I. About Literature Night

FINAL REPORT
I. About Literature Night
Literature Night - a public reading of contemporary literature in new translations at attractive locations.
This basically simple concept of a Literature Night, initiated by the Czech Centres in Prague in 2006, has gained
in popularity over time and inspired organisers in other European countries. This year the Literature Night has
expanded somewhat, both geographically and from a time point of view, and in many parts of Europe it has
accommodated the local public and has been held and continues to be held in places other than Prague. It takes
place during the year in a number of foreign cities, under the auspices of the Czech Centres or sponsored by
other partner organisations (continuously updated information can be found on the project website
www.literaturenights.eu), and it is therefore gaining the dimension of a whole-year project.
The texts for the Czech part of the Literature Night are selected by foreign cultural institutes from the European
National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) and the cultural departments of foreign embassies together with a
professional author from the Labyrint publishing house. In the Czech Republic, the Literature Night focuses on
the newest translations of contemporary European literature, enhanced this year by Brazilian and Israeli
literature. On the same day as in Prague, the Literature Night with the same texts also took place in 23 other
Czech cities.
"Literature Night offers an excellent opportunity to seek functioning models for multilateral cooperation.
Cooperation with foreign institutes in Prague is perfect, and this has enabled us to initiate a Literature Night also
in countries without Czech Centres. Good examples include Dublin and Lisbon. The Literature Night fits well into
the current debate about the role of culture in the EU," explained Zdeněk Lyčka, Director of the Strategy and
Development Department at the Czech Centres.
LITERATURE NIGHT IN PRAGUE 3
This year's Literature Night was held under the
auspices of Tomáš Hudeček, the Mayor of Prague.
"Literature night is an excellent idea for supporting
today's authors and helping promote literature
worldwide. Moreover, the genius loci of our city is
perfectly suitable for these types of events. Prague
has inspired a whole generation of writers, and it is
apparent that it currently has a lot to offer," the
Mayor of Prague explained.
The eighth annual Literature Night was held this
year in Žižkov. In twenty locations, twenty new
translations of contemporary world literature where
presented, with performances by famous actors and
Wednesday at the Secondary School of Industrial Arts /
SimonaPostlerová
actresses.
Literature Night 2014 began on Wednesday 14 May 2014
at 6 p.m. and was ended at 11 p.m. at the Žižkov Freight
Yard with a farewell "literary concern" featuring J. H.
Krchovský and the Krch-off Band, which sets the poetry of
Jiří Krchovský to music. Something else new at this year's
event was a dance performance at the Ponec Theatre and
announcement of the results of a successful global
competition for young translators, to mark the 100th
anniversary of the birth of author Bohumil Hrabal.
2
Bunkr Parukářka / Igor Orozovič
This year's Literature Night boasted of several superlatives: the largest "reading" location by area was the
Viktoria Žižkov Stadium, the highest point was the loft of the Sokolovna Žižkov centre, and the deepest distance
was travelled by visitors to the literature event in the nuclear fallout shelter named Bunkr na Parukářce. The
most intimate of this year's 20 locations was the Woodcut Studio [Ateliér dřevořezby].
Thanks to support from Matěj Stropnický, Deputy
Mayor of Prague 3, under whose auspices the event
was held, participants had the opportunity to view
very interesting sites in Žižkov. "Last year, Literature
Night was at Letná. I went there to have a look, and I
saw streets full of people, who were debating about
literature, sipping wine and moving from one
otherwise inaccessible space to another. In them
they read from interesting literature that had been
newly published around the world. It was fantastic,"
Matěj Stropnický said, explaining why he had
decided to support the project. The Czech Centres
were again the main organiser of the literary event,
which transcended the boundaries of both Prague
and the Czech Republic has a whole. The realisation
of literary projects with international participation
made up a major part of the Czech Centres'
programme offer. Just under 300 literary events are held each year, which attract more than 650,000 foreign
visitors.
