Programme

Tartu International Literature Festival Prima Vista 2026

True and Fake

11.–16. May 2026

NB! Prima Vista events are free of charge, except for those explicitly stated otherwise in the programme.

Time	Event	Description	Location
18:30	Prima Vista warm-up event. Meeting with Latvian author Guntis Berelis	Meeting with Latvian author Guntis Berelis at the Biblioteek bookshop as part of the Latvian Book Club.	Bookshop Biblioteek (Kastani 42)

Time	Event	Description	Location
11:00	Prima Vista partner city day in Viljandi	Prima Vista partner city day in Viljandi.	Viljandi

Time	Event	Description	Location
16:00	Danish writer Charlotte Weitze in Conversation with Mie Mortensen, Visiting Lecturer in Danish Language and Literature, University of Tartu	Weitze is a writer with a unique ability to blend reality with stories and fairy tales, bringing together everyday life and a magical universe.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
17:00	Sam Wachman, Sunflower Boys– book launch and discussion	Video greeting from the author; on-site conversation with translator Marge Pärnits and film director Vahur Laiapea.	Apollo bookshop of Tartu Kaubamaja shopping centre (Riia 1)
18:00	Opening of Prima Vista 2026 and the UNESCO Cities of Literature Annual Meeting	Opening of Prima Vista 2026 and the UNESCO Cities of Literature Annual Meeting in the White Hall of the University of Tartu Museum (by invitation only).	University of Tartu Museum (Lossi 25)
20:00	Welcome to Opening the Black Box – discussion panel and visit to the exhibition	Join exhibition curators and residents Erica Masserano, Francis Gene-Rowe, Llew Watkins, Amy Cutler, Märten Rattasepp and Jaak Tomberg for a discussion of the exhibition theme and artworks and their connection to the 2026 Prima Vista festival, then explore the Hall of Love and its exhibited wonders.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
20:00	Polish poetry evening Nothing Twice dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Wisława Szymborska’s Nobel Prize	Szymborska’s poetry will be read in Polish and Estonian by young poetry enthusiasts, with musical interludes adding warmth to the evening.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)

Time	Event	Description	Location
11:00	Children’s Programme at the Book Fair	An art tent for children has been set up on Town Hall Square, welcoming kindergarteners and pupils from grades 1–4.	Town Hall Square
11:00	Prima Vista Book Fair	11:00–19:00 Prima Vista Book Fair at Town Hall Square.	Town Hall Square
12:00	Literature Competition Page by Page / “Seitenweise”; Estonian Final	As part of an international book project, young learners of German read Tom Limes’s novel “Voll verkackt ist halb gewonnen” and prepared a creative work in free form — video, spoken word, play or comic — inspired by the book.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
13:30	Laying of flowers at the memorial plaque of King Stefan Bátory on the occasion of Polish Flag Day	Tartu played an important role in Polish history from 1582, when it became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The colours of Tartu’s flag (white and red) were granted to the city on 9 May 1584 by Polish King Stefan Bátory, modelled on the Polish flag.	University of Tartu Main Building (Ülikooli 18)
15:00	Opening the Black Box: The Generative Author ‒ live writing performance with participatory elements	The author takes the inputs of inspiration, puts them through the large language model of their minds, consults their dataset of memories and experiences, applies organic learning, and produces new content for their readers.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
15:00	Polish Flag Day	Carillon performance with a polonaise, addresses by Mayor Urmas Klaas and Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Republic of Poland Artur Jan Orzechowski.	Town Hall Square
15:00	Discussion Real or Fake History? at Tartu Public Library: historian Prof. Mart Kuldkepp and writer Gert Kiiler	The conversation will explore what constitutes real history and to what extent our understanding of the past is shaped by ideas that are not grounded in fact.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
16:00	„No such thing as a small language”: Mererid Hopwood (Wales) and Doris Kareva	Welsh poet Mererid Hopwood and Estonian poet Doris Kareva will explore questions relating to the positions of Cymraeg and Estonian in the contemporary world, and the role of craft in poetry.	Estonian Literary Museum (Vanemuise 42)
17:00	German author Norman Ohler in conversation with Olaf Mertelsmann (Professor of East European History at the University of Tartu)	The discussion will cover Ohler’s book The Magic Mountain, the Full Story (“Der Zauberberg, die ganze Geschichte”, 2024, Diogenes), which looks behind the scenes of Thomas Mann’s novel The Magic Mountain one hundred years after its publication, as well as the book that brought Ohler international fame, Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich, and its sequel The Most Powerful Substance: Psychedelics — Medicine, Weapon, Pleasure.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
17:30	Opening of the installation “Uni ootab sind / Sleep Awaits You” by Tartu Interdistsiplinaar (Krista Ojasaar, Hannes Einpaul, Riina Oruaas)	The installation synthesises different art forms, demonstrating the relevance and necessity of poetry in the surrounding environment.	University of Tartu Library (W. Struve 1)
18:00	Patron’s evening What is Real, What is Fake?	Patron’s Evening with Meelis Friedenthal.	Tartu Literature House (Vanemuise 19)
20:00	The Kratt, the Compost and Versions of Freedom: meeting Leonard Schwartz (USA)in conversation with Estonian-Norwegian poet Øyvind Rangøy	Leonard Schwartz (born July 10, 1963) is an American poet, essayist, translator, and academic who has published numerous books of poetry as well as essays and multi-genre works.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
20:30	Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Ex Machina”(2014, director Alex Garland)	“Ex Machina”(2014, director Alex Garland).	Cinema Theatre Elektriteater (Jakobi 1)

Time	Event	Description	Location
10:00	Meeting with Kristi Piiper	In her books, Kristi Piiper considers adventure, humour and excitement just as important as real-life issues.	Tammelinn Library of Tartu Public Library (Suur kaar 56)
11:30	Meeting with Jaanus Vaiksoo	Jaanus Vaiksoo is a well-known author of children’s and young adult fiction.	Annelinn Library of Tartu Public Library (Kaunase pst 23)
15:00	Opening the Black Box: Black Box Game Day	A friendly and relaxed afternoon spent playing story games.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
16:00	Discussion and poetry reading with Ukrainian poet and translator Yuliya Musakovska	The guest will be in conversation with linguist and translator Anna Verschik.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
16:00	Finnish writer Jari Järvelä in conversation with translator Piret Pääsuke	Järvelä is a writer who readily gives voice to the overlooked – women overshadowed by men, and in his novel I Love Eva Braun (“Rakastan Eva Braunia”; Estonian translation published by Hea Lugu, 2024, tr. Piret Pääsuke), even to Eva Braun herself, who has remained an enigma to subsequent generations.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
17:00	Opening of the exhibition Curves of Design: 70 Years of Book Design Competition in Estonia	This exhibition, celebrating the Estonian Book Year, presents an overview of the best in Estonian book design over the past 70 years.	University of Tartu Library (W. Struve 1)
17:30	Faroese writer Kim Simonsen in conversation with Norwegian-Estonian poet Øyvind Rangøy and poet Maarja Pärtna	Kim Simonsen is a poet, publisher, curator and academic. His work is characterised by themes such as environmental philosophy and poetics, speculative realism, interspecies relations and ecocriticism.	Tartu City Museum (Narva mnt 23)
17:30	Prima Vista and magazine EstLit present: EstLit Live : Artifice and the Real	At this literary event, Lilli Luuk, Sveta Grigorjeva, Hasso Krull and Mathura will read from texts published in the magazine EstLit.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
18:00	Spanish writer Munir Hachemi in conversation with translator and lecturer in Spanish literature Klaarika Kaldjärv	Munir Hachemi has published both prose and poetry, as well as translations from Chinese. He has been selected as one of the rising stars of Spanish-language literature.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
18:30	Faroese writer Vónbjørt Vang in conversation with Norwegian-Estonian poet Øyvind Rangøy, with poetry translations read by Maarja Pärtna	Vónbjørt Vang is a Faroese writer and librarian. Her most recent poetry collection, Black Orchid, won the Nordic Council’s Literature Prize in 2025.	Tartu City Museum (Narva mnt 23)
20:30	Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Ghost In The Shell” (1995, director Mamoru Oshii)	“Ghost In The Shell” (1995, director Mamoru Oshii).	Cinema Theatre Elektriteater (Jakobi 1)

