The profile of Copenhagen International Literature Festival
CPH:LITT is a Danish international literature festival focusing on quality literature – fiction and poetry primarily. The literature is being presented in various ways - through lively conversations between writers, through writer’s readings of published and unpublished writings, through debates, performances, workshops, concerts, documentaries, and movies.

It’s the aim of the organizers to present the quality literature to a broad audience at the venue, and to an even broader, nationwide audience via web, TV, and radio. DR, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, is a major partner in this context.
To ensure a lively presentation of the literature actors, musicians, directors, and dancers are involved alongside the writers.

The story of Copenhagen International 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.

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.

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, Thomas Winding, Ursula Andkjær Olsen, Pia Juul, Lone Hørslev and Kirsten Thorup.

On May 15th 2009 the second three-day festival opened in Huset in Copenhagen.

CPH:LITT 09 opened with a number of other international writers participating – amongst these Salman Rushdie (UK), Xiaolu Guo (CHI), Tabish Khair (IND), Celiné Curiol (FRA), Hallgrimur Helgason (ICE), Danuté Kalinauskaité (LIT), Agneta Pleijel (SWE), Trude Marstein (NOR), Audur Olafdottir (ICE) and Matilda Södergran (FIN).

And naturally with a number of Danish writers participating – amongst these Suzanne Brøgger, Christel Wiinblad, Ib Michael, Katrine Marie Guldager, Ursula Andkjær Olsen, Pia Juul, Janne Teller, Lone Hørslev, Sissel-Jo Gazan, Peter A.G. Nielsen, Martin Hall, Ida Jessen, Kim Leine, Janina Katz, Thomas Thøfner, Helle Helle, Kirsten Hammann and Søren Ulrik Thomsen.

Copenhagen International Literature Festival 2010
In 2010 the set-up of the festival will change radically. Instead of being at one location in Copenhagen there will be a number of venues – all within a walking distance of no more than 20 minutes. These locations include: The Town Hall, The Royal Library (the Black Diamond), The Main Library, Politiken (a major daily paper), Pumpehuset (a concert hall), Huset and the Grand Theater (a major art-cinema).

All of these venues take part in establishing the programme and organizing the festival.

In 2010 CPH:LITT will be a four-day festival. It will open on May 5th and close on May 8th.

For 2010 a number of international and Danish writers have been invited. Names of these and elements of the programme will be released throughout April.

CPH:LITT archive
See cphlitt08.dk for further info about the debut of the festival (in Danish only) or click here to see the artist of 2009.