Project ambitions




to encourage interest among the public in contemporary literature in a non-traditional and
creative manner, by presenting contemporary European literature in new Czech translations
to highlight the importance of multilingualism, translation and publication of books from
widely spoken as well as minority languages
to get involved actively in the urban environment and organisation of a major literary event
to use the project to present the attractiveness of less frequented parts of the city and the
relationship between cultural projects and cultural revitalisation of city districts
Project date:
14 May 2014, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Project location:
Prague 3 - Žižkov
Organisational team:
Zdeněk Lyčka, Project Coordinator
Jolana Součková, responsible for drama and production for Prague Literature Night, public relations
Kamil Pavelka, responsible for print and advertising materials, websites, marketing, fundraising and budgets
Petra Jungwirthová, responsible for marketing and public relations
Ondřej Kavalír, responsible for dramatic adaptation of texts
Helena Novotná, web
Radka Labendz, web
Markéta Souhradová, coordination
3
Overview of "reading" locations in Prague:
ATRIUM
BAJKAZYL
BANKING ACADEMY
BETHLEHEM CHAPEL
BUNKR PARUKÁŘKA
HOUSE OF TRADE UNIONS/large
auditorium
SECONDARY AND MUSIC SCHOOL OF
THE CAPITAL CITY OF
PRAGUE/auditorium
Austria
Switzerland
Netherlands
Lithuania
Italy
Arno Geiger: The Old King in His Exile
Christian Kracht: Imperium
Herman Koch: Dinner
Sigitas Parulskis: Dark and Company
Paolo Giordano: The Human Body
Péter Nádas: The End of a Family
Story
Lukáš Hlavica
Jan Hájek
David Prachař
Martin Pechlát
Igor Orozovič
Jana Janěková jr.
Spain
Norway
Denmark
Romania
Brazil
Poland
Stefan Spjut: Stallo
Emmanuel Carrère: Limonov.
Diary of a Loser
Pavol Rankov: Us and them / Them
and us
Dolores Redondo: The Invisible
Guardian
Linn Ullmann: Before You Sleep
Pia Juul: The Murder of Halland
Lena Constante: The Silent Escape
Milton Hatoum: The Brothers
Sylwia Chutnik: Women's Pocket Atlas
PUB U VYSTŘELENÝHO OKA
France
RESTAURANT KUŘE V HODINKÁCH
Slovakia
PONEC
TOWN HALL
SOKOL ŽIŽKOV/dance hall
ŠVEHLOVA KOLEJ/new building
TAPATAN
VIKTORIA ŽIŽKOV
Professional and Secondary School of
Industrial Arts / library
Professional and Secondary School of
Industrial Arts / woodcutting studio
JAROSLAV SEIFERT ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
United Kingdom
Michael Frayn: Skios
Václav Vydra
Portugal
Flanders,
Belgium
Teolinda Gersã: The Silence
Simona Postlerová
Annelies Verbeke: Saving Fish
Florian Illies: 1913. The Year Before
the Storm
Etgar Keret: Suddenly, a Knock on the
Door
Hana Vagnerová
JÁRA CIMRMAN THEATRE ŽIŽKOV
ŽIŽKOV CINEMATOGRAPHY THEATRE POKROK STUDIOS
Germany
Hungary
Sweden
Israel
Žižkov Cinematography Theatre - Jiří Vyorálek
Ivan Lupták
Roman Zach
Andrej Hryc
Andrea Elsnerová
Barbora Poláková
Ivana Chýlková
Daniela Kolářová
Pavel Batěk
Simona Babčáková
Helena Dvořáková
Jiří Vyorálek
Secondary School of Industrial Arts / Václav Vydra
4
Number of visitors of individual readings and book sales:
max. 6 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 9 p.m. 9:30 p.m. 10 p.m. 10:30 p.m.
