{"id":8923,"date":"2025-08-19T06:49:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T06:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pranger.si\/?page_id=8923"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:49:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T08:49:14","slug":"pranger-festival-of-poetry-criticism-translation-and-reading-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pranger.si\/en\/","title":{"rendered":"Pranger \u2013 Festival of poetry criticism, translation and reading"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
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Radovljica, Ljubljana, Kropa, Kranj: September 13th <\/span><\/strong>\u201320th, 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\r\n

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We invite you to gather once again this year in front of the pranger, the pillory \u2014 once again, it will be the medieval pillory between the pillars of Mali\u2019s House on Linhart Square in Radovljica, the only one of its kind in Slovenia \u2014 and take a peek into the vast worlds of poetry!<\/p>\r\n

The critical section of the Pranger Festival has settled in Radovljica for its 23rd edition, while the children\u2019s programme Mali Pranger \u2013 ELA, together with the presentation of the Stritar Award for the best literary critic by the Slovenian Writers Association, has successfully remained in Roga\u0161ka Slatina, the birthplace of its namegiving author of children\u2019s literature Ela Peroci and the town where the author and critic Josip Stritar lived and later passed away.<\/p>\r\n

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Festival Program 2026<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Saturday, July 4th, Iron Forging Festival Kropa<\/a><\/span>
Library Under the Treetops<\/em><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Selected poetry of the Pranger festival under the treetops in front of the Sextons’ Museum House – Me\u017enarija. In collaboration with the Divja misel Institute, the Library Under the Treetops, and the local Natura-kultura organization.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Sunday, September 13th, 2026, \u0160krlovec Tower, Kranj <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

17:00, Pranger before Pranger<\/em>
<\/strong><\/span>Guest critic <\/span>Lara Gobec<\/b><\/a> and her chosen poets: <\/span>Lara Bo\u017eak<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Bla\u017e Ir\u0161i\u010d<\/b><\/a>, Alja Adam<\/b><\/a>
<\/span>Moderation: <\/span>Hana Bujanovi\u0107 Kokot<\/a>
<\/b>In collaboration with Pre\u0161eren Theatre Kranj.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pranger is known as a festival with many branches: from the Youth Pranger ELA for elementary school children, through Pranger Translat for discussion on translations into Slovenian, Pranger Lyrikbook for Slovenian poetry in various foreign languages, to the Young Critics program, where the youngest critics (experience-wise) practice their writing skills under the watchful eye of mentors. In 2025, we expanded the Pranger Festival\u2019s framework program\u2014in the spirit of broadening the scope of criticism\u2014with yet another branch: Pranger before Pranger. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The pre-festival discussion in Kranj takes place apart from the main program. In the latter, a trio of critics discusses their selection of six poetry collections. We complement this format with the perspectives of those who are already expressing their views on literature and whom we would therefore like to invite to take it a step further\u2014onto our pre-festival stage. Pranger before Pranger invites a young critic to present their selection of three poetry collections published last year that deserve public discussion. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

This year, Lara Gobec will be joining us, and her selections are: <\/span>Kap lje kap lje <\/span><\/i>by Lara Bo\u017eak (Pivec Publishing), <\/span>Parada heteroseksualcev <\/span><\/i>by Bla\u017e Ir\u0161i\u010d (LUD Literatura), and <\/span>Pes, dvoj\u010dici in zeleni tatu <\/span><\/i>by Alja Adam (Center for Slovenian Literature). The event will be hosted by Hana Bujanovi\u0107 Kokot. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

19:00, Pranger x Vilenica<\/em>
<\/strong><\/span>Presentation of the Slovenian guests of the Vilenica Festival<\/span>: <\/span>Ana Marwan<\/b>, <\/span>Natalija Milovanovi\u0107<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Stefan Feinig
<\/b>Moderated by: <\/span>Ur\u0161ka Bra\u010dko
<\/b>In collaboration with the Slovene Writers’ Association and Vilenica Festival. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

***<\/p>\r\n

Tuesday, September 15th, 2026, Center for Architecture Slovenia, Ljubljana, 18:00 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Conceptual debate Poetry & Iron<\/i><\/strong><\/span>
<\/span>Guests:<\/span> Prof. Dr.<\/b> Irena Novak Popov<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Tch. Asst.<\/b> Ale\u0161 Gabrijel\u010di\u010d<\/b><\/a>
<\/span>Moderated by: <\/span>Asst. Prof. Dr. Ana Svetel
<\/b><\/a>In collaboration with the Center for Architecture Slovenia.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

