Attending London Book Fair 2026

London Book Fair 2026 (Picture by E. Martin)

By Emma Martin---

This year I attended London Book Fair for its last hurrah in its Olympia home before moving to Excel in 2027. As a first-time attendee with only second-hand accounts to go by, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the mammoth trade show, and as a student I was as apprehensive as I was excited.

Emma's Student Badge to attend LBF2026 (Picture by E. Martin)

Upon entering Olympia, I was greeted by an enormous map of the fair with all the publisher stands – a welcome sight for someone like me who has an appalling sense of direction. Having the option to talk to so many industry professionals was daunting at first, but there were plenty of friendly faces. As well as publishers, there were conference rooms and stages to host seminars about hot topics in publishing and the future of the industry. The latter is where I spent most of the first day: I went to all kinds of panels and was so impressed by the quality and depth of each one. Of those I attended, standout ones were on literary translation, during which the panellists discussed how more UK readers have come to embrace translated fiction, and how translators’ visibility is increasing. Another panel discussed the crucial role of women in book publishing and the plethora of ways they contribute to all stages of the process, which don’t always go recognised. Despite the variety of seminars on offer, there was one term that came up time and time again in discussions: AI. Regarding its use in publishing, some were in favour, some were against it, and my key takeaway is that the industry as a whole does not yet have a clear stance on AI-use.

It will come as no surprise that the fair was overwhelming at times: thousands of publishing professionals and attendees zipping about in such close quarters created a somewhat frenzied atmosphere. Fortunately, accommodations had been made to cater to those who needed a break, and the Quiet Room was the perfect nook in which to take a breather. Attending multiple days of LBF was full-on, so having a dedicated calm space to decompress in was vital.

Olympia Building, London (Picture by E. Martin)

A few takeaways from my first time at London Book Fair: managing expectations is important to avoid disappointment, as many publishers’ schedules will be fully booked with meetings and are therefore unable to chat outside of them – some stands were closed, so even taking a peek wasn’t possible. That being said, there is so much to be gained from attending, and you never know who you might end up chatting to in the line for coffee! And if networking is not your goal, the seminars are well worth attending. As a student, London Book Fair was a wonderful opportunity to find out about future employment opportunities and learn more about where the industry at large is heading.