ATRIUM
100
32
42
65
28
54
53
30
41
BAJKAZYL
50
26
30
56
75
50
56
70
55
60
10
100
58
70
65
85
99
68
BANKING ACADEMY
BETHLEHEM CHAPEL
100
45
32
57
86
82
98
85
92
70
45
50
57
86
82
98
85
80
80
61
23
42
37
42
63
27
80
7
10
20
20
30
40
60
28
30
58
63
74
90
40
85
85
83
PONEC
100
90
50
36
TOWN HALL
SOKOL ŽIŽKOV/dance
hall
ŠVEHLOVA KOLEJ/new
building
100
75
79
100
40
60
BUNKR PARUKÁŘKA
HOUSE OF TRADE
UNIONS/
large auditorium
SECONDARY AND
MUSIC SCHOOL OF
THE CAPITAL CITY OF
PRAGUE/auditorium
PUB U VYSTŘELENÝHO
OKA
RESTAURANT KUŘE
V HODINKÁCH
TAPATAN
VIKTORIA ŽIŽKOV
Professional and
Secondary School of
Industrial Arts / library
Professional and
Secondary School of
Industrial Arts /
woodcutting studio
JAROSLAV SEIFERT
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
/ ceremony hall
JÁRA CIMRMAN
THEATRE ŽIŽKOV
ŽIŽKOV
CINEMATOGRAPHY
THEATRE - POKROK
STUDIOS OF PETR
VACHLER
21
388
20
57
0
475
10
54
60
555
67
35
679
67
35
685
55
30
35
415
40
25
5
15
212
67
85
92
74
75
646
91
96
90
97
82
80
829
31
41
34
38
40
49
67
476
90
86
92
93
95
87
81
75
853
44
76
80
91
103
111
97
82
60
784
45
33
37
44
47
53
52
43
29
26
409
40
26
28
20
22
25
20
17
27
30
20
235
100
90
130
115
97
103
87
120
90
79
86
997
50
45
43
46
50
49
52
51
52
38
35
461
60
90
55
37
31
45
39
38
47
49
67
498
60
4
29
51
58
75
60
47
47
28
24
423
164
30
32
75
64
81
112
140
100
105
30
769
89
70
30
54
92
115
128
97
140
145
93
64
958
29
11,747
215
Pub U vystřelenýho oka / Roman Zach
22
Total
Sale
of
books
Bethlehem chapel / Martin Pechlát
5
2
20
20
14
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II. Literature Night in other Czech cities
During its existence, the Literature Night event has earned a unique position among Prague's main literary
events. The reputation of the project and active cooperation among the participating cultural institutes, EUNIC
clusters and partners in the Czech Republic and worldwide is leading not only to greater visitation and interest
from the professional and general public in the project in Prague, but to the successful spread of the project to
other cities as well. This is undoubtedly reflected by the interest in the Czech Association of Library and
Information Professionals, which first asked the Czech Centres for cooperation in 2013, when the event was
participated in by 8 Czech cities. This year there were already 23:
Number of visitors
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Kutná Hora City Library
Masaryk Public Library of Vsetín
Kroměříž Library
Kyjov City Library
Cheb City Library
Karel Dvořáček Library Vyškov
Tábor City Library
Prachatice City Library
Dr. E. Bořický Library Milín
Karlovy Vary Regional Library
Železná Ruda City Library
Kadaň Cultural Facility, contributory organisation
Chrudim City Library
Česká Lípa City Library
Rožnov pod Radhoštěm City Library
Hlinsko City Library
K. H. Mácha Library in Litoměřice
LiPen Club Litoměřice
Natural History Museum in Olomouc
UJEP Scientific Library Ústí nad Labem
Nové Město nad Metují City Library
Culture Department of the City of Březnice
Plzeň - The 2015 European Capital of Culture
Bedřich Beneš Buchlovan Library
in Uherské Hradiště
177
130
70
46
477
40
NL 18. 6.
105
12
70
10
30
110
100
50
70
200
400
75
25
52
700
75
The model for the project was the same as in
Prague, the excerpts and books were identical,
reading took place simultaneously in half-hour
intervals at multiple locations (libraries, trams,
galleries, museums, castles, chateaus, fire
stations, etc.).
The selection of titles was entirely up to each
partnering library. Most of them also want to
participate in the project next year.
