BilBOlbul – International Comics Festival

A festival dedicated to independent comics

BilBOlbul – International Comics Festival is one of the most recognized events in Italy and Europe in the field of independent comics and graphic novels. It takes place in Bologna, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, and is conceived and curated by Hamelin Cultural Association, a Bolognese organization committed for years to promoting reading and visual education practices.

The festival's name is a tribute to Bilbolbul, the comic character created by Attilio Mussino in 1908 for the Corriere dei Piccoli: one of the first figures of Italian comics, chosen as a symbol of an event that intertwines historical memory and a look at the present.

Exhibitions spread throughout the historic center

BilBOlbul is not a festival concentrated in a single pavilion, but a widespread exhibition that transforms the city into an exhibition route. Exhibitions and events animate Palazzo Magnani and numerous other venues in the historic center, including museums, foundations, art galleries, bookstores, and cultural spaces. Over the years, the festival has hosted great international masters of comics and illustration, alongside emerging young talents, building a program that values both classics and experimentation.

Meetings, screenings, and workshops

In addition to exhibitions, the program traditionally includes meetings with authors, round tables, editorial presentations, film screenings, and workshops also aimed at children. The festival is the visible tip of an iceberg of a project that Hamelin carries out throughout the year, entering schools, libraries, and bookstores to train new readers of comics.

The tenth-anniversary edition

The 2026 event marks the return of BilBOlbul after a break and celebrates the festival's first ten years. The anniversary is accompanied by a series of editorial productions: a catalog dedicated to a major comics exhibition, an essay on reading comics, and a special issue of Hamelin's magazine retracing the medium's transformations through the festival's editions. Completing the program is a sticker album that playfully tells the world and wordplay related to the character of Bilbolbul.

Bologna, city of comics

Part of a Municipality that boasts a long tradition linked to publishing and illustration, BilBOlbul contributes to making Bologna a reference point for comics enthusiasts, professionals, and the curious. Its widespread format invites visitors to experience the city on foot, moving between venues and discovering the artistic and cultural heritage of the Emilia-Romagna capital at the same time.