Àngels Barceló and Ignacio Martínez de Pisón headline the ‘Reading opens borders’ conversation, on a day combining literature, contemporary circus, school activities and music
The 36th Fuerteventura Book Fair opens its doors with a programme that brings together literature and the performing arts, with Tenet, the contemporary circus show by Catalan company Eunoia Colektiva, as its main attraction.
The opening day will also feature the conversation Leer abre fronteras (‘Reading opens borders’), in which journalist Àngels Barceló and writer Ignacio Martínez de Pisón will talk with Cadena Ser journalist Nicolás Castellano from 7.00pm.
The cultural event, now in its 36th year and running until Sunday 18 October, once again turns Fuerteventura into a meeting point for authors, readers and publishing professionals, with a programme aimed at audiences of all ages. The day will begin in the morning with activities for schoolchildren and continue into the evening with literary gatherings, performances and music.
At 6.00pm, the square outside the Palacio de Formación y Congresos will host Tenet, by Eunoia Colektiva, one of the highlights of the performing arts programme. The show, widely recognised on the contemporary circus scene, will officially open the fair with a piece that places movement and body language at the heart of the artistic experience. Indeed, this production received the ex aequo Award for Best Contemporary Circus Show at FETEN 2026, shared with Sísifos, by UpArte.
An hour later, the Carpa Josefina Plá will host the conversation Leer abre fronteras, with Àngels Barceló and Ignacio Martínez de Pisón, moderated by journalist Nicolás Castellano. The event will explore the power of literature and communication to connect different realities, experiences and perspectives.
Àngels Barceló is a journalist with more than four decades of experience in radio and television. She began her career at Catalunya Ràdio in 1983 and later worked at TV3 and Telecinco. In 2005 she joined Cadena SER, where she presented programmes such as A vivir que son dos días and Hora 25. Since 2019 she has fronted Hoy por Hoy, one of the leading news programmes on Spanish radio. In 2024 she received the Creu de Sant Jordi and the Ondas Award for her career.
Ignacio Martínez de Pisón, meanwhile, is regarded as one of the leading voices in contemporary Spanish fiction. He has published novels, short stories and essays, and has also worked as a screenwriter.
His works include Carreteras secundarias, El día de mañana, Dientes de leche and La buena reputación, for which he won the Premio Nacional de Narrativa in 2015. His writing frequently explores family memory, Spain’s recent history and social change.
The programme continues at 8.00pm with the presentation of Años luz, by Jacobo García, winner of the Anagrama Prize for Crónica. The event, also introduced by Canarian journalist Nicolás Castellano, will take place at the Carpa Josefina Plá. Music will close the day from 9.00pm with Raíces, a show by Madrid-based Strad & Cía.
A morning for schoolchildren
The morning of the first day of the Fuerteventura Book Fair will be dedicated especially to schoolchildren. At 10.00am, the Canarian company Ali Wakhanda will present Cuentos que canté… en la sábana africana at the Carpa Josefina Plá. At 10.30am, the company Clapso will bring Chantecler, seudónimo improvisado to the Sala Sinfónica at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos. The schools’ programme will conclude at 11.30am with Cuentos de garras y dientes, a storytelling show by Margarita del Mazo.
In the afternoon, at 5.00pm, the Tren de las Letras (‘Train of Letters’) will travel through several parts of Puerto del Rosario before arriving at the fairground.
With this opening day, the Fuerteventura Book Fair reaffirms its commitment to bringing reading closer to the public and fostering encounters between literature and other artistic disciplines. Four days of programming in which books, conversations and cultural creation will once again place the island at the centre of literary activity.
The Book Fair is organised by the Centro Bibliotecario Insular, under the Cabildo de Fuerteventura’s Department of Culture, with the collaboration of the Instituto Canario de Desarrollo Cultural of the Gobierno de Canarias. The regional government’s Deputy Ministry for Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Family also takes part.
