The Gothenburg Book Fair Fellowship Program

For publishers, subagents and translators 

To enhance international knowledge of Swedish literature and the Swedish book market, the Gothenburg Book Fair, in collaboration with the Swedish Arts Council, organizes a Fellowship Program during the fair, taking place on September 23–26. In 2026, the focus will be on children’s and YA books, so we hereby invite publishers and translators working with those genres to apply.

The fellowship program 2026 takes place September 23–26. (The Book Fair is open 24–27)

Foreign publishers, subagents, and translators interested in publishing or working with high-quality Swedish literature are welcome to apply for this program. The schedule is partly structured with lectures and meetings, while also allowing time for individual programs.

“It is such a pleasure to arrange this fellowship every year. The fellowship offers an overview of what’s going on in the Swedish book market, and a chance to get a bit closer to authors, editors, translators, agents and the literature in itself and it feels great. But the most rewarding for us is to listen to people sharing thoughts and experience with each other, and we learn a lot ourselves. The world gets bigger during a few days in one of its northern corners!”

— Susanne Bergström Larsson, Head of Swedish Literature Exchange

The application period is 12 February–12 March 2026.

For more information, please see The Swedish Arts Council website.

“Thanks to Gothenburg Book Fair Fellowship I not only had the opportunity to meet with fellow translators from Swedish but also got to know foreign publishers whom I have met with several times after the Fellowship. Most importantly: Through the Fellowship program I got a deep view into the Swedish bookmarket and into recent literary voices from Sweden.

 

Subsequently discovering an astonishing book, I took the chance to promote it to a German publisher, who published my translation of Andrev Waldens Jävla karlar (Scheißkerle) in 2025.”

 

Justus Carl, literary translator (from Swedish, Danish, Norwegian into German), living in Germany.

“Bokmässan will always have a very special place in my trajectory as a publisher. It connected me to passionate professionals, fostered lifelong friendships and gave me valuable insights into Sweden’s book industry and public policies. I spread the word of Bokmässan everywhere I go, hoping that someday we can have an event as well-designed and relevant in Brazil.”

 

Leopoldo Cavalcante, Director of Aboio Publishing Group, Brazil