As UNESCO City of Literature, Leeuwarden and Fryslân want to invest in a professional literary climate, an international network, making literature as accessible as possible (taking into account, among other things, low literacy and multilingualism) and innovative collaborations. Below is the program for 2021, unfortunately less extensive than hoped for due to corona.

Professionalization

Presenting workshop (from September 2021)
How do writers present their text? Which presentation method best suits their work? Writers who want to be inspired to present their work better are offered a workshop, with guidance from a theater maker.
Partners: Tryater, Explore the North

DB Lab
CoL offers advice, coaching and sometimes financial resources to various organizations. One of these is Dichter bij Leeuwarden. Earlier this year, we did the ‘Samen’ project together with Dichter bij Leeuwarden, Explore the North and dbieb. Later this year we will be working with Dichter bij Leeuwarden and Explore the North on DB Lab. Word artists build their own lab to realize their dream show or performance.
Partners: Dichter bij Leeuwarden, Explore the North

Writers’ school Leeuwarden (from September 2021)
We aim to provide Leeuwarden with a complete range of courses for writers in Frisian and Dutch. In this context, we are working towards cooperation between Tresoar and the Schrijversvakschool in Groningen. The aim is a new course offer from September.
Partners: Schrijversvakschool, dbieb, Tresoar

Internationalization

Poetry International (ongoing from March 2021)
How do we make Frisian poetry internationally visible? In the coming year we will have work of approx. Translating 25 Frisian poets into English. The poems are included in the international archive of Poetry International.
Partners: RIXT, Poetry International, Nederlands Letterenfonds

Residence (October and November 2021)
Many Cities of Literature open residences to writers from other cities of the network. This also applies to Leeuwarden. This year we receive a foreign writer who will stay in Fryslân in the fall and perform during the Explore the North festival.
Partners: Cities of Literature, Explore the North

Reading promotion

Children’s poet of Leeuwarden (September-November 2021)
In the autumn of 2021, Leeuwarden will have its own children’s poet. The best children’s poet is chosen by a professional jury from all participating classes.
Partners: Kunstkade, Poëziepaleis

Magazine at the LC (July 2021)
Reading books? Not a nice form of relaxation or development for everyone. In July we will publish an appendix to the Leeuwarder Courant in the context of reading promotion, including book tips and articles related to the Sustainable Development Goals (UNESCO) in the province of Fryslân.

Innovation

Pidgin X (ongoing)
With Pidgin Leeuwarden, artist Ahilan Ratnamohan creates a new language to show which different languages ​​and people there are in Leeuwarden.
Partner: Explore the North

Portraits in Poetry (from October 2021)
Tsead Bruinja and an artistic team make portraits (poetry, music, photography) of residents of a number of nursing homes in Fryslân.
Partners: Afûk, various healthcare institutions

Wjerspegelje (all year round)
Publish literature in unexpected places? In many catering establishments in Fryslân, town halls and libraries, 50 Frisian poems can be read on the mirrors of toilets thanks to the Wjerspegelje / Weerspiegelen project.
Partner: Merk Fryslân

Poetry route Leeuwarden (from June 2021)
Making the literature visible. A new app has been created for the 59 poetry stones of the unique Leeuwarden poetry route, on which all poems can be seen and heard. The poems are specially voiced by Tamara Schoppert and Raymond Muller. A trip along these stones is now even more fun.
Partner: Stichting Poëzieplateaus Leeuwarden

Read the article about the program in the Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch)