18th gathering of poets, critics and translators of poetry
31 August – 6 September 2021
Rogaška Slatina, Ljubljana
Pranger Festival will give poetry lovers and readers plenty to look forward to with their 2021 programme. Audiences will be able to enjoy a reflection of nine poetry collections published in 2020 and attend The Stritar Award for Young Critics ceremony. Children will be able to participate in the ELA-Little Pranger workshop and adults interested in translation will have the opportunity to join a workshop dedicated to translating poetry from Slovene into German (Frankfurt 2023).
This year’s festival will exceptionally be held at the end of the summer season.
At the heart of the Pranger Festival lie the dignity and reception of art. When faced with a poet, how to tell one’s opinion politely and with good intentions as well as solid arguments, and on the other hand, fearlessly reflect upon the received critique? How to translate poetry and take a road less travelled?
Pranger Festival chooses three literary critics who select three authors with newly published poetry collections. All critical debates will be hosted by the 2017 Stritar Award winner Maja Šučur.
Thursday, 31 August 2021, Nova Pošta, 7PM
Conceptual debate Poetry & the Holy
Host: dr. David Bandelj
Wednesday, 1 September
Trubar’s House of Literature, 7PM
Pranger’s poetry evening
Poetry by: Maja Vidmar, Krištof Dovjak, Ivo Stropnik, Marko Matičetov, Manca Košir, Nina Medved, Dejan Koban, Muanis Sinanović, Anja Novak – Anjuta
Thursday, 2 September 2021
Cultural Centre Rogaška Slatina, 2PM (until 5:50PM)
Critical debate
- Krištof Dovjak: Saladinovo ihtenje (House of Poetry, Ljubljana), chosen by Peter Semolič
- Maja Vidmar: Pojavi (LUD Literature, Ljubljana), chosen byPeter Semolič
- Marko Matičetov: Sonce na balinišču (Medium, Žirovnica), chosen by Diana Pungeršič
Friday, 3 September 2021
Cultural Centre Rogaška Slatina, 9:30AM (until 1:20PM)
Critical debate
- Ivo Stropnik: Od anusa do želve (Institution Velenje Literary Foundation, Velenje), chosen by Peter Semolič
- Nina Medved: Drseči svet (Public Fund for Cultural Activities, Ljubljana), chosen by Diana Pungeršič
- Anja Novak – Anjuta: Rane rane (Sanje, Ljubljana), chosen by Veronika Šoster
The Stritar Award for Young Critics ceremony accompanied by poetry readings
Cultural Centre Rogaška Slatina, 8PM
Attendees will be greeted by Rogaška Slatina’s major Branko Kidrič, M.A., and festival manager Urška P. Černe.
The Stritar Award for Young Critics winner will be announced and presented the award by Dušan Merc, the president of Slovene Writers’ Association.
Performances by: Manca Košir, Muanis Sinanović, Maja Vidmar, Ivo Stropnik, Dejan Koban, Marko Matičetov, Krištof Dovjak, Nina Medved in Anja Novak – Anjuta
Free transportation from Ljubljana leaves outside the Križanke Outdoor theatre at 5PM.
To sign up write to: natasa.cebular@drustvo-dsp.si. The deadline is Sunday, 8 August 2021.
Saturday, 4 September 2021
Cultural Centre Rogaška Slatina, 9:30AM (until 1:20PM)
Critical debate
- Muanis Sinanović: Krhke karavane (LUD Literature, Ljubljana), chosen by Veronika Šoster
- Dejan Koban: Najbolj idiotska avtobiografija na svetu in izven (Ignor, IA, Ljubljana), chosen by Veronika Šoster
- Manca Košir: Srčnice / Herzblätter (translation by Ivana Kampuš, Mohorjeva Celovec), chosen by Diana Pungeršič
Monday, 6 September 2021
Ljubljana, The ZRC Atrium, 12PM
Debate: Pranger Lyrikbook – which Slovenians do Germans like more? Slovenian and international Poetry critics
Host: dr. Nada Grošelj
No one reads as meticulously as avid readers. Poetry allows for its rewritings and new conceptualizations of the world. In the years from 2020 to 2022, Pranger is focusing on discussing the relationship of German’s target culture towards Slovenian poetry and deepening the already historically strong, existentially relevant, and transformative connections between German and Slovenian cultures.
For the ninth year in a row, we will be hosting Slovene Writers’ Association, that will present this year’s Stritar Award for Young Critics at the concluding festival event on Friday, 3 September 2021 at 8 PM in Rogaška Slatina’s Cultural Centre.
Young Critique and Translation Critique are two mentored workshops for beginner critics (non-beginners also welcome) that will be held at the festival in autumn.
ELA-Little Pranger workshop is dedicated to our youngest readers who will be able to participate in a children’s poetry competition. Like last year, the workshop is part of a collaboration with Cultural Centre Rogaška Slatina and is held separately from the critical part of the festival. Families with children and mentors will be invited to a formal ceremony, which will be streaming online on Saturday, 5 June 2021.
Pranger’s chosen books will be treated to an artistic book cover transformation with the help of the Books in Clothing project, a collaboration of our festival with MKC Maribor and Maribor’s Slovenian Book Days Festival.
Join us, the entrance is free!
This event is part of the reading culture programme co-financed by the Slovenian Book Agency.
