The organizers, City Culture Institute and the City of Gdańsk, together with the art director of the Festival – Tadeusz Dąbrowski prepared a diverse agenda, rich in events for children, youth and adults.
– We invite everyone to join us on the meetings, workshops and concerts – not just poetry lovers. We wanted to go out of the strict form of the single room, as we prepared the walks for the discovery of the places that have inspired the authors and are connected with them. – says Aleksandra Szymańska, the head of the City Culture Institute.
The Festivals revolves around the meetings with the poets nominated for the European Poet of Freedom Award and their translators, headed by the top culture journalists and literary academics: Michał Chaciński, Witold Malesa, Agata Passent, Max Cegielski, Barbara Marcinik, Grzegorz Jankowicz and Kazimiera Szczuka.
Poetry will come along with music. “New Sound” unit consists of two events. Symphonic concert in St. John’s church (Kościół Św. Jana), scheduled of Thursday the 20th, will feature one of the most talented young classical singer, Agata Zubel with the most outstanding pianist Maciej Grzybowski and AUKSO Orchestra lead by Marek Moś. The musicians will perform the pieces by Paweł Mykietyn, Michał Moc and Agata Zubel. On Saturday 22nd there will be an evening concert in the City Culture Institute, with Sławomir Kupczak and Sultan Hagavik duo on stage.
Besides the concerts, European Poet of Freedom Festival includes literary walks around Gdańsk, with Paweł Huelle and Mieczysław Abramowicz as the guides; poetical slam hosted by Rafał Bryndal, screening of poetical movies (created in cooperation with ZEBRA Poetry Film Festival Berlin); and last but not least the debate hosted by Michał Chaciński with the art directors of the most prominent poetry festivals of Europe: Poesie Festival Berlin, StAnza – Scotland’s International Poetry Festival, Stockholm International Poetry Festival, Poetry International Festival Rotterdam, International Poetry Festival Meridian Czernowitz.
The European Poet Of Freedom Award Gala will take place on March 21st in Wybrzeże Theater, in a form of a word-centered drama performance. The director is Marcin Liber, the host – Agnieszka Szydłowska of “Trójka” Radio, and the poems will be recited by Magdalena Cielecka accompanied by the Opera Bałtycka Choir.
The little poetry enthusiast are certainly not left behind when it comes to the Festival. The weekend workshops will allow the children to try the word and drawing plays and extend their book collection during the children’s literature swap. Children Film Club is opened in the afternoons with the screenings of “Akademia Pana Kleksa” and “Laputa – podniebny zamek”.
Both youth and the adults are invited to the Creative Reading Workshops on Wednesday and Thursday hosted by prominent poets and literary critics: Tomasz Różycki, Anna Piwkowska, Andrzej Sosnowski, Paweł Próchniak, Grzegorz Jankowicz and Leszek Szaruga.
Poets nominated for the Award:
Erwin Einzinger (Austria), “Nóż z Odessy. Wiersze” (2009),
Guy Goffette (Belgium), “Pożegnania u skraju” (2007),
Dorota Jagić (Croatia), “Kanapa na rynku” (2011),
Jaan Kaplinski (Estonia), “Po drugiej stronie jeziora” (2008),
Pandelis Boukalas (Greece), “Czasowniki” (2009),
Toktarali Tanżaryk (Kazakhstan ), “Stronice Nocy” (2008),
Iren Baumann (Switzerland), “Gdy dojeżdżający są jeszcze w drodze do domu” (2011).
Translators nominated for the Award:
Sława Lisiecka, (Austria),
Zdzisław Jaskuła (Austria),
Małgorzata Wierzbicka (Croatia),
Ryszard Wojnakowski (Switzerland),
Anna Wasilewska (Belgium),
Henryk Jankowski (Kazakhstan),
Michał Bzinkowski (Greece),
Aarne Puu (Estonia).
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Photo © European Poet of Freedom International Literature Festival
