The story of the literature festival
The idea was launched in 2005. A number of people in various ways connected to the literary world got together for the first time in order to discuss the idea that two years and six months later became the first, large scale international literature festival in Denmark: CPH.LITT.08.

The idea was to establish a visible platform for presentation of and debate about quality literature. Writers, publishers, journalists, librarians, etc., got involved in the process, a location was found, and a number of partners indentified. And then - on June 6th 2008 - the three day festival opened in Huset in the heart of Copenhagen.

An audience of about 4.000 people found their way to the festival, and an impressive media coverage followed.

The writers on the literature festival
CPH.LITT.08 opened with a number of international writers participating – amongst these Paul Auster (USA), Siri Hustvedt (USA), Daniel Kehlmann (GER), Daniel Sjölin (SWE), Sjón (ICE), Åsne Seierstad (NOR), Klas Östergren (SWE), Espen Haavardsholm (NOR) and Tomas Espedal (NOR).

And naturally with a number of Danish writers participating – amongst these Naja Marie Aidt, Ib Michael, Jens Smærup Sørensen, Jens Chr. Grøndahl, Jørgen Leth, Helle Helle, Christina Hesselholdt, Kirsten Hammann, Pia Tafdrup, Dy Plambeck, Søren Ulrik Thomsen, Peter Laugesen, Benn Q. Holm, Claus Beck-Nielsen, Thomas Boberg, Erling Jepsen, Knud Romer Jørgensen, T.S. Høeg, Jonas T. Bengtsson, Thomas Winding, Ursula Andkjær Olsen, Niels Lyngsø, Niels Frank, Pia Juul, Janne Teller, Claus Høxbroe, Lone Hørslev og Kirsten Thorup.

The profile of the literature festival
Writers, actors, musicians, directors, and dancers took part in the debut of the festival that turned out to be the concentrated manifestation of good literature that it was supposed to be.

All participants – artists as well as members of the audience – saw and heard quality literature presented from six stages of Huset. Literature presented through conversations between writers, through writer’s readings, through debates, performances, workshops, theatre, documentaries, movies, and music.

The different approaches and presentations of the literature was the specific profile of CPH.LITT.08.

And that is the profile that the festival will pursue in the years to come: A presentation of international quality literature, a presentation in various forms, a presentation at one intimate location with a number of stages.

The homepage of the literature festival 2008
See cphlitt08.dk for further info about the debut of the festival (in Danish only).