Slovene Writers’ Association
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17 Oct 2024
"Music, words and the poetry of Gregor Strniša" - the launch of the poetry collection SPACE by Slovenian poet Gregor Strniša. Translator of Strniša's poetry Nada Grošelj will be presenting his poetry collection alongside poet and singer-songwriter Matej Krajnc, who created an album of selected Strniša’s poems with music. Organised by Slovene Writers’ Association and Barbican & Community Libraries and promoted by Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia London.
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26 Oct 2023
Writer and translator Erica Johnson Debeljak and Lukas Debeljak, poet and translator, will talk about the joint creative process of translating the book Machine, Do You Know Your Duty? by Slovenian author Esad Babačić. In discussion with Dr Karen Saego. Co-organised by the Slovene Writers’ Association and the Slovenian Book Agency. Supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia London.
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15 Nov 2019
Day of Slovenian Literature, moderated by Jure Kapun and Aljaž Koprivnikar, organised by LUD Literatura, featuring a reading by Nina Dragičević, supported by the Slovenian Cultural Centre in Berlin and Slovene Writers’ Association,
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16 Sep 2018
22 Sep 2018
China Ningbo
The Slovene Writers’ Association, represented by writers Mojca Kumerdej and Nina Kokelj, supported by Slovenian Book Agency,
at the China - Central and East European Literature Forum
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6 Nov 2017
Days of Slovenian Literature with Stanka Hrastelj, Jurij Hudolin and Ivo Svetina Slovene Writers’ Association, initiated by National and University Library and supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Skopje,
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31 Oct 2017
an hohen feiertagen und im stau, a poetry reading and performance by poets Lucija Stupica and Tone Škrjanec, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association and Slovenian Book Agency,
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24 Aug 2016
28 Aug 2016
A presentation of Slovenian literature at the national stand, a lecture by Ifigenija Zagoričnik Simonović (Slovene Writers’ Association) and 100 Slavic Novels, a project by the Forum of Slavic Cultures International Foundation, organised by the Slovenian Book Agency in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Beijing
at the Beijing International Book Fair
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5 Nov 2014
Literary One on One - Dalkey Archive writers with English critics also featuring Marko Sosič, co-organised and supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia London and the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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8 Apr 2014
10 Apr 2014
Literary evening with writer, editor and professor Andrej Makuc, supported by the Centre for Slovene as a Second and Foreign Language, Slovene Writers’ Association and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Kiev,
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12 Dec 2013
An evening of Slovene culture, bringing together music (Klemen Pisk), literature (Ivan Dobnik), and visual arts (Katarina Vladimirov Young), supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Prague, Slovene Writers’ Association, and Centre for Slovene as a Second/Foreign Language,
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15 Nov 2013
17 Nov 2013
Barbara Pogačnik participates at the international meeting of writers Karamanovi poetski susreti, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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23 Oct 2013
25 Oct 2013
Iztok Osojnik and Dejan Koban participating in a round table discussion, literary evening and other events in the framework of Košice - the European Capital of Culture, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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15 Oct 2013
An evening with Slovene writers Miriam Drev, Mirana Likar Bajželj, and Tomislav Vrečar, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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13 Oct 2013
18 Oct 2013
Tomaz Šalamun and Marko Sosič participating in a number of literary evenings, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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23 Sep 2013
29 Sep 2013
Veno Taufer reading, supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia Athens and Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Athens World Poetry Festival
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19 Sep 2013
22 Sep 2013
Maja Vidmar participates in the Belgrade international meeting of writers, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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4 Sep 2013
9 Sep 2013
Authors Drago Jančar and Mojca Kumerdej presentation, organised by the Slovenian Book Agency, joined by Slavko Pregl, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Moscow International Book Fair
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21 Aug 2013
24 Aug 2013
Esad Babačič, Milan Dekleva, and Veronika Dintinjana supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Struga Poetry Evenings
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7 Aug 2013
12 Aug 2013
Readings by Ivo Svetina, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Qinghai Lake International Poetry Festival
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2 Aug 2013
4 Aug 2013
Slavko Pregl presentation, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Kalimera Poetike Festival
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20 Jul 2013
