Cristina Domènech

With Passeig Lluís Companys transformed into a giant open-air bookshop for ten days, La Setmana del Llibre en Català has wrapped up its 44th edition with record-breaking figures. Around 130,000 visitors attended this year’s event, 8,000 more than last year, while turnover is expected to approach €1 million, up 12%, according to preliminary estimates. From September 18 to 27, 332 exhibitors and 282 publishing houses took over the boulevard, which hosted not only book sales but also presentations, book signings, conversations with authors, performances and family activities. This year’s edition also introduced new formats, including live podcasts, in an effort to reach wider audiences. All of this reinforces La Setmana’s position as one of the leading showcases for books in Catalan and the sector’s third biggest sales period of the year, after Sant Jordi and Christmas.

Cristina Domènech (Igualada, 1970) has been the director of La Setmana since 2022, having previously served as its coordinator from 2020. She holds a degree in Law from the University of Barcelona (UB) and a master’s degree in Cultural Management from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF). In 2009, she co-founded Rec.0 Experimental Stores, a festival that transforms the former tanneries in Igualada’s Rec district into a temporary hub for fashion, retail and culture.