Programme

OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL

Danutė Kalinauskaitė, a winner of the Lithuanian National Prize, presents her first novel “Baltieji prieš juoduosius” (“The White against the Black”).

Moderator: Žydronė Kolevinskienė.

Venue: Kaunas Artists’ House (V. Putvinskio str. 56).

RENDEZVOUS

Paolo Giordano, one of the most famous contemporary Italian writers, the author of “The Solitude of Prime Numbers”, is visiting Lithuania for the first time. Virginija Cibarauskė and Rytis Zemkauskas will moderate the reading and conversation with the author.

The language of the event: Italian, with translation into Lithuanian.

Venue: Kaunas Cultural Center (Vytauto Avenue 79).

DISCOVERIES

A Czech evening with writers Bianca Bellova and Vratislav Kadlec. The readings and conversation with Inga Vidugiryte will give the audience an insight into contemporary life, literature, and humour of the country of Hašek, Hrabal and Kundera.

The language of the event: Czech, with translation into Lithuanian.

Venue: Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library (Laisvės Avenue 57).

NEW WINDS + OPEN MIKE

Readings by the young Kaunas writers and friends of Kaunas – Dominyka Budinavičiūtė, Motiejus Lazauskas, Andrius Patiomkinas, Emilė Pliuščikaitė, Orestes Razumas and alumni of “NewWinds”. The event is hosted by Neringa Butnoriūtė.

Musical accompaniment: pianist Evangeline Ūsienė (Singapore/Lithuania).

Venue: Terrace of Kaunas Cultural Center (Vytauto Avenue 79).

Doors open at 21:00

Registration: https://bit.ly/atviras-mikrafas

FREEDOM AVENUE FOR BOOKS

A fair for bouquinistes, owners of antiquarian bookshops and independent publishers in the heart of the city.

THE LEAVERS AND LOCALS

Daiva Čepauskaitė and Aistis Žekevičius discuss Kaunas in their biographies and works. Moderator: Ramūnas Čičelis.

Venue: Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library (Laisvės Avenue 57).

RENDEZVOUS

Andris Kalnozols, a rising star of Latvian literature, writer and theatre artist, comes to Kaunas with his recently published novel “Mane vadina Kalendorium” (“I am called Calendar”). The readings and conversation with the author will be moderated by Sandra Bernotaitė.

The language of the event: Latvian, with translation into Lithuanian.

Venue: Kaunas Artists’ House (V. Putvinskio str. 56)

NIGHT CAFÉ

Rappers MC Jabber (UK/Germany) and BEETA (Lithuania) will demonstrate what can be done with English and Lithuanian spoken words. Words will also play an important role in the acoustic concert of the band Sinstation (Mykolas Katkus, Mantas Zigmantas, Ieva Marija Baranauskaitė, Šaras Kvaraciejus; Lithuania).

Venue: Theatre Club (Architects’ House, 2nd floor, Vilniaus str. 22).

Doors open at 21:00.

Tickets: kakava.lt

BRUNCH OFFLINE

A quiet brunch with a good book in the company of like-minded friends.

Venue: Culture bar “Good” (Laisvės Avenue 89-1D).

SUNDAY RENDEZVOUS

Antanas Šileika and Bernardas Gailius will talk about the situation and perspectives of Lithuanian adventure fiction.

Moderator: Ernestas Parulskis.

Venue: Kaunas City Chamber Theatre (Kęstučio str. 74A).

RENDEZVOUS

Lithuanian readers will meet Kati Hiekkapelto, a Scandinavian detective novel writer from Finland. The readings and conversation with the writer will be moderated by Audrius Ožalas. The event will offer translation into Lithuanian.

Venue: Kaunas City Chamber Theatre (Kęstučio str. 74A).

EXCURSION

A guided walking tour “The Cultural Reserve of Žaliakalnis”, led by Laimonas Užomeckis.

Meeting place: Student Square (Daukanto str. 28, Kaunas).

Registration: https://bit.ly/3GeMJi0.

Organizer: Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library.

A BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK

Kaunas County Public Library invites you to the “Blind Date with a Book”, during which you will use all your senses, imagination, and cosmic speed to circle the literary galaxy in search of new worlds, discoveries, and impressions. What can provide all this? Of course, books. In the Student Square, an installation of books will be awaiting you, where everyone will be able to discover their own planet – a new book. However, there is one condition: you will not see the cover, author, or book title when you choose it. The only clue to help you choose a book is a message from someone who has already read the book.

CREATIVE WORKSHOP "WORD COLLAGES"

We will cut out words or phrases we like from old magazines and try to put them together to create poems or miniatures. We can write down the missing words or use the same magazines to cut out an illustration for our work.

The workshop “Word Collages” will be led by the poet and creative artist Neringa Daniulaitienė. We are grateful to Kaunas Municipal Vincas Kudirka Public Library for the magazines.

Venue: Student Square (Daukanto str. 28).

OPEN POETRY READING CIRCLE

There are always street musicians on Laisvės Avenue. But have you met someone there just reading poems? This circle is just for that: if you want to read your own or another poet’s poem, stop and read, even if there is no one listening at the moment. Read just because you want to.

Venue: Student Square, by the fir tree (Daukanto str. 28).

PLAYING CHESS

Checkmate! There’s nowhere to retreat, and it is time to play a game of chess. But this game will be different… We’ll move the pieces and answer the questions under each box on the board within the time limit. All the questions will be related to one charismatic personality, the life and activities of the writer Balys Sruoga. Not confident in your knowledge? Well, it’s time to visit Vanda and Balys Sruogos House Museum, where you will learn everything you need to help say “Checkmate!” to your opponent. The best players will be awarded prizes.

Organized by Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum.

Venue: Student’s Square (Daukanto str. 28).

EXHIBITION "BETWEEN THE LINES"

“Everything I have created is between the lines”. These words by the Swedish poet Gunnar Ekelöf (1907-1968) are much more than just a reflection of his own personal beliefs. Literature is alive not only in writing; it exists before, during and after the words are written down. Literature is a question and an answer, an action and a condition, an individual aspiration and a concern for any society. In this exhibition, Swedish literary figures share their thoughts on various literary issues, thus contextualizing and highlighting the main concerns that arise when discussing the role and artistic distinctiveness of literature. The exhibition invites you to join in and discover a wide variety of literary experiences and approaches.

Organized by the Swedish Institute and VMU.

Venue: Vytautas Magnus University, V. Putvinskio str. 23, 3rd-floor gallery.

The exhibition will be open from 25 April to 1 June.

LIGHT INSTALLATION "BRIGHT THOUGHTS"

On the classroom blackboard, the thoughts of eminent Lithuanian writers on the dawning dawn, the struggle between darkness and light, the transparency of the soul, and the inner glow will be brought to life in the form of a light installation.

Organized by the Lithuanian Museum of the History of Education.

Venue: Lithuanian Museum of the History of Education (Vytauto Avenue. 52).

CHILDREN'S BOOK FESTIVAL

Organized by Maironis Lithuanian Literature Museum. For more information, visit https://maironiomuziejus.lt.