The Booksellers Association unveil the exciting plans for Bookshop Day 2026.

Taking place on Saturday 10 October, Bookshop Day is a flagship celebration in Books Are My Bag year round campaign calendar, championing the unique role bookshops of all shapes and sizes play at the heart of communities and culture.

Bookshop Day celebrates the expertise, passion and vibrancy that make bookshops irreplaceable. More than places to buy books, bookshops champion reading for pleasure, inspire new and lifelong readers, support schools and host events with both emerging local talent and household literary names. They are cultural heartlands and trusted businesses that enrich villages, towns and cities across the UK.

This year's campaign brings together an outstanding line-up of authors, illustrators and artists, alongside exclusive new artwork and a city-wide celebration in Birmingham, showcasing the unique blend of creativity and community that only bookshops offer.

This year's ambassador line-up brings together some of the most exciting voices in contemporary publishing. British Bengali novelist Tasneem Abdur-Rashid is celebrated for her warm, insightful fiction exploring family, identity, and modern relationships, While Welsh author Brigid Lowe, now based in Scotland, will be celebrating the publication of her new book, Shiver: The Lessons of the Lochs, following the success of her acclaimed debut novel,

The Bloody Branch. Award-winning poet Marvin Thompson is one of the UK's leading contemporary poets. Born in London to Jamaican parents and now living in Wales, he is the author of the celebrated collections Road Trip and Rooms. Joining them are bestselling children's book creators Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, whose beloved Adventuremice series showcases the perfect partnership between Reeve's storytelling and McIntyre's vibrant illustrations, delighting readers of all ages.

Exclusive artwork has become one of the defining features of Bookshop Day. This year's sought-after Books Are My Bag Limited-Edition Tote has been designed by acclaimed illustrator, author and textile designer Jane Foster, whose bold, mid-century-inspired style has delighted readers and design lovers for more than a decade.

Complementing the tote, the official Bookshop Day 2026 campaign artwork has been created by illustrator, Sunday Times bestselling author, and Murphy's Sketches creator Kerri Cunningham. Beloved by her more than 800,000 social media followers for her colourful, uplifting illustrations celebrating books, reading, and everyday life, Kerri brings her distinctive warmth and energy to this year's campaign.

This year, Bookshop Day heads to Birmingham as its City Spotlight, celebrating one of the UK's most vibrant literary and cultural destinations. Home to a thriving network of independent and chain bookshops, world-class libraries, festivals and cultural organisations, Birmingham provides the perfect backdrop for this year's celebration.

To mark the occasion, two large-scale bookshop murals will be unveiled in partnership with JACK ARTS. Created by acclaimed artists UUendy Lau (UU) and Josh Billingham (Gent 48), the striking public artworks will celebrate the role of bookshops within Birmingham's thriving creative scene. UUendy's work is known for exploring community, nature and cultural memory through illustration and murals, while Birmingham based Gent 48 brings more than 25 years of graffiti, illustration and mural practice to vibrant, narrative-led public art.