Alternative Book Festival 2026

Books become a starting point for meetings, exchange of views and discussions on society, history and politics. The Alternative Book Festival of Nicosia returns for its second year on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026 at YALLA Collective Space & Café, bringing together independent publishers, bookstores, collectives and cultural initiatives.
At the centre are independent publishers and zines, alongside a programme of presentations and discussions that address issues of Cyprus's reality and broader historical and social developments.
This year's programme includes an open discussion on decolonisation, anti-colonialism and nationalisms in relation to Cyprus, as well as a discussion on migration and refugees, with the participation of migrants. Language and power relations are another theme, while the relationship between capitalism and the Ottoman world will also be examined.
Participants
Participating in the organisation are Affect Editions, Bomba Picnic, Faura Books, Fisherwomxn, Futura Books, IWW, La Zone, Moufflon Bookstore, OWK Press, Platypus, San Casciano, Yalla Bookstore, Αναρχική Δομή Βιβλίου, Αντίποδες, Βιβλιοπωλείο Ιδεοδρόμιο, Βιβλιοπωλείο Περιδιάβαση, Εκτός Γραμμής, Ευτοπία, Μαρξιστικό Βιβλιοπωλείο, Νεοκυπριακός Σύνδεσμος, Πανοπτικόν, Πολιτιστικό Ίδρυμα 1948, Πότλατς, Ψηφίδες and ΑΦΟΑ.
The festival is based on collective self-organisation, without sponsors and, as the organisers state, without the participation of urban institutions. Its aim is to foster a culture of respect, cooperation and solidarity, approaching the book as a tool for social change.

Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026, YALLA Collective Space & Café, Nicosia.