Although there are some possibilities for writers and poets to build connections and represent their work in different V4 countries, we think that young authors do not have enough opportunities to represent themselves. Our aim is to build personal and professional connection between young authors (and translators) from Visegrád countries and give them a possibility to represent themeselves, appear on online platforms with their works, and then appear in an international anthology. They can use their connections to help each other for publications, events, applications or literature festivals in the future. We think that if we give the possibility to young authors to get to know each other and work together, it can benefit the future connections between Visegrád countries’ literature fields. Our aim is not just to make an anthology of young authors from our countries, but we also want to organize personal workshops with the authors, so they can work together, or they can be even friends in the future – we also want to build community. Some already respceted writers got possibilities every year to represent themselves in literature festivals (e.g. Margo or PesText in Budapest), and also there are applications for literature residencies for younger authors, but our project idea would give possibilities in a different way for other young authors – not just appearence, but the chance to have connections and organize together in the future.

Our plan is to build a personal network between at least 24 authors and translators from V4 countries (6 participants from each country). In the first period of the project we would collect and select works from young poets, and post it on a project-designated social media page. During this process we would start to create the network among them, and by the end of the summer of 2021 we would choose the best 24 authors, and would host them in a writing camp close to Visegrád, Hungary for almost a week. We would organize workshops for them to get to know each other, to write and translate together and then to represent themselves in an international literature festival in Budapest. During the camp we discuss the poems brought by the authors, we create translations which we will put in the anthology, and organize our appearance on PesText festival together. Later we would edit and print the anthology and each participating organization would organize their own book launch, so the participants are not just building an inernational network, but they also work in every step of creating an international literature product. One of our aims is to present young authors so our project’s visibility is very important. The final product will be available for everyone, not just during the festival and the book launches, but in our websites and social media platforms as well. By the end of the project young authors should have a network which includes friendly young poets, and also literature organizations from the V4 countries.

Participating organizations: 

Cultrural View International Association, Hungary

Větrné mlýny s.r.o, Czechia – vetrnemlyny.cz

BRaK Festival, Slovakia – brakfestival.sk

Towarzystwo Aktywnej Komunikacji, Poland – tak.net.pl

visegradfund.org