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Moments from Literature Night in Czech Regions
7
Overview of locations and reading in regions:
Author
Name
Arno Geiger
The Old King in His Exile
Annelies Verbeke
Milton Hatoum
Saving Fish
The Brothers
Pia Juul
Participants read
Karlovy Vary, Březnice, Česká Lípa, Cheb, Kroměříž,
Olomouc, Litoměřice, Kutná Hora, Plzeň, Rožnov pod
Radhoštěm, Železná Ruda, Ústí nad Labem, Hlinsko,
Tábor, Chrudim, Uherské Hradiště, Vsetín
Litoměřice, Vyškov, Kadaň
Kyjov
Cheb, Kutná Hora, Olomouc, Chrudim, Nové Město nad
Metují
Cheb, Litoměřice, Kyjov, Vyškov, Tábor, Chrudim,
Uherské Hradiště
Karlovy Vary, Březnice, Olomouc, Plzeň, Rožnov pod
Radhoštěm, Ústí nad Labem, Hlinsko, Vyškov, Tábor,
Chrudim, Vsetín
Březnice, Litoměřice, Ústí nad Labem, Tábor
Česká Lípa, Kutná Hora, Pilsen, Prachatice, Železná Ruda,
Ústí nad Labem, Kyjov, Vyškov, Uherské Hradiště, Kadaň
Karlovy Vary, Březnice, Cheb, Litoměřice, Olomouc,
Pilsen, Nové Město nad Metují
Ústí nad Labem, Železná Ruda, Hlinsko
Litoměřice, Prachatice, Ústí nad Labem, Železná Ruda,
Kyjov, Vyškov, Vsetín
Březnice, Cheb, Kroměříž, Kutná Hora, Olomouc, Ústí
nad Labem, Železná Ruda, Kyjov, Vyškov, Tábor, Uherské
Hradiště, Vsetín
Litoměřice, Pilsen, Železná Ruda, Vyškov
Litoměřice, Olomouc, Prachatice, Rožnov pod
Radhoštěm, Kyjov, Vyškov, Tábor, Chrudim, Nové Město
nad Metují
Česká Lípa, Litoměřice, Ústí nad Labem, Železná Ruda,
Tábor, Chrudim, Vsetín
Litoměřice, Uherské Hradiště, Kadaň
Česká Lípa, Cheb, Kroměříž, Pilsen, Železná Ruda, Kyjov,
Vyškov, Nové Město nad Metují
Železná Ruda, Kyjov, Vyškov, Uherské Hradiště, Nové
Město nad Metují
Cheb, Olomouc
Karlovy Vary, Olomouc, Pilsen, Prachatice, Železná Ruda,
Hlinsko, Kyjov, Vyškov, Uherské Hradiště, Nové Město
nad Metují, Vsetín
The Murder of Halland
Emmanuel Carrère Limonov. Diary of a Loser
Florian Illies
1913. The Year Before the Storm
Péter Nádas
The End of a Family Story
Paolo Giordano
The Human Body
Etgar Keret
Suddenly, a Knock on the Door
Sigitas Parulskis
Dark and Company
Herman Koch
Dinner
Linn Ullmann
Before You Sleep
Sylwia Chutnik
Women's Pocket Atlas
Teolinda Gersã
The Silence
Lena Constante
The Silent Escape
Pavol Rankov
Us and them / Them and us
Dolores Redondo
The Invisible Guardian
Stefan Spjut
Stallo
Christian Kracht
Imperium
Michael Frayn
Skios
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III. Partners and their roles
Project organiser
Czech Centres
Co-organisers
Cultural institutes in the EUNIC network and branches of foreign institutions in Prague
British Council Prague, Italian Cultural Institute Prague, French Institute in Prague, Goethe-Institut in Prague,
Instituto Cervantes in Prague, Hungarian Cultural Centre in Prague, Polish Institute in Prague, Portuguese
Centre – Instituto Camões in Prague, Austrian Cultural Forum in Prague, Embassy of the Netherlands, Embassy
of Norway, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Switzerland, Flemish Representation in the
Czech Republic, Embassy of Lithuania, Embassy of Denmark, Zlín Library, Slovak Cultural Institute, Literary
Centre in Bratislava, Romanian Cultural Institute, Embassy of Brazil, Embassy of Israel.
