Sharjah · United Arab Emirates
Sharjah International Book Fair
The pre-eminent Arabic-language book fair, with a serious translation grant and a professional track.
Next dates
4–14 Nov 2026
18 days away
Venue
Expo Centre Sharjah
Author access
Smaller stands usually approachable
Floor
Trade and public
Arabic · English
The fair
Sharjah combines a vast public fair with professional days, a rights centre and the Sharjah International Translation Grant. It is one of the few fairs where a visiting author can both watch a huge reading public and find a structured conversation about translation into Arabic. The 2026 edition remains at Expo Centre Sharjah; from the 46th edition in 2027 the fair moves to a new dedicated exhibitions centre.
Advice for visiting authors
- Look up the Sharjah translation grant before you go. It is often the commercial reason an Arabic house can take a foreign book.
- Public halls are crowded. Professional conversations belong in the rights/professional areas, not in a family aisle.
- Bring a one-pager and be ready to talk about world English rights versus Arabic rights — they are different conversations.
Address
Expo Centre Sharjah, Al Khan, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates