Home 
April is full of all kinds of intense literary events. We really mean it; you are going to need some comfortable shoes, and maybe – just maybe – some books the exchanges in April – all three of them! The celebrations of the World Book and Copyright Day, taking place on the 22nd and 23rd of April, will be the central point of this month. Krakow – the UNESCO City of Literature will run the first Krakow Book Fair of this year, with all the booksellers and antiquarians from Krakow and from the region, so there will be a lot to choose from.
We are also going to see the Second Life of a Book – not once, not even twice, but three times: On the 23rd of April we are going to take part in a classic exchange, and apart from that there will be two additional special editions. On the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd of April, we also have another large event in store for you: the celebrations of the Tranströmer Days, with meetings, poetry evenings and concerts. Additionally, from the 21st to the 26th of April, Krakow will become the centre of the 23rd Norwid Days, featuring Polend – a play by Ars Te Theatre Group and a special happening in Nowa Huta. Numerous events are also planned for the 22nd and 23rd of April, as the book stores will join forces during the Independent Bookstore Weekend, offering their visitors the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities. The IBW is a nationwide initiative, carried out in 20 Polish cities this year. April will also be a very active month for cultural centres – you should definitely check out their offer!
Selected events:
- 30th of April, starting at 3:00 p.m. – Second Life of a Book
In April, our bookworms will be able to exchange books at the Film Campus of the Off Camera Festival. The rules will remain the same as always: just bring some books – from one to ten. Books published before 1995 will be exchanged only for other books published before 1995. Those who bring new books (published after 1995) will be able to select any book from among new and old ones.
- 6th of April, starting at 6:00 p.m. – screening of Vater and meeting with its creators
The Urwany Film Foundation organises a film screening, combined with a meeting with its creators – Janusz Mika and Krzysztof Maćkowski. Vater follows the story of Horst von Wachter, son of Otton, governor of the Krakow District of the General Government. The producers emphasise that Vater is not a psychological drama, more of a psychological documentary. The filming took place at the Horst Castle in Hagenberg, in Vienna, Krakow and Lviv.
- 21st – 26th of April – The 23rd Norwid Days
This year’s edition of the festival will feature Polend – a play by Ars Te Theatre Group, a concert of Natalia Sikora, who will present songs from her latest album – Absurdustra – Próba Norwida, as well as a performance by Mateusz Kluza, author of Niksy chcą ciszy and Ethno Garden. Additionally, the Norwid Days will introduce poetry to the urban space, thanks to Norwid in Centralny. The fans of the festival will also have an opportunity to participate in Norwid Walking – an endurance march based on the theme of a journey present in the art of Cyprian Kamil Norwid.
- 22nd of April – Literary Walk around the Antique Book Stores
Grzegorz Nieć from the Pedagogical University is going to take you on an outstanding walk on the streets of the City of Literature – for the first time this year. We are going to visit corners of the city filled with inspiration, getting to know our local antiquarians, as well as other artists creating in the City of Kings.
- 22nd – 23rd of April – Krakow Book Fair
We are going to take part in the first edition of our small fair, bringing together many antiquarians and book sellers from Krakow and Małopolska. The programme will be complemented by meetings, demonstrations and workshops. The participants will learn how to operate a mimeograph used for copying opposition press in the 1980s, and how to bind artistic Rebook notebooks.
- 22nd – 23rd of April – Tranströmer Days
The event dedicated to the works of the Swedish poet, who was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature will be organised in two of the UNESCO Creative Cities – Krakow, the City of Literature and Katowice, the City of Music. The event programme will feature meetings with poetry, an evening of poetry and music and a concert titled The Funereal Gondola, starring Mikołaj Trzaska with his saxophone.