Time	Event	Description	Location
11:00	Living Library for schoolchildren at Annelinn Library	In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds.	Annelinn Library of Tartu Public Library (Kaunase pst 23)
14:00	Meeting with Liina Vagula	Liina Vagula is a writer for young adults whose books offer deep and engaging experiences that reflect the everyday challenges and dreams of young people.	Karlova-Ropka Library of Tartu Public Library (Tehase 16)
15:00	Opening the Black Box: creative workshop “Constellations”	Llew Watkins and Francis Gene-Rowe will act as your star guides in this workshop about memories, objects, and their connections.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
15:00	Oskar Luts Walking Tour	We take a completely unnecessary stroll through spring Tartu in the company of the beloved writer Oskar Luts.	Oskar Luts Monument
16:00	Poetry app LULLU presents: discussion “Where Does Poetry Belong?”	The conversation features Estonian language and literature teacher Ivika Hein, poetry editor of magazine Värske Rõhk Saara Lotta Linno, writer and poet Jüri Kolk and young poet Anastassia Kuznetsova.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
16:00	Discussion with German writers Ursel Bäumer and Claudia Kiefer	The conversation will be moderated by University of Tartu lecturer Hella Liira.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
18:00	Norwegian writer Ingeborg Arvola in conversation with Norwegian-Estonian translator and poet Øyvind Rangøy	Ingeborg Arvola’s sweeping historical trilogy Songs from the Arctic Ocean has been published in Estonian by Eesti Raamat in Riina Hanso’s translation.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
18:00	Launch of Kristiina Oelsner’s book „Minu (Ida-)Saksamaa“ (My (East) Germany, Petrone Print)	The author will be interviewed by world citizen and author of “Minu Holland” (My Netherlands) Meelike E.-Villup.	Apollo bookshop of Tartu Kaubamaja shopping centre (Riia 1)
18:00	Emerging authors’ evening Literature with a Spark	Presenting their work: Mihhail Boitsov, Ekke Janisk, Triinu Kree, Riste Sofie Käär, Liisa Mudist and Mikk Tšaškin.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
20:00	Tartu Music Quiz no. 568: literature special	Tartu Music Quiz no. 568: literature special at the Culture Club Salong, Tartu Literature House.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
20:00	Opening the Black Box: All Her Beautiful Wolfmilk – film screening, reading, discussion	Animals and technology collide in unexpected and revealing ways. This event will consist of a screening of Amy Cutler’s short experimental nature film All Her Beautiful Green Remains in Tears and a reading of Charlotte Weitze’s “Ulvemælk” (Wolfmilk), followed by an artist discussion on nature, AI, art and more, facilitated by Erica Masserano.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
20:00	Final of Tartu poetry slam competition TarSlämm at Vilde ja Vine, with guest performer Giuliano Logos (Italy)	On 14 May, the brightest performers from four qualifying rounds will meet at Vilde ja Vine, invited to the stage with their usual energy by hosts Sirel Heinloo and Toomas Leppik.	Restaurant Vilde ja Vine (Vallikraavi 4)
20:30	Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Blade Runner” (1982, director Ridley Scott)	“Blade Runner” (1982, director Ridley Scott).	Cinema Theatre Elektriteater (Jakobi 1)