Main partners
ČSOB (Československá obchodní banka) and the European Commission Representation in the Czech
Republic
Dramatic adaptation of texts, co-organiser
Revue Labyrint
Auspices
Tomáš Hudeček, Mayor of the City of Prague
Matěj Stropnický, Deputy Mayor of Prague 3
Main media partner
Hospodářské noviny (newspaper)
Media partners
5+2 dny, Art Map, Citybee, Classic FM, Express, Expats, Literární noviny, Marianne, Radniční noviny, Radio 1,
Radio Wave, weekly Rozhlas, Xantypa
Partners
Prague Public Transport Company, Academia bookstores, Magnesia, City Library in Prague, National Theatre,
Railreklam, Revolver Revue, Svět knihy [World of Books], Association of Library and Information Professionals
Partners / reading locations
Atrium, Bajkazyl, Banking Academy, Bethlehem Chapel, Bunkr Parukářka, House of Trade Unions, Secondary
and Music School of Prague, Pub U vystřelenýho oka, Restaurant Kuře v hodinkách, Ponec Theatre, Sokol Žižkov
Town Hall/dance studio, Švehlova kolej dormitory, Tapatan, Viktoria Žižkov, VOŠUP a SUPŠ [Professional and
Secondary School of Industrial Arts]/woodcutting library and studio, Jaroslav Seifert Elementary School, Jára
Cimrman Theatre Žižkov, Žižkov Cinematography Theatre/Petr Vachler Pokrok Studios
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IV. Promotion
Overview of printed materials
brochure
flyer - puzzle
posters – 955 x 955 mm square
posters – 490 x 490 mm square
posters - A4
CityLight
T-shirts
turn signs A2 – PSH board
billboard 5,100 x 2,400 mm
placards 37 x 37 mm
baloons 37 cm
8,000
12,000
125
290
1,600
50
120
80
3
9,000
8,000
Overview of ads
Labyrint Revue – double edition 33 – 34/ 2014
Revolver Revue – spring 2014
Xantypa – edition for April and May 2014
National Theatre – bulletin, edition for May 2014
Literární noviny – edition for March, April and May
2014
Svět knihy
Art Map – edition for April and May 2014
Hospodářské noviny – IN Magazín 14 May 2014
Overview of electronic promotion
Ss
Art Map – web banner
Prague City of Literature – web banner
Citybee – web banner
National Theatre – screens / static spot
City Library – screens / static spot
Metrovision / JCDecaux / static spot
Literární noviny
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Outdoor: from 29 April 2014 to 30 May 2014
posters – 955 x 955 mm square
posters – 490 x 490 mm square
posters - A4
citylight
billboard 5,100 x 2,400 mm
Metrovision / JCDecaux / static spot
National Theatre – screens / static spot
125 pcs
290 pcs
1,600 pcs
50 pcs
3 pcs
7000 op. / week
Non-traditional happening at Bunkr na Parukářce
13 May 2014 at 11 a.m.
In this newly reconstructed former nuclear
fallout shelter, a meeting was held with
representatives of the media, which
corresponded to a series of non-traditional
meetings held one day before the start of
the literary event. A new feature of this year
was the announcement of the results of an
international
competition
for
young
translators, information about expansion of
the literary menu to include works from
outside Europe and dance performances for
"custom snippets". The brief dance
performance was prepared exclusively for
the media and entirely uniquely directly in
the location of the former nuclear fallout
shelter. A news conference was held with
participation by representatives of the Czech
Centres, Prague 3 and the SESTA
choreography association.
Matěj Stropnický, Deputy Mayor of Prague 3
Beton Garden / Bunkr, 13 May 2014 at 11:45 a.m.
15 minutes before noon, the eighth annual Literature Night began with uncorking of champagne.
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V. Media reactions
The eighth annual Literature Night attracted increased attention from the public. Information about
preparations, invitations, interviews and reports were featured in the Czech media as of April of this year.
