arts & culture

Festival 42 returns to Fabra i Coats for a new edition, celebrating the worlds of fantasy, science fiction and horror literature. Bringing together more than 160 writers, artists and other participants, this literary festival explores how imaginary worlds can help us make sense of our own.

This year’s lineup includes internationally acclaimed authors Ken Liu, Sequoia Nagamatsu, Laila Lalami, Naomi Ishiguro, Charles Stross, Lisa Tuttle and Django Wexler, alongside Spanish and Catalan writers such as Agustín Fernández Mallo, Cristina Fernández Cubas, Maite Carranza and Alicia Kopf. This programme tackles a range of themes such as artificial intelligence, dystopian futures and the relationship between fantasy, politics and power. 

Highlights include tributes to horror writer Richard Matheson and Stephen King's Carrie, an exhibition dedicated to comic book artist Albert Monteys, and discussions on everything from Lovecraft and cosmic horror to romantasy and world-building. There are also workshops, literary routes, book signings and the annual Festival 42 Awards.