This year’s Warsaw International Book Fair, held in the imposing PGE Narodowy football stadium, proved a highly insightful experience for us. Our Director Ana and Head of Production Kasia, who was born and raised in Poland, were at the trade fair to meet up with our publishing and cultural sector clients and delve deeper into Poland’s flourishing literary market.
Whilst at the event, we discussed how translation opens up opportunities for Polish authors and institutions, expanding readerships, increasing footfall to venues and boosting income. It was interesting to hear from visitors time and again that AI should not have a place in literature; the pushback against AI translation was evident. This aligns with our own stance on literary publishing and translation: Human creativity and thought inject something irreplaceable in the translation process, not forgetting of course the copyright issues that can arise from AI usage.
A lot of stress was also placed on quality, with fellow visitors highlighting the value they place on premium output, which once again tallies up with our own take on translation. We believe in doing things properly, working with the best linguists suited for the job based on their credentials and experience.
On the Friday and Saturday, the doors opened to the public. Streams of youngsters subsequently poured into the stadium to check out the books and queue up for authors’ signatures. It was amazing to see such enthusiasm amongst children and teenagers for the world of reading.
In between all the get-togethers and on-site visits outside of the fair, Kasia, as ever, managed to take some great snapshots. Below we share some of our favourites!
Literary translation with First Edition: next stop, Frankfurt!
Missed us at Warsaw? Not to worry, we’ll once again be exhibiting at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, which is taking place from 7 to 11 October 2026, with Czechia as the Guest of Honour.
First Edition Translations is a certified translation agency based in Cambridge, UK. Boasting decades of expertise in the cultural and creative industries, we are a founding member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and part of the Association for Cultural Enterprises (ACE) – a reflection of our dedication to both our own craft and that of our clients. We specialise in translation, editing, proofreading and typesetting for books of all kinds, covering everything from children’s tales to cookbooks. If you’d like to explore how we can help elevate your standing on the international literary stage, our project managers are always happy to advise at enquiries@firstedit.co.uk.