Gdańsk hosts the Festival of Children’s Literature for the fifth time

Gdańsk and Kraków – these cities will host this year’s edition of the Festival of Children’s Literature. A large-scale event with a dynamic programme, packed with diverse, interdisciplinary events: from workshops and meetings with children’s book authors and illustrators to performances and urban scavenger hunts – this is why the Festival of Children’s Literature is not your average literary festival. In Gdańsk, the event will take place between 28 May and 1 June. Admission to all events is free of charge. Registration opens on 13 May on www.fldd.pl. The Festival is co-organised by the City Culture Institute.

 ‘This edition will open with a meeting with Grzegorz Kasdepke focused on his book 45 puknięć w głowę. During the Reading Session before sunset, we’re also going to meet a very special surprise guest’, announces Aleksandra Fabia from the Burza Mózgów Foundation, responsible for organising the Festival.

A collective poetry melodeclamation in the Baltic State Opera? Reading poetry and making music at the Maritime Culture Centre? That’s what we can expect from this year’s Festival: peculiar places and surprising juxtapositions, though everything will still revolve around children’s literature.

This year’s Festival motto is: ‘To the source!’. To the source meaning where exactly? The organisers want to demonstrate in practice that literature is the source feeding other disciplines of art, a source of inspiration and – why not? –a source of fun for everyone.

 ‘We are going to pose bold questions and expect concrete answers: how many penguins can a polar bear eat, what is aqua-poetry, what grown-ups don’t know about space, how to make a comic book – the programme is packed with such treats’, adds Aleksandra Fabia.

The festival will culminate with a literary picnic taking place on 1 June on Kobzdeja Square – in the Freedom Reading Room area prepared by the City Culture Institute, Voivodeship and City Library in Gdańsk and Baltic Sea Cultural Centre as part of the Celebration of Freedom and Solidarity in Gdańsk.

Adventure-seeking fans of literature will be able to participate in Adventure Between the Lines – a literature-themed family-friendly urban scavenger hunt organised to mark the 125^th anniversary of Julian Tuwim’s birthday. This is not all, though: Michał Rusinek will talk about freedom, Katarzyna Bogucka will host a poster design workshop and the day will end with Improbaja’s performance Allow Yourself!

The Festival programme also includes a conference for teachers and librarians ‘Book – Art – New Media, or Let’s Talk about Tastes’. Keynote speakers include Dr Michał Zając, Ewa Stiasny and Ewa Solarz.

Admission to all events is free of charge. Detailed programme will be announced on 13 May on www.fldd.pl. Registration on the website will be open on the same day.

The Burza Mózgów Foundation is looking for volunteers willing to contribute to organising the festival. Applicants will gain experience in organising the largest children’s literature festival in Poland and cultural activities for children, get to know eminent children’s authors, complete their required student traineeship, receive a letter of recommendation and get book gifts. Applications may be sent by e-mail until 20 May to: halina.grabowska@ikm.gda.pl. In the title, please write: Wolontariat FLDD.

Organised by Burza Mózgów Foundation

Co-organised by the City Culture Institute, City of Gdańsk

www.fldd.pl, www.facebook.com/FestiwalLiteraturyDlaDzieci