Publishing ecosystem
General context
The book ecosystem in Chile is directly interconnected with the social, political, economic, and cultural transformations the country is experiencing. In this sense, it cannot be understood without considering the broader field of cultural production that surrounds it, as this provides both context and a distinctive identity.
The publishing industry is not isolated from these social processes, nor from the technological disruptions that have been reshaping its structure, along with the entire book ecosystem. For example, publishers are increasingly adopting multi-format (print, digital, audiobook) and multi-channel (physical and online stores) sales systems, adapting to different markets: scientific-educational, literary, and technical.
In Chile, there are around 370 publishers. Among the main industry associations and guilds are the Chilean Book Chamber, Editoriales de Chile, the Corporation of Books and Reading, University Publishers of Chile, among others. Additionally, there are other associations and organizations linked to the book ecosystem, such as the Chilean Society of Writers (SECH) or the Association of Independent Bookstores (LINC).
There is also a national network of bookstores of varying sizes and complexities. While specialized bookstores operate in large cities, smaller cities often have more limited bookstores, offering second-hand books or general literature. Based on data recorded in 2024, there are 449 bookstores, the majority of which are concentrated in the Metropolitan Region.
The main festivals, fairs, gatherings, or book and reading markets held in our country include the Santiago International Book Fair, Primavera del Libro, Festival de Autores de Santiago, La Furia del Libro, Santiago en 100 Palabras, the International Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Fair, as well as regional book fairs. These events help to promote reading and expand the publishing market.
Chile also has 13 major book-related prizes, including National Prize for Literature, the Pablo Neruda Ibero-American Poetry Prize, the Manuel Rojas Novel Prize, the Roberto Bolaño Prize for Young Literary Creators, the Best Literary Works (for published and unpublished works), Memoir Writing, the Research and Humanities Prize, the Marta Brunet Prize for Children’s and Young People’s Stories, the Amster-Coré, the prize for Digital Publications, the prize for Graphic Narrative, and the Santiago Municipal Literature Prize.
