CUSTOMER: HEW | VatÂtenÂfall Europe
TASK: Adult proÂgram of the liteÂraÂtuÂre fesÂtiÂval with 60 – 80 events
IDEA : CrossÂover theÂmaÂtic series with a social refeÂrence, interÂnaÂtioÂnaÂlizaÂtiÂon of the fesÂtiÂval proÂgram, deveÂloÂpÂment of innoÂvaÂtiÂve forms of liteÂraÂtuÂre presentation
JOB : CuraÂting the liteÂraÂry and non-ficÂtion proÂgram | Editing | Press work
PERIOD : 2002 – 2013
ProÂject description
The culÂtuÂral spring in NorÂtÂhern GerÂmaÂny got a new highÂlight shortÂly befoÂre the beginÂning of the 2000s: the »HamÂburg ReaÂding Days«. From 2002 HEINEKOMM took over the curaÂtiÂon of the extenÂsiÂve main program.
Each week in April, the reaÂding days inviÂted autÂhors from all over the world – newÂcoÂmers, insiÂder tips and sucÂcessful best selÂlers – to the HanÂseaÂtic city and delighÂted thouÂsands of liteÂraÂtuÂre fans. In 2004 they alreÂaÂdy attracÂted 16,000 specÂtaÂtors, and the reaÂding days quickÂly deveÂloÂped into one of the larÂgest liteÂraÂry fesÂtiÂvals in the GerÂman-speaÂking area.
In advanÂce, HEINEKOMM desiÂgned theÂmaÂtic focal points and selÂecÂted the approÂpriaÂte new liteÂraÂry publications.
The events of the HamÂburg ReaÂding Days were spread across the entiÂre city and took visiÂtors to unuÂsuÂal and someÂtiÂmes remoÂte places. It was read in the troÂpaÂriÂum of the HagenÂbeck Zoo, in the HamÂburg obserÂvaÂtoÂry, in the InterÂnaÂtioÂnal MariÂtiÂme MuseÂum or even in a speÂciaÂlist cycling shop – to match the respecÂtiÂve liteÂraÂry subjects.
Up until 2013, the last year of the reaÂding days, around 1,000 parÂtiÂciÂpanÂts from 50 countÂries were guests. More than 150,000 visiÂtors attenÂded the events. The imaÂgiÂnaÂtiÂve comÂbiÂnaÂtiÂon of well-known and comÂpleÂteÂly new autÂhors, musiÂciÂans and actors, poliÂtiÂciÂans, publiÂcists and sciÂenÂtists was an inteÂgral part of HamÂburÂg’s culÂtuÂral life.
In 2004 theÂre was the »KulÂturÂMerÂkur« for this purÂpoÂse from the HamÂburg ChamÂber of ComÂmerÂce and the HamÂburg CulÂtuÂral FounÂdaÂtiÂon. In 2010 the fesÂtiÂval won a priÂze in the »Places in the Land of IdeÂas« comÂpeÂtiÂtiÂon, which is being held under the patroÂnaÂge of the FedeÂral PreÂsiÂdent. And in SepÂtemÂber 2011 the reaÂding days were awardÂed the presÂtiÂgious »GerÂman CulÂtuÂre ProÂmoÂtiÂon Prize«.
FeedÂback:
»InnoÂvaÂtiÂve. PasÂsioÂnaÂte. Creative.«
Judith KalÂnÂbach, HEW / VatÂtenÂfall Europe