Curating literature event

Each year in the Spring, the Belgian radio station Radio 1 organises a reputed start-off of the literary season for the new prose books coming out in the Low Countries, both in Dutch and in translation. In cooperation with the publishing houses and the major bookshops nationwide, the opening of this season is kicked off by a literature event in the Centre for Arts De Vooruit in the mediaeval city of Ghent, called Zogezegd in Gent. Every year, a literary author is appointed to be the curator of the event. Last year Tom Lanoye was in charge. In 2008, Anne Provoost is the curator.

The event takes place on the evening of Friday, April 4th. 1500 to 2000 people will be visiting different shows and debates in the different theatres of the Centre for Arts Vooruit. Over 30 authors will be present, most of whom writing in Dutch. the international authors present are Ingo Schulze, Blake Morrison, Igor Stiks, William Sutcliffe and Philippe Claudel.

As the events of May 1968 have their anniversary this year, Anne Provoost looks into the questions of imagination and literature. She is particularly interested in how we deal with visionary literature, apocalyptic or utopian prose, our belief or disbelief in new paradises and ideologies today. Did fictional literature influence the events of ’68? If not fiction, what non-fiction books were of high influence? Are these books still of relevance today? Do we still write futuristic prose, is the only realistic visionary novel the dystopian novel?

Zogezegd in Gent is an event meant as a dégustation for readers. Visitors come to find their way in the new literature production of the season, and the organisers want to give them a chance to savour, taste and try. Starting at 8 p.m. the festival goes into the early hours.

INFORMATION and TICKETS RADIO1.BE 09/267 28 28