This year’s Cheltenham Literature Festival will take place from 7 to 16 October, presenting a diverse 10-day programme of activities and events with leading figures of the world’s literary scene.
The Cheltenham Literature Festival will host a series of events — Ukraine Day — by the International Book Arsenal Festival co-curated with the Cheltenham Literature Festival. The Ukraine Day programme is a part of the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture supported by the British Council and the Ukrainian Institute.
“In 2022 when we have cancelled the International Book Arsenal Festival in Kyiv because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, it’s extremely important and a matter of honour for us to have our special Ukrainian program in Cheltenham. To give voice to Ukrainian authors, public intellectuals, artists, to speak loudly from the platform of one of the best literary festivals in the world about our literature and about who we are, where we are and how we struggle for our common human values,†say the Book Arsenal program curators Yuliia Kozlovets and Oksana Shchur.
Ukraine Day will take place on October 11, presenting 5 events that will strengthen the voice of the Ukrainian literary scene. Among the Ukraine Day events are the following: a conversation with Oksana Zabuzhko, an art workshop by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv, a musical and poetic performance by Grigory Semenchuk, Lyuba Yakimchuk and Yuriy Gurzhy, as well as a conversation with Natalia Vorozhbit, and a discussion joined by Lyuba Yakimchuk and Olesya Khromeychuk.
“The Ukrainian Institute and the British Council are supporting and developing partnerships with British festivals as part of the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture. Ukrainian creative voices will be heard at important literary platforms where a wide readership will be able to get essentially acquainted with the representatives of various genres of the contemporary Ukrainian literary scene, from fiction to poetry and children’s literature. Cross-cultural dialogues are part of festivals, and Ukraine should become a valuable and important interlocutor here,†says Volodymyr Sheiko, Director General, Ukrainian Institute and Nicholas Thomas, Director, British Council in Ukraine.
“In this dark chapter for Europe, we are proud to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and host a series of events co-curated with The International Book Arsenal Festival, Kyiv as part of the British Council’s UK/Ukraine Season of Culture,†say the organisers of Cheltenham Literature Festival.
Cheltenham Literature Festival is the world’s first literature Festival, leading the way in celebrating the written and spoken word, presenting the best new voices in fiction and poetry alongside literary greats and high-profile speakers.
The International Book Arsenal Festival is an annual project of Mystetskyi Arsenal founded in 2011. It is an annual intellectual event in Ukraine, where the book, literary, visual, musical, and theatrical scenes develop and interact, where the important issues of human existence, as well as society and culture are raised, prompting the proactive position of the participants and visitors.
The UK/Ukraine Season of Culture is giving a voice to Ukrainian creatives and focusing on the changing needs and priorities of the Ukrainian cultural sector. Its original theme, ‘Future Reimagined’ was reshaped following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and we have produced a more diverse schedule of live events in the UK and digitally for global audiences. The Season aims to enhance cultural connections between both countries and provide opportunities for artists to connect and collaborate. The programme of artist residencies, talks, open forums, film, music, literature, the performing and graphic arts – is set to run through to March 2023.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. In 2019-2020 we reached over 75 million people directly and 758 million people overall including online, broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934 we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We receive a 14.5 per cent core funding grant from the UK government.