How do something as tangible and natural as the element iron, Fe, and something as intangible, artistic, and transcendent as poetry relate to one another\u2014and in what ways do they differ? Pranger\u2019s conceptual debates are known for their seemingly incompatible pairings:<\/span> Poetry & Sports<\/em>, Poetry & Stench<\/em>\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This year, we ask ourselves what, if any, structural elements unite and separate poetry and iron. Ambiguity in meaning and in form: iron as a building material, as a building block of railroads that carry people into the distance and across vast expanses, just like poetry. Iron as a building block of blood cells in the body, a source of strength and power, in the circulatory system and, historically speaking, in the economy. Poetry as a bearer of strength and spiritual and ethical integrity. The iron will of an upright position and its opposite: the softness of expression. For example, without iron and his ironworks, along with his workers, \u017diga Zois could not have been the patron of Slovenian national poetry in the 19th century. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The theme of poetry and iron, which we will introduce with a conceptual debate, will be a recurring thread throughout this year\u2019s festival. We will pillory and discuss a variety of questions, ranging from the fragility of time to the solidity of opinions, and on the festival\u2019s final day, we will also focus on the local history of ironworking in Kropa. As the museum blacksmiths at the historic Vigenjc Vice Forge will attest, poetry and iron are thus rare resources that must be carefully extracted from nature with respect for the environment. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026, bookstore Pri kamniti mizi, Ljubljana, 18:00 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

Pranger Poetry Reading
<\/strong><\/em><\/span>Poets: Tina Volari\u010d<\/b><\/a>, Bla\u017e Lukan<\/b><\/a>, Franci Novak<\/b><\/a>, Lukas Debeljak<\/b><\/a>, Marcello Potocco<\/b><\/a><\/span>
Moderated by: <\/span>Natalija Milovanovi\u0107<\/b><\/a><\/p>\r\n

Despite annual innovations such as the new collaboration with the Vilenica Festival, the new format Pranger Before Pranger in Kranj, and the accompanying program <\/span>Kropa: Museum Town<\/span><\/i>, Pranger maintains certain traditions over the years. One such tradition is the grand poetry reading in Ljubljana, where this year\u2019s group of six poets, selected by Dr. Varja Bal\u017ealorsky Anti\u0107, Majda Travnik Vode, and Vid Be\u0161ter, will introduce themselves to the audience. Before we turn our critical attention to the books in Radovljica, we\u2019ll listen closely to their readings in Ljubljana. At the Pri kamniti mizi bookstore, Tina Volari\u010d, Bla\u017e Lukan, Franci Novak, Lukas Debeljak, and Marcello Potocco will share their work. Jernej Grlj will be with us in spirit and through his books, as you’ll be able to purchase all six chosen collections at the smallest bookstore in \u0160i\u0161ka. The reading will be moderated by Natalija Milovanovi\u0107, co-director of the Pranger Festival. The event will be followed by a sweet surprise and a small reception. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

The event will also feature the exhibition Books in Clothing<\/em> created in collaboration with the Maribor Woodworking School. For this occasion, last year\u2019s Pranger collections will be given unique wooden covers crafted by Maribor high school students. The Books in Clothing<\/em> will be on display at the The Slovene Days of Books Festival in Maribor, the Pranger Festival, at the school itself, and at the Selnica ob Dravi Cultural Centre. The collections of this year’s festival will receive their \u201cbark\u201d next fall; until then, let thoughts about them continue to grow and branch out\u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Thursday, September 17th, 2026, Radovljica <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

13:00, \u0160ivec House Gallery Radovljica:<\/span> <\/b><\/span>Visit Radol\u2019ca Welcome Reception and opening of the Gorenjska part of the festival: <\/span>exhibition <\/span>Books in Clothing<\/span><\/i>, musical performance by Bo\u0161tjan Sokli\u010d<\/strong>, Tantadruj<\/span>
<\/span>In collaboration with the Radovljica Municipality Museums, Anton Toma\u017e Linhart Library Radovljica, and the Maribor Woodworking School.<\/p>\r\n

15:00\u201318:00, Anton Toma\u017e Linhart Library<\/b>, 1. critical debate<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n