Events
RISE Bookselling offers grants to help booksellers attend major trade events and international book fairs.
Whether you're new to the profession or an experienced bookseller eager to connect with peers, discover new markets, and grow your professional network, our programme is designed to support you!
Read more below and find out how to apply, what to expect, and how we select events and participants.
Upcoming events
Booksellers Association UK & Ireland Conference
21-22 September 2025
Hinckley (Leicestershire)
Applications open until 20 July 2025, 23:59 CEST.
American Booksellers Association Winter Institute 2026
23-26 February 2026
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Applications opening soon
Irish Book Trade Conference 2026
First quarter 2026
Location and specific dates to be confirmed
Applications opening soon
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we support the attendance to trade events?
Years of experience and work in the field have shown that exchanging knowledge, feedback and best practices across national, cultural and linguistic borders is the most efficient way in which European bookshops can learn from one another, innovate and grow.
The RISE Bookselling support to attend trade events is the opportunity for booksellers to participate in national or international book sector events they might not know about, would have never gone to otherwise, or would simply not have the means to afford. More market oriented than the exchanges and bringing entire groups of booksellers together, they are an excellent opportunity to gain insight on a given country, while fostering cross-border networking and cooperation.
What will I actually do?
If your application is successful, your experience will depend on the event you’re selected for. In all cases:
- You’ll be part of an international group of selected booksellers. Together, you’ll connect, share experiences, and explore each other’s book markets.
- Whenever possible, a member of the RISE team will accompany you and introduce you to our project.
- You might be asked to participate in a panel and share your own experience as a bookseller.
Depending on the specific event:
- At book fairs, you’ll follow a curated programme developed with our partners, featuring, for example, panels, presentations, publisher meetings, and market insights.
- At national trade events, you’ll attend a booksellers congress hosted by a RISE network member and create your own schedule of talks, panels, and bookshop visits tailored to your interests.
Can I arrive earlier or stay longer?
Yes, it is entirely possible to arrive earlier and/or stay longer to make the most of the event/country you will be visiting. In the case of international/oversees travel we actually strongly encourage the visiting booksellers to spend more time in their destination country than just for the length of the event. We are always happy to help make you the most of your stay by putting you in touch with the local booksellers association, organising bookshop visits, etc. Please note that we only do this upon proactive request from the visiting bookseller.
Please also note that, by applying to benefit from RISE support to attend trade events, you do commit to be present at all organised activities and take part in all of them.
Who can apply?
- Booksellers working in a shop affiliated with one of the associations member of the RISE network.
- Booksellers working in a shop affiliated with the European and internation booksellers federation (EIBF) as an associate member.
- Booksellers meeting one of the above two conditions and who have not yet benefited from RISE support to attend trade events in the last 3 years.
How is my application assessed?
Your application will be evaluated through a fair scoring system. Each application is assessed individually based on three main criteria: your overall motivation, the relevance/added-value of attending the event to your current experience in bookselling, and the potential benefit you may bring back to your bookshop. Each of these aspects is scored on a scale from 1 to 10, taking into account the entire application, including your cover letter, your role in the bookshop, years of experience, team size, and other relevant details. Applicants with the highest overall scores will be selected for the programme.
In cases where scores are tied, additional factors such as shop type, country, or diversity considerations may be used to help make a final decision during the committee’s meeting.
Who will assess my application?
Your application will be reviewed by an independent selection committee made up of four members who are not involved in the daily running of the RISE Bookselling project. Each committee member will assess your application separately and confidentially, using the same scoring criteria explained above. The members of this committee bring long-standing experience in the bookselling sector — they may be experienced booksellers themselves, directors of national booksellers’ associations, or members of the board of the European and International Booksellers Federation. This ensures that all applications are evaluated by professionals who deeply understand the realities and challenges of the trade. The RISE project team will only facilitate the process by forwarding your application to the committee—they are not involved in scoring or selection decisions.
Can I apply again if I have already applied before?
Yes — you can apply again if:
- Your previous application was unsuccessful, and you did not benefit from RISE support to attend trade events.
- You received RISE support more than three years ago, and it was for a different event than the one you're now applying for.
How often can I apply?
As often as you want, as long as you fulfil all the eligibility criteria mentioned above.
How often do you open application process?
- As of September 2025, we aim to finalise our partnerships and programme of events for 2026.
- Names and dates of the events we will be partnering with in 2026, as well as the number of available places/events, will be available on this page.
- Application process for each event will open at the latest 3 months prior to the event taking place.
If you haven’t signed up yet for the RISE newsletter, we recommend you to do so, as it’s the best way to keep up to date with our latest news and opportunities
Which events can I attend?
Events we partnered with in the past include: Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany), Bologna Book Plus (Italy), Winter Institute (USA), Rencontres nationales de la librairie (France), Spanish Booksellers Congress (Spain), Bookselling Ireland Conference (Ireland), BA UK & Ireland Conference (UK), Children’s Institute (USA).
How do you choose the events you partner with?
We select events based on several factors. Some take place annually, while others only every two years, so availability varies. We aim for a diverse range of events that offer real added value for booksellers—whether through professional opportunities, networking, or market insight. We also consider language accessibility to ensure participants can fully engage.
Occasionally, we take up invitations from our network members, and our choices also depend on the available budget for grants in a given year. For these reasons, not all events are offered every year.
Availability
Before applying, please ensure you’re available during the event dates.
- If you're selected but can no longer attend when we notify you, let us know as soon as possible so we can offer the spot to another bookseller.
- Once you’ve accepted a place and later find you’re unable to participate, please inform us immediately. Note that places are awarded based on individual applications and motivation letters, so they are non-transferable to friends or colleagues.
- If you’ve accepted a spot and already booked travel or accommodation but are unable to attend due to personal reasons, please be aware that RISE Bookselling cannot reimburse these costs.
Language skills
All applicants are asked to submit their application and cover letter in English, to ensure fairness across the board. Please note that our selection committee focuses on the content of your application—not grammar or writing style.
The language you'll need to use at the event depends on the type and location:
- National trade events (e.g., Rencontres nationales de la librairie in France, or events in the U.S. or Ireland) require a good understanding of the national language, as panels, keynotes, and informal discussions will be conducted in that language.
- International book fairs (such as Frankfurt or Bologna) take place in a multilingual setting, but the official programme and most discussions are held in English. A good level of spoken and written English will help you fully benefit from the experience.
How does the grant and reimbursement process work?
RISE offers financial support in the form of a grant, intended to help participants access this unique professional opportunity. However, please be aware that this grant does not cover all costs associated with attending the event. The amount granted varies per event and was calculated based on previous experiences. The amount allocated for each event is clearly specified on the event page and the dedicated application form.
Participants are required to cover all costs upfront, and RISE will reimburse the corresponding grant amount only after the event has taken place, and upon submission of both a feedback form and a reimbursement form. We encourage all applicants to consider this carefully and plan accordingly before applying.
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RISE Bookselling is a network project organized by the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) and co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
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