Does emigration change the language and perspective of a writer? Is it important where an author’s writing desk is located?

„Literature without borders” is a project devoted to contemporary Polish literature created outside Poland. All through the autumn the Emigration Museum would like to invite visitors to take part in meetings with authors considered as the most interesting voices in Polish prose. Gdynia will host Manuela Gretkowska (3 October), Grażyna Plebanek (7 November), Łukasz Orbitowski (28 November) and Wioletta Grzegorzewska (12 December). Each meeting will be preceded by actors reading extracts from the guests’ texts in selected branches of the Gdynia Municipal Library.

Creative writing workshops have been scheduled for all those who are just planning on startingtheir writing careers. The classes will take participants from the point of seeking inspiration, through building a storyline and creating the characters up to ways of reaching out to the reader, such as self-publishing or subsidised publication.

Youngsters, who also love reading, will have a chance to take part in literature and art workshops organised by the Museum. When the children, aged 5-10, are busy playing with words and images, their parents will be enjoying the peace of mind to take part in the meetings with invited authors.

November will see a discussion with renowned literary scholars Andrzej Franaszek and Barbara Toruńczyk, which will track the changes in the status of the 20th and early 21st century emigration literature. Participants will compare the role of literature as created by Witold Gombrowicz or Czesław Miłosz to its role today. They will also attempt to answer the question if, at this point in time, where a writer lives changes his/her view of reality and gives it a different perspective, or if geography perceived in this way has lost its significance.

The project „Literature without borders”, both meetings with authors and discussions, will also cater for persons with hearing disabilities. The events will be translated into Polish Sign Language.

All events in the project are free of charge. Workshops for children should be booked in advance at warsztaty@muzeumemigracji.pl. Information on recruitment for the creative writing workshops will appear on www.polska1.pl in September.

The project „Literature without borders” is co-financed from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage funds. The translation into Polish Sign Language as part of the „Museum with no exception” project is also financed from the funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

„Literature without borders” events:

MEETINGS:

Manuela Gretkowska | Emigration as an adventure and a risk

3 October |Saturday | 16.00

Grażyna Plebanek | Feelings in a foreign world

7 November| Saturday| 16.00

Andrzej Franaszek and Barbara Toruńczyk | A longing for Poland. Discussion.

20 November| Friday| 18.00

Łukasz Orbitowski | Poland seen from afar

28 November| Saturday| 16.00

Wioletta Grzegorzewska |The Pole in a multi-world

12 December| Saturday| 16.00

CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS

24 October |Saturday |13.00

31 October| Saturday| 13.00

LIBRARY READING”The book out loud”

We’re reading Manuela Gretkowska | 1 October| Thursday| 17.00 | Gdynia Library, Branch no 1

We’re reading Grażyna Plebanek | 5 November | Thursday| 17.00 | Gdynia Library, Branch no 1

We’re reading Łukasz Orbitowski | 26 November | Thursday | 17.00 | Gdynia Library, Branch no 18

We’re reading Wioletta Grzegorzewska | 10 December| Thursday | 17.00 | Gdynia Library, Branch no 18

WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN

Classes for children aged 5-10 will be organised parallel to meetings with authors.