The city of Varna is set to host a rich four-day Literature Night event that will take over the city for the upcoming week, from September 23 to September 26. The event will feature meetings with writers, illustrators, and translators, exhibitions by Bulgarian and Czech illustrators with a focus on children’s books and classical music, and an exclusive screening of German short films. These events aim to create a bridge between literature and other arts cherished by the Varna audience. A highlight of the program is the grand literary reading event, taking place concurrently at various locations in Varna’s city center on the night of September 24, Wednesday, from 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM. Admission is free for all events during the cultural week.
What is „Night of Literature“ on September 24?
For a few hours, diverse and not necessarily typical literary spaces transform into „reading nests,“ where various creators, journalists, teachers, and translators read excerpts from contemporary European literary works published in Bulgarian, both in translation and in the original. The titles are selected by cultural institutes and the embassies of the European countries, with each nest presenting a work from one of these nations.
This year in Varna, the „reading nests“ encompass 12 venues including bookstores, a university, the regional library, the national radio, cafes, a wine bar, a gallery, art studios, and cultural spaces. Each venue hosts a specific European book, with the same excerpt being read multiple times starting at 6:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 7:00 PM, 7:30 PM, 8:00 PM, 8:30 PM, and 9:00 PM. Visitors plan their own routes and choose which nests to visit at the listed starting times.
Over a span of a little more than three hours in different locations across the coastal capital, the audience will listen to excerpts from recently published works in Bulgaria by European authors such as Ioanna Elmi (Bulgaria), Todoris Gonis (Greece), Florian Illies (Germany), Kevin Barry (Ireland), Irene Solà (Spain/Catalonia), Dacia Maraini (Italy), Kapka Kassabova (United Kingdom/Bulgaria), Lesley Parr (United Kingdom), Marcin Szczygielski (Poland), Jiří Padevět (Czech Republic), and Elias Canetti (Switzerland/Bulgaria).
The Night of Literature in Bulgaria is concurrently held in 11 locations: Sofia, Varna, Vidin, Veliko Turnovo, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Lovech, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Ruse, and the village of Chavdar this year.
ACCOMPANYING PROGRAM
Meeting with writer Lilya Stareva on September 23
Writer Lilya Stareva will visit live during the readings of her book, together with the book’s illustrator, Dimitar Ilchev. A day before the grand reading on the Night of Literature, the author will discuss her extensive work and its connection to her first book of original fairy tales with the Varna audience at the BNR Radio Varna Art Salon from 6 to 7 PM, free entry. The moderator is Bulgarian language and literature teacher and creator of a school ethnographic expedition, Eleonora Nikolova.
Exhibition by Czech illustrator Vendula Hlaníková dedicated to composer Leoš Janáček on September 23
Immediately following the meeting, at 7:00 PM in the Art Salon of Radio Varna, an exhibition of illustrations by Czech artist Vendula Hlaníková will open. The exhibition is dedicated to Leoš Janáček (1854 – 1928), the most performed Czech opera composer worldwide, featuring illustrations, illustrated Czech books, musical, and video content, appealing to children as well. Special guests at the opening are Vera Nemirova, director of the opera for adults and children „The Cunning Little Vixen“ by Leoš Janáček, and Margarita Rumenova, translator of Czech literature to Bulgarian. The event is a joint initiative with the Czech Center – Sofia.
Exclusive screening of German short films on September 25
A cinema projection of German short films will commence at 6:00 PM in the Festival and Congress Center, hall 5. The premiere marks the 20th anniversary of a special selection for the distribution of German short films globally. Six short films by promising young directors will be presented. Immediately following the screening, film critic and doctor of theory and history of literature, Stefan Goncharov, will host a discussion to exchange views on the presented short films with the audience. The event is a joint initiative with Goethe-Institut Bulgaria.
European Day of Languages and workshop for illustrators and artists on September 26
To celebrate linguistic diversity, organizers invite literary translators, philologists, and prospective students interested in literature, translation, and the cultures of Europe to a discussion workshop. Translators of titles featured in the Night of Literature based in Varna and their colleagues will participate. The meeting starts at 5:30 PM at the „Amorfa“ cultural and training space on Dragan Tsankov street №10.
The week dedicated to European literature at the Night of Literature 2025 concludes with a meeting workshop for illustrators and artists. Guest illustrator of the Night, Dimitar Ilchev, will share sketches from the process of working on children’s books and exchange experiences with attending artists and enthusiasts. The meeting, starting at 6:30 PM in the „Pi Books“ bookstore for children’s literature on Bdin street №1¾, invites participants to bring and show their illustrations.
