THE UK’s largest festival of Catalan arts, literature and culture is taking place in Scotland and across the UK between March and June.
The Institut Ramon Llull – the public organisation promoting Catalan language and culture internationally – will present Spotlight on Catalan Culture, beginning on Tuesday.
The line-up encompasses an extensive programme inspired by the literature, language, arts, history and creativity of Catalan, and will feature author talks, circus and theatre performances, poetry readings, art exhibitions, history talks, film screenings, jazz concerts, digital projects bridging literature and film, translation workshops, and publishing masterclasses for university students.
Twenty-five events will be held across the country, from Edinburgh to Exeter, taking place in independent bookshops to concert halls and lecture theatres.
As a public institution devoted to extending the reach of Catalan language and culture, the Institut Ramon Llull provides aid to authors, translators, publishers and literary agents to ensure that Catalan literature is translated, published and read abroad – the festival is designed to introduce the general public to the richness of this Catalan culture and heritage, and showcase the offering of artists, authors and performers from Catalan-speaking territories.
Pere Almeda, director of the Institut Ramon Llull, said: “The Spotlight programme is an answer to many years of an enriching exchange between the Catalan and British cultural landscapes.
“It is a great opportunity for Catalan culture to be featured with all its potential and strength in the context of international cultural dialogue.”
Adrian Wootton OBE, chief executive of Film London and the British Film Commission, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Institut Ramon Llull and the Centre de Cultura Contemporanea de Barcelona on this exciting project. Strengthening creative collaboration between Film London and IRL, the Spotlight programme connects talent from both regions to tell bold and diverse stories through the medium of moving image.
“The six filmmakers we’ve commissioned are rising stars with urgent, distinctive voices. We hope to build on this partnership in the future and look forward to showcasing our filmmakers’ work with audiences throughout the UK and beyond.”
For more information, visit the Spotlight website.
The programme is curated in collaboration with literary organisations from across the UK.
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