Between 1 and 4 June, the Dariusza Kobzdeja square will turn into a workshop space and a literary meeting place. Agnieszka Michajłow, Jacek Naliwajek, Maciej Kosycarz and Maciej Drzewicki will talk about press articles from 1989–2019. Andrzej Kasperek, Krystyna Chwin and Bożena Ptak will offer literature-themed walks, while Antoni Pawlak, Krzysztof Skiba and Ewa Graczyk will turn into Living Books. On 1 June, we have planned a series of meetings for young readers as part of the Festival of Children’s Literature, and in the evening, you’ll be able to take part in a nocturnal walk around Gdańsk along the Free Words route.

The Freedom Reading Room is organised by the City Culture Institute, the Baltic Sea Cultural Centre and the Voivodeship and City Public Library in Gdańsk. Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/541723196359132/.

Freedom Reading Room, Kobzdeja Square | 1-4 June, 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.

1 June

10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. | Throughout the four days of the Celebration of Freedom and Solidarity, the Sztuka Wyboru coffee house and bookshop will be open on Kobzdeja Square

10.30 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. | An adventure between the lines | a literature-themed urban scavenger hunt commemorating the 125th anniversary of the birth of Julian Tuwim | register at: gra.gdansk@gmail.com | children aged 6+

12.00 p.m. – 1.00 p.m. | Free yourself! | poster design workshop with Katarzyna Bogucka | register at: www.fldd.pl | children aged 4+

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | At high noon | meeting and press review with Marta Dzido and Piotr Śliwowski, who will talk about press articles from 1989

3 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. | What’s your sign? Poems for a further 100 years of independence | meeting with Michał Rusinek | register at: www.fldd.pl | children aged 6+

4.30 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Allow yourself! – performance by Improbaja group | Karolina Rucińska, Małgorzata Tremiszewska and Wojciech Tremiszewski | register at: www.fldd.pl | children aged 4+

6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | DJ set: Jazxing

10 p.m. – midnight | Free words in the Free City – nocturnal reading in Gdańsk | curator: Sylwia Chutnik | texts read out by actors from the Wybrzeże Theatre. Starting point: Kobzdeja Square

2 June

10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. | Sztuka Wyboru coffee house and bookshop on Kobzdeja Square

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | At high noon | meeting and press review Agnieszka Michajłow and Jacek Naliwajek, who will talk about press articles from 1989–99

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Dad reads to me – fathers read their children’s favourite books for them. Invited guests include Wojciech Tremiszewski and Paweł Król

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Meeting with a Living Book – individual conversations with witnesses to history: Antoni Pawlak

4 p.m. – 6 p.m. | A literary walk around downtown Gdańsk along the route of freedom: Andrzej Kasperek

6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | DJ set: CCI plays Slow Tunes

3 June

10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. | Sztuka Wyboru coffee house and bookshop on Kobzdeja Square

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | At high noon | meeting and press review | Gabriela Pewińska and Maciej Kosycarz will comment on the most important events that took place between 1999 and 2009

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Meeting with a Living Book – individual conversations with witnesses to history: Ewa Graczyk

4 p.m. – 6 p.m. | A literary walk around downtown Gdańsk along the route of freedom: Krystyna Chwin

6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | DJ set: DJ Pudika – Flora Muzyka

4 June

10.00 a.m. – 10.00 p.m. | Sztuka Wyboru coffee house and bookshop on Kobzdeja Square

12 p.m. – 1 p.m. | At high noon | meeting and press review | Maciej Drzewicki and Grzegorz Kubicki will comment on the most important events that took place between 1999 and 2009

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Meeting with a Living Book – individual conversations with witnesses to history: Krzysztof Skiba

4 p.m. – 6 p.m. | A literary walk around downtown Gdańsk along the route of freedom: Bożena Ptak

6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | DJ set: Beautiful Monty

In addition, the METROPOLITANKA social group has planned themed walks titled “Women and the 1989 election”, covering the traces of female oppositionists whose activity contributed to the free election. 02/06, 4 p.m., 05/06, 5 p.m., 07/06, 5 p.m., 09/06, 4 p.m.

It’s also worth coming to Kobzdeja Square on 8 and 9 June to take part in creative workshops proposed in the open call for the Open CCI programme. The activities will be taking place between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. For detailed programme, go to: www.otwarty.ikm.gda.pl.