New Voices New Rooms (NVNR) is excited to announce that its annual conference will be held in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront from August 2 – August 5, 2026.
Baltimore, known as the “Charm City,” boasts a long, vibrant literary tradition, and approximately two dozen independent bookstores are located in the greater Baltimore area. The conference hotel is located on the waterfront, in close proximity to area restaurants and local points of interest.
The conference is a joint production of the New Atlantic Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA). Linda-Marie Barrett, Executive Director of SIBA, says that, “NVNR always creates magical opportunities to be inspired, make new connections, and improve how we all do business together.” She adds, “Community is everything, especially during these challenging times, and we look forward to bringing our beautiful community back together in Baltimore for our best conference ever.”
“This conference will be extra special, “ says Eileen Dengler, Executive Director of NAIBA, “In a city of bookstores waiting to greet us, with a team that continues to fine-tune the event to excite, inform, and inspire. As it will be my last NAIBA event, I do hope my friends in bookselling will come and visit with me one last time.”
NVNR 2026 will be the first conference for Liz Hottel, incoming Executive Director of NAIBA. “As a born and bred Marylander, it’s really special for me that my first NVNR is in Baltimore, “ she admits. “From Edgar Allan Poe to Anne Tyler to Lucille Clifton, Baltimore has always nurtured and grown literary voices in its own extraordinary way. I can’t wait to share– and explore– Charm City’s diverse literary history and vibrant bookstore scene with all of the booksellers coming into town.”
Both Exhibit Reservations and Author Submissions for the 2026 program will open in February. Bookseller registration will open in April. NVNR is currently soliciting proposals for education. Proposals may be submitted by all NVNR stakeholders: booksellers, authors, and publishers. Offers to present, requests based on a particular need, requests for support and advocacy, and ideas for topics of interest are all welcome. Submissions should focus on topics useful to small businesses and independent bookstores.
Submit an idea for NVNR Education here. The deadline to submit is April 17, 2026.
The NVNR programming partnership between the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association (NAIBA) and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) has been hosting conferences and events for booksellers since 2020. For more information, visit newvoicesnewrooms.org or subscribe to NVNR.