20 August 2019 Conrad in Bookstores in 2019 – here’s what we got!
A debate of bloggers and publishers, hot topics – food waste and the state of public transit in Poland, a meeting with Japanese literature, performative reading and even… a gravitational film screening! Conrad Festival has once again become an opportunity for the Krakow bookstores to prepare numerous accompanying events. We proudly present the “Conrad in Bookstores 2019” programme!
In recent years, small and independent bookstores have become real cultural institutions – places, where literary works selected by experts from amongst many publishing products become a starting point for various kinds of cultural activities. In 2019, Conrad Festival once again decided to work with Krakow booksellers, who prepared their own suggestions, some of which were included in the programme of accompanying events. On 21-27 October, nine bookstores in Krakow will host a vast variety of meetings, debates, presentations and readings.
The programme will be kickstarted by gravitational cinema presentation in Antykwariat Abecadło (Kościuszki 18) On 21 October at 6:30 p.m. we will take a closer look at the alternative to traditional kinetic cinema – techniques used for generating words and images, together with theorists of this medium – Mateusz Falkowski and Marek Sobczyk.
A day later, the programme will feature two events. On 22 October at 6:00 p.m., Księgarnia Karakter (Tarłowska 12) will host a meeting with the latest Japanese literature published by the recently opened Tajfuny publishing house, and at 8:30 p.m. Księgarnia LOKATOR (Mostowa 1) will invite you to a meeting with Jan Gondowicz, one of the translators of the outstanding Dictionary of Imaginary Places by Alberto Manguel and Gianni Guadalupi.
On Wednesday, 23 October at 6:00 p.m. the Bonobo travel bookstore (Mały Rynek 4) will host a debate about the condition of literary magazines in Poland, together with the editorial staff of the Non/fiction magazine. On Thursday, things are going to get very intense, starting with a performative reading of books by Dominika Słowik at Księgarnia Pod Globusem (Długa 1, 5:00 p.m.), followed by a debate on the boundaries of children's literature with Agnieszka Wolny-Hamkało and Szymon Kloska at Główna Księgarnia Naukowa (Podwale 6, 6:00 p.m.) and a meeting revolving around Na marne – a book on the very relevant topic of food redistribution, with its author – Marta Sapała, and Magdalena Wrona of Foodsharing Krakow initiative at Spółdzielnia Ogniwo (Paulińska 28/LU, 7:00 p.m.).
The debate of publishers and bloggers, who will ask themselves one question – “Does Instagram promote reading?” – is slated to take place on Friday, 25 October at 5:00 p.m. at Księgarnia Pod Globusem. On the same day, at 6:00 p.m. De Revolutionibus (Bracka 14) will host a meeting with Olga Gitkiewicz about her book – Nie zdążę – devoted to the crisis of public transit in Poland after 1989.
The publishing stream of the Conrad Festival will be concluded with a meeting with Agnieszka Pajączkowska, author of the Wędrowny zakład fotograficzny project and book, who has been travelling across the borderlands of Poland since 2012, taking photographs of people in exchange for stories. The conversation will take place at the Cafe NOWA Księgarnia at Zgody 7 on Sunday, 27 October at 4:00 p.m.
Like last year, Conrad Festival did not limit its support to recognising the events carried out by booksellers and including them in its programme – the books by festival guests will also find their way to bookstores. Specially arranged displays and shelves with a broad selection of publications by the authors joining us for the festival will be available at: Antykwariat Abecadło, Bonobo Księgarnia Kawiarnia Podróżnicza, Cafe Księgarnia Nowa, De Revolutionibus Books & Café, Księgarnia Pod Globusem, Główna Księgarnia Naukowa, Księgarnia Karakter, Spółdzielnia Ogniwo and Księgarnia Skrzat (Prądnicka 77).
The bookstore in the festival centre at Czeczotka House will be run by LOKATOR.
The Bookstore Programme of the 11th Conrad Festival was created with the support of the City of Krakow. This activity constitutes an element of a long-term strategy for supporting independent bookstores, carried out by the Krakow Festival Office as part of the Krakow – UNESCO City of Literature programme.
