Barcelona, Melbourne partner on Cities of Lit Mirror Cities initiative

UNESCO Cities of Literature Barcelona and Melbourne are partnering on the inaugural Mirror Cities initiative, a virtual exchange to connect librarians, booksellers and literary programmers from the two cities.

The free program, running from 2 to 4 June 2026, aims to “foster meaningful, professional relationships between equivalent literary organisations through structured online sessions hosted by industry professionals”.

The exchange will include 3 structured 2-hour virtual sessions (8pm AEST Melbourne time and 12pm CET Barcelona time), each focusing on a specific literary sector: bookshops, libraries and literary programming.

The session on 2 June will allow booksellers to discuss “shared challenges and innovative practices in book retail, community engagement, author events, and sustainable business models”.

On 3 June librarians will explore “programming strategies, collection development, community outreach, digital literacy initiatives, and the evolving role of libraries in contemporary society”.

On 4 June literary programmers will share “insights on audience development, artist collaboration, funding strategies, accessibility, and creating impactful literary experiences”.

Full details can be found on the Melbourne City of Literature website.

Category: Local news