Time	Event	Description	Location
10:15	Living Library for schoolchildren at Tammelinn Library	In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds.	Tammelinn Library of Tartu Public Library (Suur kaar 56)
10:20	Living Library for schoolchildren at Ilmatsalu Library	In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds.	Ilmatsalu Library of Tartu Public Library ( Kooli tee 5, Ilmatsalu)
11:00	Meeting with Polish illustrator and author Marianna Oklejak	The conversation will be moderated by Liisi Laineste. Marianna will present the making of the book “Cuda niewidy” and invite participants to put their own creativity to the test.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
11:30	Meeting with Berit Sootak	Berit Sootak’s debut novel „Viimane hingelind” (The Last Soul Bird) was published in 2019. Her work draws on nature and ancient beliefs.	Ilmatsalu Basic School (Kooli tee 5, Ilmatsalu)
11:40	Living Library for schoolchildren at Tammelinn Library	In the Living Library, participants can meet so-called living books—people with fascinating life stories or unique backgrounds.	Tammelinn Library of Tartu Public Library (Suur kaar 56)
14:00	Marianna Oklejak illustration workshop	The workshop welcomes art enthusiasts with some prior experience in drawing.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
17:00	Opening the Black Box: Prima Vista, Ümberlülitus and Värske Rõhk present: performing arts x text	Performing: Elo Valner, Astra Irene Susi, Elle Viies, Teele Pärn, Maria Helena Seppik, and Emel-Elizabeth Tuulik.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
18:00	Launch of the Estonian translation of Klaske Havik’s poetry collection “Tee edasine”	Launch of the Estonian translation of Klaske Havik’s poetry collection “Tee edasine” (The Way Forward, translated into Estonian by Urmo Mets) at Biblioteek bookshop.	Bookshop Biblioteek (Kastani 42)
18:00	An evening dedicated to the work of Lithuanian writer Jurgis Kunčinas (1947–2002), hosted by translator Tiina Kattel	The life and work of Jurgis Kunčinas, his novel “Tūla” (Loomingu Raamatukogu, no. 35–38/2025), and the documentary Almost Happy (“Beveik laimingas”, 2004, 59 min, in Lithuanian with Estonian subtitles) will be discussed by the film’s director Agnė Marcinkevičiūtė and Aistė Kučinskienė, associate professor of Lithuanian literature and translation theory at Vilnius University.	Tartu Public Library (Kompanii 3/5)
20:00	Opening the Black Box: The Close! Literary readings and performances	Literary performance evening featuring contributions from five UK poets and writers: Charlotte Geater, Amy Cutler, Llew Watkins, Francis Gene-Rowe and Erica Masserano.	Aparaaditehas Culture Factory, Hall of Love (Kastani 42)
20:30	Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Her” (2013, director Spike Jonze)	“Her” (2013, director Spike Jonze).	Cinema Theatre Elektriteater (Jakobi 1)

Time	Event	Description	Location
10:00	Conference Hot Springs of Estonian Sci-Fi	A special programme dedicated to the history of Estonian science fiction, featuring talks, a panel discussion, an exhibition tour and a film screening.	Raekoja Hall of the Cinema theatre Elektriteater (Kompanii 2)
11:30	Gutenberg Story Meter (Gutenbergi jutumeeter) at the bookshop Biblioteek with writer Andrus Kivirähk	Gutenberg Story Meter (Gutenbergi jutumeeter) at the bookshop Biblioteek with writer Andrus Kivirähk.	Bookshop Biblioteek (Kastani 42)
13:00	Festival Ümberlülitus (Switchover) presents: a workshop led by Kristina Norman and Heneliis Notton	Kristina Norman and Heneliis Notton lead a workshop exploring storytelling through collage.	Tartu New Theatre (Lai 37)
16:00	The Department of Classical Philology of the University of Tartu presents: Fragments of Ancient Greek Poetry	The programme will feature excerpts in both Greek and Estonian from the works of Sappho, something more epic in the form of a Homeric hymn, and a touch of tragedy with the opening of the chorus from Aeschylus’ The Suppliants.	Student corporation Ugala (J. Kuperjanovi 16)
18:00	Cinema Theatre Tartu Elektriteater presents: “Island of Lost Souls” (1932, director Erle C. Kenton)	“Island of Lost Souls”, 1932, director Erle C. Kenton).	Cinema Theatre Elektriteater (Jakobi 1)
18:00	Discussion The Incredible World of Barbara Cartland	The Cartland phenomenon will be discussed by philologists Kaspar Jassa, Maia Tammjärv and Berk Vaher.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
20:00	Concert „Writers in Music”	Concert „Writers in Music” at the Culture Club Salong, Tartu Literature House.	Culture Club Salong (Vanemuise 19 ground floor, entrance from the back yard)
20:00	Festival Ümberlülitus (Switchover) presents: SAAL3 vol4	SAAL3 is a short performance format created to allow artists to experiment, try things out, make mistakes and successful attempts.	Tartu New Theatre (Lai 37)