ABOUT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME - KUMANIJA OD LIBRA
The Book Folks / Kumpanija od libra was established three years ago to open up the new opportunities for business cooperation between literary event organizers, literary agents, translators, editors and publishers from all the world, and also for creating new models of collaboration between festivals, generating a common production and exchanging programmes and authors. In short, this programme offers a cultural exchange between Croatian’s literary scene and some of the influential publishing figures from around the world, providing Croatian authors, publishers and agents a competitive advantage in securing international rights and distribution deals. This offers to the Croatian publishing industry the opportunity to host a group of international publishing professionals over a tree-day period when they can meet many of our nation’s authors, publisher and agents who are at that time gathered in one place - around the Book Fair(y) in Istria, which is a prominent annual Croatian literary event and one of the biggest book festival in South-Eastern Europe. This Festival features more than 100 events and hosts more than 250 Croatian and foreign programme participants each year.
In his annual year (2013) it has already been noticed great interest from both Croatian and foreign participants. In the end we count 27 hosts, who had the opportunity to meet the Croatian publishers and authors trough special designed programme and gain complete insight in Croatian literary contemporary scene.
Participants:
Geoffrey Taylor – director of IFOA (Toronto)
Sedef Ilgic - Kalem agency (Istanbul)
Nadezda Azhgikhina – journalist (Moscow)
Boyd Tonkin – journalist and literary critic for The Independent and also the commissioner for Book Prize (London)
Maya Jaggi – journalist and literary critic for The Guardian (London)
Wiggo Anderssen – director of Lofoten Internasjonale Litteraturfestival (Norway) Mustafa Can - Lofoten Internasjonale Litteraturfestival (Norway)
Maja Kavzar - Vilenica festival (Slovenia)
Nana Vogrin - Vilenica festival (Slovenia)
Francesca Varotto - publisher, Marsilio Editori (Italy)
Irena Urbič - Forum Tomizza (Slovenia)
Vanessa Raney – writer (SAD)
Estera Miočić – translator and journalist (Italy)
Vladislav Bajac – director of publishing house „Geopoetika“ and writer (Serbia) Dragan Marković - University press (Bosnia and Herzegovina).
The second fellowship programme (2014) was divided into two sections: once that gathers literary agents, editors and translators and other that gathers organizers of literary festival, book fairs and residence program. On timetable there was also a panel discussion about the initiative of creating a European association of literary festivals, an idea born from the partnership between the Book Fair(y) in Istria and Festival Fabula (Slovenia).
Moderator was Seid Serdarević, director of publishing house “Fraktura”, while the programme coordinator was Rea Korani from the Fair(y) organization.
Participants:
Katharina Bielenberg – publishing house “MacLehose” (UK)
Aleksi Siltala - publishing house “Siltala” (Finland)
Eva Cossee – publishing house “Cossee” (Netherlands)
Christoph Buchwald – publishing house “Cossee” (Netherland)
Brigitte Döbert - translator (Germany)
Emmanuelle Collas – publishing house “Galaade” (France)
Gordana Sfeci – publishing house “Oceanmore” (Croatia)
Nataša Medved - publishing house “Edicije Božičević” (Croatia)
Dragan Marković – publishing house “University Press” (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Estera Miočić – translator (Italy)
Vladislav Bajac – publishing house “Geopoetika” (Serbia)
Zoran Hamović - publishing house “Clio” (Serbia)
Vladimir Šagadin – publishing house “2x2” (Croatia)
Anne-Kathrin Godec – Balatura project (Croatia)
Renata Zamida - Festival Fabula (Slovenia)
Tanja Petrič – Vilenica festival (Slovenia)
Nikolaus Hansen - Port Harbour festival (Austria)
Claudius Niessen - Festival manager (Germany)
Geoffrey Taylor - IFOA, Toronto (Canada)
Ivana Trkulja - scientist (Italy).
The programme is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia, as part of its literary translation support programme.
