News

We are pleased to inform you that this year’s scholarship holder in the “Visegrad Literary Residences” programme, Hanus Ondřej, is the laureate of the prestigious Czech poetry prize of Jiří Orten. Ondřej Hanus is a young Czech poet, translator and literary critic. He has published two independent collections of poems, ”Výjevy” (2013) and “Stínohrad” (2008); his work was also presented in literary magazines such as “Revolver Revue”, “Weles”, “Tvar”, “Host” and “Psí víno.” From May 1 to June 12, 2013 he is staying in Budapest on a scholarship in the “Visegrad Literary Residences” programme.

On April 25, the participants of the creativity workshop project for seniors, SAGA, took part in a literary walk along the trail of “Kraków Pub Realism”, led by Agnieszka Pudełko. The trail encompassed most popular premises in the centre of Kraków which provided locations in literary works of writers related to the city. Literary walks and meetings with well-known writers supplement the SAGA creativity workshop project, whose fourth edition started in April and will last until mid June.

We would like to invite everybody to an international debate entitled “Democratic Transitions and the Role of Visegrad Countries: The Way Forward”, which will take place on May 14, 2014 at the Central European University in Budapest. The conference is yet another event within the scope of project “Visegrad Dialogue Platform”, where Villa Decius Association is a partner. The meeting will be attended by Director of the Association, Danuta Glondys. Persons interested in participating in the conference are requested to sent an e-mail confirmation by May 9 to the following address:registration@forum2000.cz.

On April 15, the ceremonious Literary Salon attended by Sylwia Frołow and a visit at the Renaissance interiors of Villa Decius, marked the inauguration of the fourth edition of creativity workshops for seniors, SAGA. For the next two month, the participants of the project will master their literary skills by taking part in workshops and tutorials led by Katarzyna Kubisiowska and Michał Olszewski. The programme will be supplemented by Klub Saga, organized by volunteers. Texts written during the classes will be published at the project site (www.saga.villa.org.pl) and they will also be included in a publication which will appear at the end of 2014.

We are very happy to inform that until today we have received 367 full applications and that 593 profiles of candidates were open by candidates who come from 29 countries. The process of recruitment will close on 30 April with announcement of the approved candidates. Each applicant should register at the Internet site: www.visegradsummerschool.org and complete an on-line application form.

The Villa Decius Association received co-financing from the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation to implement another edition of the project entitled “Creative Scholarships.” The programme is addressed to German writers, literature translators from German to Polish or from Polish to German and enables A scholarship stay of three authors in Kraków in the autumn of 2014. The recruitment starts on May 1.

Dramatic events in Ukraine drew attention to the Polish-Ukrainian-Belarusian programme, TRANZYT at the Book Fair in Leipzig (March 13 – 16, 2014), whose part was promotion of the literary magazine RADAR published by the Villa Decius Association. The programme of joint presentations of Polish, Ukrainian and Belarusian literature, culture, history, but also social and political phenomena has been implemented in Leipzig for three years.

On April 15 (Tuesday) at 5 p.m. at Villa Decius, a ceremonious inauguration of the fourth edition of creativity workshops for seniors, SAGA, will take place. The special guest of the event is going to be Sylwia Frołow – author of a biography of the head of Soviet terror apparatus, entitled “Dzerzhinsky. Love and Revolution.” The meeting will be hosted by Katarzyna Kubisiowska. Admission: free. You are heartily welcome.