Madrid, April 27, 2026 – The Madrid City Council, through the Department of Economy, Innovation and Finance, today unveiled the institutional campaign ‘Your next book is within reach’ in Matute Square. The event was sponsored by the Delegates of Economy, Innovation and Finance, Engracia Hidalgo, and Culture, Tourism and Sport, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, along with the Councilor for the Central District, Carlos Segura. Representatives from the Madrid Bookstores Association, the Book Fair, and officials from Penguin Random House, JCDecaux, and Dentsu also attended the presentation.
Madrid Transforms Streets into a Grand Reading Space
This initiative seeks to emphasize the crucial role of neighborhood bookstores as cornerstones of district life and to foster reading. The book-benches serve as an attraction to draw citizens to local commercial establishments and raise awareness about the importance of reading in society.
26 ‘Book-Benches’ Across Eight Districts
From April 27 to June 14, 26 ‘book-benches’ will be displayed in public spaces across the districts of Centro, Retiro, Chamberí, Salamanca, Chamartín, Tetuán, Fuencarral-El Pardo, and Moncloa-Aravaca. These installations invite passersby to pause and discover great literary works. The main bench, located in the Literary Quarter, pays tribute to writer Isabel Allende and her work La palabra mágica, symbolizing the connection between public space and literary creation.
Each ‘book-bench’ acts as a digital gateway to the commercial fabric of the area. Through QR codes, users can access the municipal platform ‘Todo está en Madrid’ (TEEM) to locate the nearest bookstores or follow a route connecting all 26 points of the campaign. This technological integration transforms an artistic intervention into a direct tool for promoting local consumption, ensuring that the interest generated by books in the street translates into actual visits to nearby bookstores.
Madrid’s Support for its Bookstores
Following the inauguration of the bench dedicated to Allende, the institutional delegation visited the historic Desnivel bookstore. Located at number 6 Matute Square, it is, in Hidalgo’s words, “a benchmark of specialized commerce that the City Council wishes to protect and promote.” The establishment has been operating as a bookstore continuously since 1898, representing a perfect blend of historical heritage (preserving elements like a century-old guillotine) and modernity, now serving as a central hub for the mountain and travel community.
During the visit, Rivera de la Cruz stated that “Madrid is a city that reads in its bookstores, but also in its streets.” With this initiative, she affirmed, “books are brought into public spaces to invite people to stop, discover, and, above all, return to neighborhood bookstores,” which she described as “one of the great cultural hearts of our districts.”
Municipal support for the bookstore sector is a response to its strategic importance for the city’s economy. In 2024, the domestic book trade in Spain reached a record turnover of 3,037.5 million euros, with Madrid consolidating its position as the sector’s major hub, accounting for 38.8% of these sales. The capital boasts a network of 504 establishments dedicated to selling books and newspapers, with a notable presence in districts such as Centro (142), Chamberí (72), and Salamanca (41), but with a reach extending to all 21 Madrid districts.
This campaign aligns rigorously with the Comprehensive Strategy for Strengthening Commercial and Hospitality Activity in the City of Madrid 2025-2027 (EIFACH). This recently approved plan allocates 15.3 million euros specifically to the commercial sector to foster innovation, digitalization, and generational succession. “By integrating urban furniture, geolocation, and cultural promotion, the City Council fulfills its objective of modernizing traditional commerce and ensuring its competitiveness in the current digital environment,” Hidalgo assured.
With this campaign, Madrid reinforces its identity as an international editorial and commercial capital. The City Council thus underscores its commitment to continue investing in projects that transform streets into spaces of added value for citizens and merchants. The campaign’s projection, which will be complemented by messages on digital billboards throughout the city, ensures that support for bookstores remains a sustained priority, solidifying Madrid as a city where culture and economy go hand in hand.
Source: Madrid City Council