The link below contains a set of media reactions monitored by 22 May 2014.
http://www.uschovna.cz/zasilka/QI6I6MEJHNA3L92N-YRH
The organisers expect additional media reactions during May 2014. The monitoring will be completely
ended in June 2014, which should include other articles focused on the phase following the end of the
event. The thorough monitoring will be added to and sent at the beginning of June of that same year.
VI. Campaign
Press Release
The press release issued by the Czech Centres on 5 May 2014 was first distributed during the 2014 Svět
knihy press conference (6 May 2014 at Adria Palace). Literature Night 2014 was personally introduced by
the Czech Centres' representatives Zdeněk Lyčka, Director of the Strategy and Development Department,
and Petra Jungwirthová, spokeswoman for the Czech Centres. At the specified time, both representatives
for about 8 minutes summarised the offer and news regarding the upcoming eighth annual Literature
Night. A brief presentation as a reminder of the acting performances also attracted interest from reporters
in attendance. This opened up a new platform for providing interviews in a microphone, directly after the
ending of the official part of the event.
Press conference in the Bunkr na Parukářce former fallout shelter
On Tuesday, 13 May 2014, representatives of leading Czech media organisations met at a press conference
held in the form of a happening. This year's Literature Night boasted of several superlatives: The
attractiveness of the superlatives created a basic communication footing for the event. The highest
"reading" point of Literature Night was the loft of the Sokolovna Žižkov centre, and the deepest distance
was travelled by visitors to the literature event in the nuclear fallout shelter named Bunkr na Parukářce.
That site, which was recently reconstructed, is where the organisers decided to hold the next happening
meeting and follow up from the series of non-traditional meetings held before the start of each Literature
Night.
Official opening
Another aspect of balanced communication was the original mini VIP meeting with partners "before the
Night sets in". The event took place at 3:30 p.m. on 14 May 2014 at the Czech Centre in Prague. Together
with the official opening of the eighth annual event, a ceremony was held coinciding with issuance of
rewards to young foreign students of Czech studies, who participated in a competition focused on
translating Bohumil Hrabal's works into foreign languages.
Literature Night 2014 Campaign
A quality outdoor campaign was managed thanks to cooperation with partners.
Where promotion of Literature Night could be seen
 On city lights and advertising spaces provided by city advertising agency JC Decaux…
 On A4 posters in trams...
 In Metrovision spots at Prague Metro stations...
 In the cars of trains travelling beyond the boundaries of Prague...
 In Prague Metro trains...
 On billboards...
 On special Citybee city light displays drawing attention to selected events in May 2014...
 A radio advertising campaign was launched on stations including R1, Express, Classic...
 Successful presentation was also carried out on full-surface advertising.
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VII. Web and Facebook
LITERATURE NIGHT WEBSITE
A new web presentation was prepared for the Literature Night project, which was realised in accordance
with the new visual style from the Mütanta graphics studio. The website is for all Czech and foreign cities
that have become involved in the project.
The Literature Night websites with the addresses www.nocliteratury.cz and www.literaturenights.cz also
contain archives of the project from previous years.
FACEBOOK
Since the project ended in 2013, the Literature Night profile on Facebook has received 1,046 new likes. As
of 20 May 2014, Literature Night had already been liked by 2,459 Facebook users.
VIII. Final assessment
Thanks to valuable cooperation and coordination among all of the project's participants, including cultural
institutions and foreign embassies in Prague, and thanks to the priceless support from all partners, the
project was once again a success. The total number of visitors to all Prague readings this year exceeded
10,000. This year's event also received more pleasant feedback from visitors, thanks to the choice of
locations. For example, Prague 3 offered a range of interesting spaces for a large number of people, so
people did not have to stand in long lines, and participants could visit seven readings during the evening.
By putting the Prague Literature Night and the Literature Night events in Czech regions into a European
context and using the event's potential to overcome cultural boundaries and more, one of the main
objectives of the Czech Centres is being fulfilled, which is to promote the Czech Republic's good reputation
abroad. The Literature Night project is an inspiration for cultural organisations with international presence,
and is appreciated by the cultural public in Prague, in other Czech regions and abroad.
Anticipated date and location of the ninth annual Literature Night:
in Prague 6, on 13 May 2015
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