Staged in London each year as part of more than 40 simultaneous events across European capitals, European Literature Night returns with an expanded programme under the rebranded European Literature Festival.
More than 50 writers and poets from 30 countries will take part in 21 events in London and around the UK. 27 April – 6 June 2016
THE PROGRAMME
ELN 2016 WRITERS SHOWCASE AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY
Wednesday 11 May 2016, 6.30pm-8.15pm / Conference Centre
The centrepiece of the Festival, the Writers Showcase follows a day of talks and translation clinics at the British Library. Novelist and playwright Kate Mosse will deliver an opening address, before appearances by the six 2016 ELN Writers –chosen from a pool of 65 writers submitted by publishers in November – who will be interviewed on stage by broadcaster and director of European Literature Network, Rosie Goldsmith.
The discussion will travel from the Turkish prison cells of Burhan Sönmez‘s Istanbul, Istanbul to the turned upside-down-lives in Dorthe Nors‘ twisted and imaginatively-realised streets of Copenhagen; to Slovenian writer Gabriela Babnik‘s seductive tale of forbidden love on the dusty plains of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; via Peter Verhelst‘s deadpan Belgian humour in his gorilla-narrated fable about the story of human civilisation (and its collapse). There is a tormented relationship unfolding between widow and son on Dutch writer Jaap Robben‘s remote and stormy island (located somewhere between Scotland and Norway). We finish in Alek Popov‘s strange and comic novel that moves between Bulgaria and New York, where two brothers question whether their long-deceased father is, in fact, dead.
Rosie Goldsmith: “Since our first European Literature Night eight years ago the evening has gradually grown into a week, and now, quite thrillingly, it has become a Festival. As judge and host of ELN, it is the highlight of my year. We’ve had a record number of submissions and this year the judges all felt it was the strongest collection of writers we have had to choose from so far. I can assure you British audiences are in for a real treat. The best of contemporary European literature is coming their way.”
A TOUR OF DETECTIVE FICTION IN EUROPE
Friday 13 May, 6.30pm-8pm / British Library, Conference Centre
In a session entitled ‘Criminal Worlds’, broadcaster Mark Lawson will lead a panel discussing detective fiction with some of Europe’s most exciting crime writing talent, including bestselling British novelist Peter James, Finnish crime writing sensation Kati Hiekkapelto and author of the 1920s-set Babylon Berlin series, Volker Kutscher.
This year’s crime focus marks an ELN strategy to explore different literary genres from Europe each year, with graphic novels featuring in 2014, and spoken-word performance in 2015.
POETRY PERISCOPE INSTALLATION LAUNCHES WITH 2016 UK TOUR
A joint project by Piána na ulici (Pianos on the Street), The Poetry Society, and the European Literature Festival, the Poetry Periscope includes recordings of poems from 30 European cultures, placing poetry grandees such as Titos Patrikios (Greece) and Friederike Mayröcker (Austria) alongside upcoming names such as Irish-language poet Doireann Ni Ghriofa. Poems will each be available in their original language and a recorded English translation.
This bright yellow ‘poetry jukebox’ will be hard to miss when it appears on the Piazza of the British Library from 27 April-19 May before touring to other venues nationwide during 2016, including the Ledbury Poetry Festival (1-10 July) and at the Durham Book Festival (16 Sept-16 Oct).
More details here.
POETRY PERISCOPE LAUNCH EVENT: BRITISH LIBRARY
Tuesday 3 May 2016, 6.30pm-7.45pm, FREE
A free event hosted by poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan, with dynamic live readings of poems from across Europe, read by UK poets Richard Scott, Gabriel Akamo and Charlotte Higgins, with special guest readings by Michal Habaj (Slovakia) and others. Plus the chance to try out the Poetry Periscope installation.
Ian McMillan: “In the globalised 21st century we need some means of speaking to ourselves and each other about our deepest hopes, desires and fears. Poetry can do that, in all its languages with all its rhythms and images, reminding us who we are and who we can become. The joy of the Poetry Periscope is that, like all periscopes, it lets us glimpse landscapes, in this case poetic landscapes, in a brand new way. It’s a great initiative and I’m proud to be associated with it.”
THE TRANSLATION PITCH with PEN Presents
Thursday 9 June 2016, 6.30pm-8pm / Free Word Centre
The Translation Pitch returns with six translators going head-to-head and pitching their ‘must-acquire’ European books to a live audience and a jury of top publishing experts: Max Porter (Granta/Portobello), Meike Ziervogel (Peirene Press) and Stefan Tobler (And Other Stories).
This whirlwind tour of contemporary European writing will uncover brilliant books from Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Turkey and France which have not yet been translated into English. The full line-up of books and translators will be announced on 13 April at the London Book Fair.
OTHER EVENTS ACROSS THE CAPITAL
The Festival will see events staged across London between 9-15 of May:
Mon 9 May, 7pm-8pm, Free Word Centre
English PEN Translated Fiction Book Club – with Gabriela Babnik (Slovenia)
Mon 9 May, 6.45pm-8pm, British Library
Don Quixote ‘Translation Joust’
Translators Peter Bush and Margaret Jull Costa produce rival versions of the same short extract which they will defend live on stage. ‘Refereed’ by writer and translator Daniel Hahn
Tues 10 May, 7pm-8.30pm, Waterstones Piccadilly
Contemporary writing from the Baltic countries, with Ilmar Taska (Estonia), Mara Zalite (Latvia) and Paulina Pukyte (Lithuania). Chaired by Rosie Goldsmith
Thurs 12 May, 7pm-8.30pm, Waterstones Piccadilly
Tomáš Zmeškal (Czech) and Hamid Ismailov (Uzbekistan) in conversation with journalist and writer Misha Glenny (UK)
Sat 14 May, 7pm-9pm, Rich Mix
European Poetry Night – more than 20 poets travel to London to share brand-new collaborative poems, premiered on the night and written for the occasion, in pairs, across languages, styles and nations. Curated by SJ Fowler.
Sunday 15 May, 2.30pm-4pm, British Library
Man Booker International Prize shortlist readings
Participants to be announced 14 April
BEYOND LONDON: CHICHESTER, BIRMINGHAM AND NEWCASTLE
ELF is also reaching beyond London with a pilot touring programme supported by Arts Council England and UNESCO Edinburgh City of Literature
Mon 9 May, 6.30pm-7.30pm, Chichester University
Dorthe Nors visits students at Chichester, hosts of Thresholds, Home of the International Short Story Forum
Tues 10 May, 6.30pm-7.30pm. Carriage Pub, Newcastle
Hosted by journalist and writer Caroline Beck, with Jaap Robben (Netherlands) & Gabriela Babnik (Slovenia). In
association with New Writing North
Tues 10 May, 6.30pm-8pm. Waterstones Birmingham
With Dorthe Nors (Denmark), Alek Popov (Bulgaria) and Ruth Gilligan, best-selling Irish novelist and journalist. Chaired by Jonathan Davidson. In association with Writing West Midlands
Friday 13 May, 5pm-10.30pm
ELN 2016 in Edinburgh – For the second year running The Enemies Project curates European Literature Night 2016 on behalf of UNESCO Edinburgh City of Literature. Curated by Colin Herd, Theodora Danek and SJ Fowler.
Event One: 5pm – 6.30pm at North Edinburgh Arts Centre. Performances from selected poets involved in European Literature Night
Event Two: 8pm-10.30pm at Summerhall – Red Lecture Theatre. Performances from European and local to Edinburgh poets followed by a specially commissioned collective performance.
For more information about the Festival and media queries visit www.europeanliteraturefestival.org.uk