Discover the fascinating world of literature during the 8th Silesian Science Festival Katowice! We have prepared a Literary Café for both older and younger book fans, where you will be able to participate in meetings with famous authors, literary workshops and music shows. You can’t miss it!
Literary Café is a unique venture that we created in cooperation with literary festivals: Aglo Festival, Przestrzeń Słowa (Space of Word) Festival of the Silesian Library and Festiwal Słowa im. Jerzego Pilcha Granatowe Góry (Jerzy Pilch Blue Mountains Word Festival). Find out what awaits you!
Aglo Festival Stage
One of the attractions of the Literary Café is the Aglo Festival Stage. It will be a space to discuss important issues related to our region (and much more). It is also an opportunity to meet unique personalities – authors of books and experts in literature and other fields.
On the Aglo Festival Stage you will listen to guests such as:
● Ewa Winnicka (author of the book Miasteczko Panna Maria) who will present a fascinating story about the Silesians who founded a town in the Wild West in the 19th century;
● Leszek Jodliński and Karolina Pospiszil-Hoffmańska who will talk about what is happening on the Czech side of Upper Silesia;
● Monika Glosowitz and Beata Piecha-Van Schagen who will present the profiles of women from mining families and women miners;
● Anna Dudzińska who will present fragments of her audio series Saamowie. Wyrzut sumienia Skandynawii (The Saami. Scandinavia’s Remorse) and talk about the relationships between the Saami and the Silesians;
● Zbigniew Rokita and Arkadiusz Gola who will talk about their project ‘Życia nigdy dość’ (‘Never enough of life’), a photo report about Polish transplantology;
● Kuba Benedyczak who will talk about his latest book Oddział chorych na Rosję (The Ward of Sick with Russia).
Silesian Library’s ‘Space of Word’ Stage
One of the co-creators of the Literary Café at the 8th ŚFN Katowice is the Silesian Library, which is also a co-organiser of the Space of Word Festival. It is an innovative, international literary and music project in which leading foreign and Polish artists, writers, poets, musicians and happeners take part.
The presentation of the Silesian Library’s ‘Space of Word’ Festival at the 8th ŚFN was divided into four parts that refer to the leitmotifs of the previous editions of the event: Bliskość (Closeness), Nieznane (the Unknown), Przebudzenie (Awakening) and Dzikość (Wildness). Many famous writers were invited to take part in activities as part of the stage, including: Ryszard Krynicki, Artur Domosławski, Grzegorz Jankowicz, Weronika Murek, Paulina Małochleb, Jerzy Jarniewicz, Krzysztof Bartnicki and Karol Maliszewski.
The Silesian Library’s ‘Space of Word’ Stage will also host music performances. You will be able to hear, among others, Tymon Tymański – a famous vocalist, composer and multi-instrumentalist, Postman – Ukrainian songwriter, Rdzeń 2 group accompanied by Ryszard Krynicki and Drendo.
'Granatowe Góry' Word Festival Stage
Another unique proposition as part of the Literary Café is the 'Granatowe Góry' Word Festival Stage (the festival takes place in Wisła since 2021). This is another edition of the cooperation of the Festiwal Słowa im. Jerzego Pilcha Granatowe Góry (Jerzy Pilch Blue Mountains Word Festival) with the Silesian Science Festival Katowice!
This time, the creators of the Wisła event have prepared a proposal for the youngest participants of ŚFN. We invite you to participate in ‘Granatowe pagórki’ (‘Blue Hills’), during which you will be able to participate in meetings with authors of children’s and youth literature, as well as story-learning activities and other initiatives promoting reading among children and youth.
The organisers have also planned interesting workshops to familiarise participants with literature. Participants will be able to, among others, try their hand at creating a book with pop-up elements and write a green haiku – a short nature-inspired poem. We will also listen to morning stories and fairy tales, learn about the history of the Duchy of Teschen, explore the profile of psychologist Julian Ochorowicz and enter the world of Kocia Szajka (Cat Brigade).
Download a free entry pass to the 8th ŚFN Katowice!
Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE will take place on 7–9 December and will be the culmination of the entire year of celebrations of awarding Katowice the title of European City of Science 2024.
We encourage you to register for the Festival and sign up for activities with place limit! Free entry pass (individual or for organised groups) allows you to participate in most of the available activities. Selected stages, workshops and some lectures require additional registration due to the place limit. Registration forms are available in the ‘Register for the 8th ŚFN’ tab.
Information about activities taking place as part of the 8th Silesian Science Festival Katowice can be found in the ‘Festival Programme’ tab on our website.
Join the Facebook event and be with us on 7-9 December!