Sold-out success for the ‘Meet & Read’ shared reading party organized by Matadero Madrid and Casa del Lector

• The event follows in the footsteps of successful shared reading parties held in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London, and Rome.
• Registration for the event was fully booked within hours of being made available to the public.

The Delegate for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, attended today’s ‘Meet & Read’ shared reading party, organized by Matadero Madrid and Casa del Lector to celebrate World Book Day. The initiative, held in the Casa del Lector auditorium, brought together young people and adults until 10:00 PM for a shared reading experience. The event was completely sold out, with the only requirement for entry being to bring a book.

According to Rivera de la Cruz, “this initiative offers us the opportunity to turn reading into a social and collective act,” a trend that “has grown in numerous cities in recent years,” such as New York, Los Angeles, London, and Rome, and in which “Madrid—a city that experiences culture in a very special way—could not be left behind.” Matadero Madrid’s artistic director, José Luis Romo, described the initiative as “a literary picnic to read, share, and converse.”

Three hours of literary and musical celebration

The reading and music session began at 7:00 PM, with registration slots filling up within hours of their release. The Casa del Lector auditorium was transformed into a welcoming space featuring grass, lounge chairs, and tables, where attendees could sit with friends—or strangers—to read and discuss their reading habits. Participants were welcomed with music by composer and DJ Luis Miguel Cobo, who designed a soundscape with diverse atmospheres to accompany the different rhythms and dynamics of the reading and conversation session.

From the start of the event, cultural communicator Fernando Bonete encouraged participants to immerse themselves in their books, alternating moments of quiet reading with lively conversation and exchanges about the texts being read throughout the pleasant evening.

Masters of the literary and musical ceremony

Fernando Bonete is a cultural influencer, journalist, communicator, PhD in Social Communication, and a tenured professor at Nebrija University. He is one of Spain’s most prominent social media content creators, with over half a million followers on his Instagram account @en_bookle. He has just published his first novel, La hija del Fénix (Espasa). Additionally, he is the author of Cultura de la cancelación (Ciudadela), La guerra imaginaria (Siglo XXI), Malas lenguas (Ediciones B), and Un libro para cada año de tu vida (Temas de Hoy).

Luis Miguel Cobo holds higher degrees in Composition, Piano, and Music Pedagogy from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid. He received the 2024 Godot Award for El monstruo de los jardines, directed by Iñaki Rikarte; the 2020 Max Award for Play by the company Aracaladanza; the 2019 Jerry Goldsmith Golden Award for Metamorfosis, directed by David Serrano; and the 2018 Max Award for Solitudes by the company Kulunka Teatro.

‘Meet & Read’ is held in collaboration with Penguin Random House and Escuela de Escritores, with Altamarea serving as the official bookstore.