"UmLinzRum" im Stifterhaus
"Around Linz" - A Pre-project of Linz09
Reading in the Stifterhaus
Tuesday, February 6, 2007, 7.30 p.m.
New association Linz - Budweis
A look at the writing workshop
In the dim and distant days of the monarchy (“when Bohemia was still part of Austria”) there was a horse-drawn railway that connected Linz with Budweis. In its place comes the wandering writing workshop “Around Linz” for Capital of Culture Linz 2009. On Tuesday evening in the Stifterhaus there were samples of texts by four Budweis workshop participants and a podium discussion presented by Christian Schacherreiter.
Project leader Oskar Terš spent five days from 30th October to 3rd November at the University of South Bohemia and in the Budweis Goethe Centre. By his side stood the Czech author Jaromir Konecny, who has been living in Germany for 25 years. The writing was in German. The texts from the ten participants, who were for the most part students, were assessed by the two project leaders predominantly for instigation of creativity and skilful use of language, but also for expression of social and cultural bonding between the neighbouring towns. A publication of the texts and their origin, together with photos by Klaus Knaller, will be available in the near future.
In what form and to what extent “Around Linz” will continue and whether Terš‘ idea of setting up writing workshops in all 16 partner towns will be endorsed was left open by Ulrich Fuchs of Linz09 management. According to Fuchs, we are in a trial phase, and, instead of a rather subdued partnership, he personally favours cooperation with places such as Vilnius, the Linz 2009 counterpart, or with Istanbul or Essen, which have been nominated as European Capitals of Culture for 2010.
