The Slovene Writers’ Association (hereafter DSP)
In cooperation with the Vilenica Cultural Association of Sežana (hereafter KD Vilenica)
Passes the
STATUTE
Of the
Vilenica International Literary Festival
I Definition, Genesis and Purpose of the Festival
I.1 Definition of the festival
The Vilenica International Literary Festival (hereafter the Vilenica Festival) is organized by the Slovene Writers’ Association and the Vilenica Cultural Association and is a gathering of poets, writers, dramatists and essayists as well as editors, publishers and cultural managers and translators from Central European countries. Guests who are not from Central European countries may also be invited to the festival. In addition to the central event of the Festival, the awarding of the Vilenica International Literary Prize, there is a Theoretical Component as well as social events
I.2 The Birth of the Festival
The Vilenica Festival originated in 1986 as a writers’ gathering at which the central event was the awarding of the Vilenica International Literary Prize. Since 2005 it has been known as the Vilenica International Literary Festival. The founder and the responsible for the Festival is DSP; however, both DSP and KD Vilenica are equally responsible for generating the intellectual milieu from which the notions of the Vilenica International Literary Prize emerge.
I.3 Festival Aim
From the very start both the meeting and the Vilenica prize have been positioned in the geographical, cultural and intellectual space of Central Europe. In accordance with its mission of promoting cultural pluralism, tolerance and non-aggression, the Vilenica Festival was created in this specific location in the 1980s as a space in which literarati from both sides of the Iron Curtain could meet.
The historical events of the late 1980s and the 1990s changed the political and societal structure of Central Europe, affecting the very comprehension of this concept. Although discussion of Central Europe in the new creation of a united Europe cannot be founded on outdated political assumptions, the organizers of Vilenica believe that the debate on Central Europe remains relevant. Because of the many political affinities, the common historical lot on the one hand and the cultural diversity on the other, Central Europe will remain the creative focal point of the Vilenica Festival in future as well. As a key Central European literary forum Vilenica embraces the creating and the exchanging of quality literary in the countries of the area as well as the presenting of this literature beyond the region. The decisive tradition of the Vilenica Festival does not conform to a simplified unification of the world but rather endeavours to preserve, develop and at the same time transcend cultural specificities through understanding and dialogue.
Through the intentional focussing on the Central European space that gives Vilenica a distinctive identity on the map of similar events at the European and world level, the festival would also like to maintain interest in other cultural and artistic traditions.
The Central event of the festival is the awarding of the Vilenica International Literary Prize. The Prize, distributed by the Slovene Writers’ Association, is awarded for exceptional achievement in poetry, prose, drama, or in the essay form created in the Central European cultural space and which expresses with particular aesthetic merit the human and cultural experience of the nations from the Baltic to the Adriatic, from Bern to Belgrade. This area is as geographically bordered as it is defined by the orienting of the spirit of the Central European intellectual and artistic experience, which is marked by tolerance, non-aggression, understanding, pluralism and therefore also the integrational principle of diversity; its living artistic strength is expressed and formed in distinctly recognizable works by artists from the area. The presentation of the award takes place in the ‘Vilenica’ Karst cave in the framework of the Vilenica International Literary Festival.
In addition to the Vilenica Prize we also award the Crystal Vilenica and the Young Vilenica. The Crystal Vilenica is intended for an author who represents himself/herself in the Vilenica Almanac and at one of the literary readings. The newest of the Vilenica prizes is the Young Vilenica, which is distributed by KD Vilenica.
The Festival aims to foster a programme scheme that will continue to have a meaningful existence and ensure Vilenica’s recognizability in the face of similar events in Europe and the world.
II Festival organs
The Festival organs are:
II.1 The Vilenica Programme Director
– The Vilenica Festival is coordinated and managed by the Vilenica Programme Director in cooperation with a group of experts from the DSP.
The Vilenica Programme Director is selected by the Executive Committee of the DSP and has the following responsibilities and duties:
– To coordinate festival activities throughout the calendar year.
– To convene and lead Jury meetings.
– To convene and lead meetings of the Mixed Board.
– To prepare the Festival Programme in cooperation with Jury members, consultants and other advisors.
– To present the Programme and the financial plan of the festival to the Executive Committee of the DSP.
– To act as media liaison.
– To prepare an implementation plan for the Festival.
– To ensure that the Festival is run in a professional manner.
– To draft documentation in connection with Festival activities.
– To organize and coordinate other affairs and publications in connection with the Festival.
II.2 The Vilenica Jury and Consultants
The Vilenica Jury is composed of recognized literary experts, authors, translators and other experts from the individual literary and/or language areas of the countries of Central Europe. The President of KD Vilenica is also invited to Jury meetings, but does not have voting rights.
The Naming of the Jury
– Jury members are named by the Executive Committee of the DSP.
– Consultants, who act as advisors to the Jury, are named by the Executive Committee of the DSP at the suggestion of Jury members.
