1st edition of the Book Music Festival

We interview the organizers of the first edition of the Book Music Festival , Jaume Massaguer and Cristina de Fortuny, who have also been at the forefront of festivals such as In-Somni or the old fanzine Individu Ocult . With the collaboration of Ramón Moreno (from Edicions Cal·lígraf) as curator, their aim is to maximize this festival, which was held on February 21, 22 and 23 at the Fabra i Coats venue in Barcelona and which had the participation of 40 publishers and 10 bookstores.

On the other hand, round tables have been held at the Ignasi Iglésias Library on topics such as the translation of musical works into Catalan and the future of music journalism. During the festival, book presentations, talks and concerts by groups such as Joana Serrat, Koko-Jean & The Tonics, Grabu Live , as well as DJ sessions have been held.

The official inauguration took place on February 21 at the Ona Bookstore in Barcelona, with the participation of the writer and poet Vicenç Altaió .

Alexandra Planas. How did the idea of creating this festival come about?

Jaume Massaguer and Cristina de Fortuny. The idea came about when we started being invited to talks and presentations about music and music books. From there, we realized that there are many interesting books of all styles that talk about music... And we wondered: how is it possible that in a country like ours, with all kinds of festivals, there is still no one dedicated specifically to musical literature? So we started to get to work.

AP. What are the main objectives and criteria you followed to select the participating publishers in this first edition?

JM and CF. First of all, we have prioritized the selection of bookstores and publishers specializing in music, both here and throughout the State. Since these are very limited, we have expanded the selection to other prestigious publishers for their quality and history. On the other hand, we wanted to embrace a variety of genres with the desire to include not only modern music, but also classical. Looking ahead to future editions, we would like to have bookstores specializing in out-of-print works, since we believe that there is a demand in this sense that we can cover at the fair. Finally, we have also included self-published writers to give them the opportunity to make themselves known, both to the public and to other writers, publishers and specialized bookstores.

AP. What challenges and obstacles did you encounter when organizing this first edition?

JM and CF. The most important challenge was to gain the trust of a sector (booksellers and publishers from all over Spain) that was alien to us until now. This obstacle, however, has been overcome thanks to the excellent response we have obtained from all the publishers with whom we have contacted. On the other hand, when it comes to seeking complicity and support, Barcelona has welcomed us with open arms, and we are very grateful and satisfied.

Jaume Massaguer i Cristina de Fortuny, organitzadors del Book Music Festival 2025. © Josep Burset

AP. Have you been inspired by any festival model outside of Catalonia or Spain?

JM and CF. The truth is that we have only found something similar in the Canary Islands and a few specific examples in England... But it only resembles it in terms of the theme and little else.

AP. What are the most outstanding activities included in the Book Music Festival program?

JM and CF. We highlight, first of all, the Musical Literature Fair, with the market for new and used books. Also the book presentations and the concert-talks, which we have developed in three spaces: inside the FiC and outside, 200 meters away, at the Can Fabra Library. As for the concerts, artists such as Joana Serrat, Catàstrofe Club, Grabu, Koko-Jean & The Tonics and Àxel Pi DJ (Sidonie) have performed. In addition, we have organized the presentation of the Book Music Awards for the best young music story and the best live music photography (Visualkorner), after exhibiting the best selected images at the Albareda Cultural Center. It is also worth noting the inauguration of the festival, by Vicenç Altaió, last Friday the 21st at the Ona Bookstore, with a conference on "Links between art and music". That same Friday, three concerts were held for the younger audience at Club Paral·lel, with performances by Uri Santafé & Lamliki, Júlia Amor and Koeman.

AP. What is the relationship between live music and literature during the course of this festival?

JM and CF. As we mentioned before, we wanted live music to also be the protagonist, because in a festival dedicated to musical literature it could not be otherwise.

AP. Have you included any space or activity related to children's or young adult literature?

JM and CF. No. We will study its inclusion in future editions, if appropriate. We must assess whether it is appropriate, since the public that has attended so far does not seem to require this offer. However, there is musical literature for children and young people, although even less than that intended for adults.

© Marc Rovira

AP. Has the response from the publishing and music sector been positive?

JM and CF. We would say that it was very positive, especially with regard to the publishing sector. As for the audience attending the different spaces (Ona Llibres, Paral·lel, Albareda Cultural Centre, Ignasi Iglésias and Fabra i Coats Library), the majority came with the aim of enjoying the programmed activities. We would especially like to highlight the FiC audience, which, for the first time in our country, was able to see such an extensive and varied offer of musical literature, with genres such as essays, narratives, biographies and fiction, represented by some of the most prominent publishers in the State.

AP. What is the budget for this festival?

JM and CF. It ranges between 30,000 and 40,000 euros.

AP. Do you intend for this festival to be held annually?

JM and CF. Yes, that's right. And not only during these four days, but we want to keep it alive throughout the year and throughout the territory through other actions that we will gradually unveil.

AP. What do you think its impact will be on the musical literature sector?

JM and CF. We believe that, as some of the participants have already told us, thanks to this event new projects have been promoted within the sector. It has been an important meeting, where many of the professionals met each other personally for the first time. New synergies have been created, and we are convinced that this is only the first step on a path that we are just beginning.

AP. In the long term, do you intend to expand it to other cities in Catalonia or outside Catalonia?

JM and CF. We have to evaluate it. First we will consolidate the festival here, but we do not rule out this possibility in future editions.