About project

Literature Night 2010

On the 12th of May fourth year of the Literature Night  will take place in Prague. The aim of the project is to make the public acquainted with contemporary European literature in an unconventional way and to present the charm of small and large literatures alike. In the course of the evening the intimacy, which traditionally characterises the process of reading, is coupled with an exceptional shared reading experience enhanced by the combination of an interesting text, unique performance and a remarkable venue. 

The project is organised by the Czech Centres in co-operation with Prague EUNIC cluster (European National Institutes of Culture). Based on the successful cooperation initiated in terms of the organisation of Literature Night 2009 five new countries are joining the current twelve which had presented their contemporary authors last year. The project is supported by cultural institutes and cultural departments of foreign embassies which represent the following seventeen European countries in Prague: Austria, Belgium – the Flemish Representation, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden and UK. During Literature Night 2010 each of these countries will present a work of one of their authors in a recent translation into the Czech language. 

The setting of this year’s Literature Night will be Malá Strana. Literature will bring to life places such as the reconstructed attic of the newly opened Malostranska Beseda, Ledenbourg Gardens, Kampa Museum or Atelier of Josef Sudek. Visitors can also look forward to translations of outstanding contemporary European literature presented by Jiří Langmajer, Miroslav Taborský, Martha Issova, Jaroslav Rudiš or Jan Budař. By combining a remarkable text, attractive venue and exceptional presentation this project offers a unique atmosphere and an unrepeatable cultural experience to broad public.

Literature Night 2010 takes place on the eve of opening of the biggest book festival in the Czech Republic – the Book World 2010 where visitors will be able to meet in person selected authors whose works are presented during the Literature Night. Major bookshops will also participate in the project by selling the books performed during Literature Night 2010. The event will be accompanied by an exhibition of Leporelohra by Petr Nikl and Ondřej Smeykal. This project is conceived as a permanent creative workshop with an emphasis on the phenomena of books as an object which connects text and image. This exhibition organised by the Czech Centres Prague is planned to open on the 12th of May.

Literature Night 2010 is also supported by the Representation of the European Commission in the Czech Republic, the main partners are EUNIC, ČSOB, Svět Knihy and Labyrint revue.

Literature Night in Czech Centres abroad

Through the Czech Centres´s  international network and thanks to their cooperation with the Eunic cluster and other important local partners and institutions the project Literature Night 2010 will take place in several European cities. The emphasis of this part of the project is presentation of texts in dialogue with world literature

In London the British Library will host an event organised by the EUNIC cluster with support of the local Representation of the European Commission. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet contemporary European authors who will be presented by well-known cultural celebrities. Czech literature will be represented by writer Miloš Urban. Czech Centre in Bratislava in cooperation with the EUNIC cluster has organised a presentation of contemporary European writing in the format of the Prague Literature Night. Ten Slovak celebrities will read extracts by ten European authors on attractive venues in Bratislava. Czech literature will be represented by a book Bilej Kun, Žlutej Drak written by a fictitious author Lan Pham Thi and the real author Jan Cempirek.

In terms of Literature Night 2010 and the year of Czech culture in Kleisthause the Czech Centre Berlin has organised a meeting with three contemporary authors – Kateřina Tučková, Petra Soukupova and Tomáš Zmeškal who will offer an insight into contemporary literary works which have not yet been published in their German translations. Czech Centres in Sofia places an emphasis on confrontation between the youngest and the oldest members from the generation of Czech authors. Czech Centre in Sofia will also present a literary reading and presentation of the book Demoni nečasu by Eva Kanturkova and book of young Czech-Bulgarian writer Adam Georgiev " Planeta samých chlapců".

An evening with writer Jiri Kratochvil and his newly translated book Lež, Bestie! will be presented by the Czech Centre in Warsaw. The Czech Centres Stockholm will present a Swedish translator and literature scientist Mats Larsson who will bring closer the production of Bohumil Hrabal through a series of lectures and readings. The Czech Centre in Munich will present a successful novel by a young Czech author Kateřina Tučková "Vyhnaní Gerty Schnirch". Extracts from a book which comes back to the post war eviction of Germans from the Czech Republic will be presented by the author in the Sudeten-German house. The presentation will be accompanied by a preview from a film which is drawing inspiration from the novel.

The Week of Literature organised by the Czech Centre in Moscow will culminate in conjuction with the Literature Night 2010. The winning translations of the essay Moc bezmocných by Václav Havel will be presented during this event. The evening will be accompanied by music, film and a discussion forum. Presentation of translations by Czech authors has also been organised by the Czech Centre in Rome which will offer writing of Jaroslav Rudis, Irena Douskova or Jachym Topol to the Italian public. Czech Centres in Madrid, Paris, Kosice, Haag and Vienna will also take part in the project.