25 Jul 2013
Ivo Frbežar and Cvetka Bevc presentation Slavjanska pregratka, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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20 Jul 2013
25 Jul 2013
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19 Jul 2013
28 Jul 2013
Tomaž Šalamun presentation, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Voix Vives de Méditerranée en Méditerranée
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6 Jul 2013
15 Jul 2013
Lidija Dimkovska readings, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the Festival Internacional de poesía de Medellín
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25 May 2013
26 May 2013
Alja Adam presentation, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
at the World Villages Festival
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30 Apr 2013
Nataša Kramberger, Stanislava Repar, Diana Pungeršič, and Boštjan Dvořák participating at the Slovakian-Slovenian evening, supported by the Slovene Writers’ Association,
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29 Nov 2012
A literary gathering with Slovene authors Feri Lainšček, Ana Pepelnik, Maja Vidmar, and Vlado Žabot, co-organised by the Slovene Writers’ Association
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4 Jul 2012
A presentation by the Cultural Contact Point Slovenia (Mateja Lazar) and Slovene Writers’ Association (Gašper Troha) at the National Infoday 2012 organised by the Cultural Contact Point Italy
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28 May 2011
19 Jun 2011
France Tinqueux Antenne de la Poésie Slovène,Maison de la Poésie de Tinqueux – Centre Culturel
Poetry readings by Slovene poets in collaboration with Slovene Writers’ Association and Trubar Literature House
History
The Association was originally founded on 21 April 1872 in Ljubljana with the aim of supporting writers and their families. It was dissolved in 1915 by the Austrian authorities, but re-established in 1920. From World War II until 1989 the Association was a member of the Writers' Association of Yugoslavia. In the early 1980s the Slovene Writers' Association became more involved in social questions, particularly issues concerning nationality, creative freedom and political pluralism (during this period a commission for the protection of writing and thinking functioned within the framework of the Association, and – with help from external experts – participated in measures to change the Constitution). The Association also played an important role in Slovenia gaining independence.
In recent years the Association has been above all a literary organisation, devoting a great deal of energy to promoting Slovene literature abroad. Its international activities are focused on maintaining contacts with writers’ societies and cultural institutions around the world (it has signed international cooperation protocols with many countries), and on collaborating with other literary magazines. The focus of these efforts is the international writers’ event Vilenica International Writers’ Gathering, which is attended by more than 100 renowned writers from all over the world each year.
Projects
The Slovene Writers’ Association has maintained productive contacts with translators and promoters of Slovene literature abroad. Occasionally – and depending on its financial resources – the Association sends out newly-published Slovene books and dictionaries, enabling established as well as future translators who are learning the Slovene language (up to five) to participate in the Seminar of the Slovene Language, Literature and Culture, which is held each July at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. There are also grants available for translators who wish to perfect their skills in Ljubljana (the Association provides financial aid and the possibility of lodging). This form of cooperation with translators has developed into a unique series of writers’ and translators’ workshops, which make possible a constant creative exchange. The Association's international activities also include the participation of Slovene writers in annual and biannual international events and festivals abroad. When its members are personally invited to take part in events, readings, festivals and meetings abroad, the Association covers part of their travel expenses (50 to 75 %).
International cooperation
Each year at the Vilenica International Writers’ Gathering the Association bestows the Vilenica International Literary Awards, which comprises the Vilenica Grand Prix, the Young Vilenica International Literary Award and various other minor awards. It also bestows the annual Jenko Award for poetry, Stritar Award for literary criticism, Desetnica Award for children and youth literature, and Župančičeva listina Award for translations. In cooperation with the Sodobnost International Cultural Society the annual competition for the Best Short Story Award is run at the Slovene Book Days festival.
Twice each year the Association issues the special foreign-language publication Litterae slovenicae, which contains excerpts from works by Slovene authors. In 2002 the Association also issued the publication Key: Slovenia, Contemporary Slovene Literature in Translation for the Slovene presentation at the Frankfurt Book Fair, along with some special publications on particular authors.
The Slovene Writers' Association has also collaborated with Slovene PEN Centre and the Centre for Slovene Literature to set up the Trubar Foundation.
Online resources
Slovene Writers’ Association's website features various events, festivals (Vilenica International Writers’ Gathering) and several awards the Association bestows.
See also
Festivals
Awards
- Vilenica International Literary Awards
- Jenko Award
- Stritar Award
- Desetnica Award
- Župančičeva listina Award
- Best Short Story Award