Europe’s vast range of literary events includes some of the oldest and most venerated in the world. Use the search menu below to find events across the continent.
The Gellu Naum Poetry Festival, held in July, aims to promote contemporary Romanian literature among students by organizing meetings and debates with writers, publishers, and journalists. The main purpose of the festival is to broaden the school curriculums and encourage creativity. Through competitions, anthologies, and creative workshops, the students are motivated to share their own understanding of poetry and their own works.
First held in 2012, the Festival Ana Blandiana, named after one of the most important contemporary Romanian poets, focuses on creation and interpretation and takes place in Brăila. In addition to traditional literary categories such as poetry and prose, there are also literary criticism and translation categories, which are also open to teachers who contribute to the field of literary studies. The artistic events in May end with an award ceremony.
The International Festival of Literature and Translation is a project that unites hundreds of cultural professionals in Romania. In a wide range of events, the festival aspires to strengthen its transnational dimension. Taking place in October in the city of Iasi since 2013, the festival has already become one of the most important literary festivals in Eastern Europe.
The international Bookfest in Bucharest is Romanias’s largest book fair and attracts more than 100,000 people in September. It features book launches, children’s events, debates and roundtables dedicated to current issues, film screenings and several other interactive events. Each Bookfest also has an honored guest, including from Italy and Japan in recent years.
This festival, held in October, pays tribute to Central and East European literature. Taking place in Timișoara, which is a gate open towards both East and West, the festival is a unique combination of cultures and a symbol of tolerance and multiculturalism in Romania. Discussion themes range from Eastern and Western cultural identities, past and present political issues, to the experience of writing in a foreign language.
Founded in 2013, the Transylvanian Book Festival is a symposium created to build international friendships and partnerships and takes place in September. It raises international awareness of the cultural richness and diversity of Romania; its literature, history, music, food and more. Set amidst the villages and foothills of Transylvania, the festival is unique in Romania.
