Izmir will host two major literary events in October. İZKİTAP – the 6th Izmir Book Fair and the 9th Izmir International Literature Festival will bring literature-filled days to the city. The two events will open their doors to literature enthusiasts with a joint opening ceremony to be held on October 17, 2025, at Kültürpark.
Hosted by the Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized in collaboration with İZFAŞ and TACT Fuarcılık, İZKİTAP will take place at Kültürpark from October 17 to 26. The fair will bring together readers, poets, writers, publishing houses, and secondhand booksellers, welcoming book lovers of all ages.
The guest of honor of the fair will be Mehmet Eroğlu, one of the prominent figures of contemporary Turkish literature. Eroğlu, who has also written scripts for television and cinema, will meet readers during talks and book-signing events throughout the fair. The international guest of honor will be Fabien Toulmé, a French comic book artist.
Set amidst the greenery of Kültürpark, İZKİTAP will offer visitors the opportunity to discover new publications and meet authors. With free admission, the fair will make literature accessible to everyone.
Throughout the event, renowned authors and artists such as Akın Erdoğan, Ahmet Ümit, Anooshirvan Miandji, Ayşe Kulin, Buket Uzuner, Cemil Koçak, Demir Demirkan, Deniz Alev, Dilge Güney, Erkan Serçe, Hidayet Karakuş, Mahir Ünsal Eriş, Mavisel Yener, Melis Alphan, Nevzat Süer Sezgin, Şener Üşümezsoy, Töre Sivrioğlu, Umut Sarıkaya, Yılmaz Aslantürk, and Zeynep Çolakoğlu will participate in panels, interviews, and signing sessions with their readers.
The fair will also feature special activities for children and young people, including children’s book workshops, storytelling sessions, creative writing activities, and panels for youth. Additionally, a special section dedicated to anime and manga will host talks, workshops, and author-illustrator meetups.
Information about participating publishers, event schedules, book signings, transportation, and more can be found at kitapizmir.com.
Opening on the same day as the book fair, the 9th Izmir International Literature Festival will take place from October 17 to 19, 2025. With the theme “Literature is a Journey”, the festival will bring together leading poets and writers from Turkey and around the world. The festival will be directed by poet Haydar Ergülen, while the guest of honor will be Ayfer Tunç, an acclaimed Turkish author, editor, and screenwriter.
On the opening day, an award ceremony for the “Journey” themed poetry, short story, and essay competition for high school students will be held in front of the Izmir Art Center at Kültürpark. Following the ceremony, Ayfer Tunç will meet readers in a special talk.
Over three days, the festival will host panels, interviews, poetry readings, workshops, documentary screenings, stand-up performances, and music recitals.
The events will extend beyond Kültürpark. Urla Municipality’s City History and Archive Hall, Güzelbahçe Municipality Cultural Center, and Bornova Municipality Nevzat Kavalar Cultural Center will also host panels, talks, and workshops. This way, the festival will offer an opportunity to trace the footprints of literature across various parts of Izmir.
The festival will feature renowned Turkish writers and poets including Murat Gülsoy, Tuna Kiremitçi, Asuman Susam, Duygu Kankaytsın, Gülce Başer, Erkut Tokman, Tozan Alkan, Ahmet B. Tamu, Yusuf Alper, Halil İbrahim Özbay, Enver Topaloğlu, Rona Aslan, and Yunus Koray.
International guests include Eric Sorner and Carole Mesrobian from France, Anton Baev and Zornitsa Garkova from Bulgaria, Leyla Bektaş from Germany, Dinos Soitis and Xrisa Spyropoulou from Greece, Ahmad Zakaria from Egypt, Muhammed Gassara from Tunisia, and Alex Ezra Fornari from Italy.
Academics Prof. Dr. Ersin Döğer, Prof. Dr. Semih Çelenk, Prof. Dr. Yusuf Alper, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Esma Tuğçe Özmen, along with the well-known actor and writer Cengiz Bozkurt, will also engage with audiences in various discussions.
Beyond showcasing contemporary literature, the festival aims to leave a legacy for the future. During the “Poets’ Walk”, guest poets will explore the city and reflect their observations in new works. These pieces, written by local and international participants, will be compiled into a special book titled “Poems of Izmir”, to be published in 2026, marking the festival’s 10th anniversary.
Detailed information and the full program are available at izmir.art and kultursanat.izmir.bel.tr.
