber 2026.
The jury, made up of representatives from FGEE; the Deputy Directorate-General for the Promotion of Books, Reading and Spanish Letters of the Ministry of Culture; the Liber Organising Committee; and Fira de Barcelona, will select the winning image, which will be announced on 14 April. The author of the selected work will receive a prize of €1,600. Previous winners include José Antonio Roda (2025), Malota (2024), Mikko (2023), Juárez Casanova studio (2022) and Irene Blasco (2021).
The competition is supported by the Federation of Professional Illustrators’ Associations (FADIP) and its member organisations—APIC (Catalonia), AGPI (Galicia), APIM (Madrid), Euskal Irudigileak (Basque Country), APIAST (Asturias) and APIV (Valencia)—which promote participation among their members and provide expert advisers to the finalist selection committee.
About Liber 2026
Internationally recognised as one of the leading platforms for the export and promotion of Spanish publishing, Liber 2026 is set to bring together publishers and companies from different countries at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue. Exhibitors will showcase their catalogues, new releases and services related to the marketing and distribution of books. The fair also features the Rights Centre, dedicated to the buying and selling of author and translation rights, as well as networking activities, debates, professional forums and the presentation of the traditional Awards and Tribute during the LIBER Gala.
Liber 2026 is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, the Spanish Reprographic Rights Centre (CEDRO), the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council, with the collaboration of Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), the Gremi d’Editors de Catalunya and the Associació d’Editors en Llengua Catalana (AELLEC).
Barcelona, 12 December 2025
Maria Dolores Herranz / Gloria Dilluvio
Press Office, Fira de Barcelona – Liber 2026
Tel. +34 93 233 25 41 / +34 93 233 21 72
mdherranz@firabarcelona.com
gdilluvio@firabarcelona.com
Gerardo Miguel
Press Office, FGEE
Tel. +34 91 576 52 50
prensa@fge.es