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What does education mean in the age of TikTok? How can libraries continue to safeguard democracy? And what should we do with each other? Gothenburg Book Fair 2025 presents a programme that brings together the most urgent contemporary issues with passion, performing arts, and international star power. This year’s themes – Love and Lust and Drama – run like a red thread through conversations on relationships, identity, theatre, and the written word’s journey to the stage.
Among this year’s many highlights are the presentation of the Mermaid Award (Sjöjungfrun) to acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a rare on-stage conversation between Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner and Swedish author and performer Jonas Gardell, and a live recording of The New York Times’ acclaimed podcast Modern Love. The fair also features the groundbreaking format Couples Therapy Live, where real couples undergo therapeutic sessions in front of an audience, led by professional psychologists. In addition, the newly introduced Drama Stage (Teaterrummet) offers a dedicated space for live readings and short performances exploring the power of dramatic writing. Finally, the Text & Music strand brings together celebrated voices such as Thomas Stenström, Björn Ulvaeus, Silvana Imam and Carola Häggkvist, highlighting the artistic interplay between lyrics and literature.
What does education mean in the age of TikTok? How can libraries continue to safeguard democracy? And what should we do with each other? Gothenburg Book Fair 2025 presents a programme that brings together the most urgent contemporary issues with passion, performing arts, and international star power. This year’s themes – Love and Lust and Drama – run like a red thread through conversations on relationships, identity, theatre, and the written word’s journey to the stage.
“In a time marked by anxiety and polarisation, the Book Fair aspires to be a space for both reflection and emotion. We want to understand the world – which is why we’ve invited more international guests than ever before. Together with a constellation of Swedish authors, researchers, dramatists, critics, teachers, journalists, politicians, readers, and young voices, they will create a four-day celebration of the written and spoken word. This year, the written word also comes alive on stage through our major focus on drama – something that will make the 2025 fair truly special,” says Oskar Ekström, newly appointed Director of Gothenburg Book Fair.
This year’s press conference is held at Dramatenbaren in Stockholm, framed by a dramatic reading of letters between Agneta Stark and Sven Lindqvist, performed by actors Livia Millhagen and Rebecka Hemse. The letters, published as a book, capture a passionate correspondence begun in the early 1980s – a love that defied convention and captured an era.
Leadership Transition
This will be the final Book Fair under the leadership of Frida Edman, who will take on the role of CEO at Gothenburg City Theatre, Backa Theatre and Stora Teatern in August. She hands over to Oskar Ekström, former Programme Director at the Book Fair since 2018.
“Leading the Book Fair has been one of the most meaningful tasks of my career. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished. It feels wonderful to pass the baton to Oskar – a creative and confident leader – who, together with a strong team, will guide the Fair into the future,”
says Frida Edman.
Illustrations for the 2025 Fair have been created by Swedish author and dramatist Liv Strömquist, interpreting both themes as well as the fair’s essentials. At the centre stands the Fair’s symbol – the reading mermaid – who has recently stirred public debate about body, art, and female expression following censorship by Meta.
Facts – Gothenburg Book Fair Seminar Programme 2025
327 seminars
903 speakers – a new record
159 international authors, of which 95 are non-Nordic from 35 countries – also a record
32 seminars under the theme Drama
47 seminars under the theme Love and Lust
24 August Prize winners featured in the programme