Jury Members’ Mandate
A Jury member’s mandate is for three years and is renewable. The duration of a consultant’s mandate is determined according to need.
Jury Work
– Jury work is coordinated by the Programme Director of the Festival.
– Jury work is carried out at regular as well as special Jury meetings.
– The Vilenica Jury elects the President of the Jury by majority vote.
– The President’s mandate is for one year.
– The President of the Jury presents the Jury’s work to the public.
– Quorum for the Vilenica Jury is reached if more than half of the members are present; if this is the case, decisions are confirmed by means of majority vote by those members who are present.
– The Vilenica Jury can work and reach decisions if at least one third of the members are present. In such cases it will be necessary to confirm decisions that have been made by means of majority vote at the next Jury meeting or through correspondence – in such cases, more than half of the members must vote, and the votes of the previous meeting must be respected.
– The Jury may suggest candidates for the Vilenica Prize if at least one third of the members are present. The decision regarding the Vilenica Prize winner must be confirmed in person or, exceptionally, through correspondence, by an absolute majority among members of the Jury. The Programme Festival Director will inform the Executive Committee of the DSP of the decision.
– The Vilenica Jury selects Festival participants while respecting the suggestions of the consultants, although the opinions of the consultants are not binding.
– The Jury cooperates in the preparation of the Theoretical Component of the festival.
– The Programme and the list of participants are to be confirmed, at the latest, three months before the start of the festival by Executive Committee of the DSP.
– Minutes regarding Jury work are carried out by the group of experts from the DSP and confirmed by the Vilenica festival Director.
Jury Duties
– The main duty of the Jury is to select the prize-winners as well as other participants in the Vilenica festival.
– The Jury cooperates in the preparation of the Theoretical Component of Vilenica.
II.3 Jury for the Crystal Vilenica Prize
The Naming of the Jury
– Jury members for the Crystal Vilenica are selected by the Vilenica Jury
Jury members’ mandate
– The Jury members’ mandate is for the duration of the Festival
Jury Work
– Jury work is carried out at meetings within the Festival framework.
– The President of the Jury will be selected by the Jury for the Crystal Vilenica by means of majority vote.
– Quorum for the Crystal Vilenica Jury is reached if at least half of the members are present.
– The Jury votes by means of absolute majority.
– The Jury determines the winner of the Crystal Vilenica in an autonomous manner. It is up to the Vilenica Programme Director to make the decision public.
– The Jury President distributes the Crystal Vilenica and explains the reasons for choosing the winner.
– Jury work is presented to the public by the Jury President.
– The Jury puts together a short explanation of the prize for the media.
Jury Duties
– The main duty of the Jury is the selection of the winner of the Crystal Vilenica.
– The Jury bases its decision on texts that have been published Vilenica Almanac
II.4 Mixed Board
Partnership cooperation between DSP and KD Vilenica is coordinated in terms of organization and realization by the 7-member Mixed Board.
The Mixed Board is composed of representatives of DSP (3 members), KD Vilenica (3 members) as well as the Programme Director of the Vilenica International Literary Festival.
The Programme Director of the Vilenica International Literary Festival coordinates the Mixed Board; the Director is selected, in accordance with its rules, by the Executive Committee of the DSP. The Mixed Board votes by means of the majority of the members present at meetings of the Mixed Board.
The Mixed Board upon the proposal of the Programme Director of the Vilenica International Literary Festival deals with and harmonizes the financial planning and the implementation plan of the events.
The Mixed Board, upon the proposal of the President of KD Vilenica or DSP, may approve the covering of possible financial deficits incurred by one of the constituent partners for individual elements of the execution of the project from the budget of the Vilenica International Literary Festival. The budget as a whole must be balanced. Regarding covering financial deficits, the Mixed Board agrees at a meeting before the execution of the project of the Vilenica International Literary Festival.
Under point IV.2, Paragraph 2, the Mixed Board is to coordinate the organizational and financial plan for the execution of the accompanying events of the project of the Vilenica International Literary Festival. The Mixed Board also approves the Programme planned by KD Vilenica under point IV.2, Paragraph 3, which will function and appear under the name Vilenica (for example, Young Vilenica).
DSP and KD Vilenica must present the DSP Executive Committee and the KD Vilenica Executive Committee with the financial plan, the Theoretical Component as well as the accompanying Programme of events the Vilenica International Literary Festival at least three months before the event.
The financial plan of the theoretical and accompanying Programme of the Vilenica International Literary Festival enters into force when it is has been dealt with by the Mixed Board and approved by the DSP Executive Committee. The DSP has responsibility and authority over the executing of the Theoretical Component.
The financial plan of the accompanying event of the project of the Vilenica International Literary Festival, as stated in the third Paragraph of point IV.2, enters into force when it is approved by the KD Vilenica Executive Board and the Mixed Board.
The Mixed Board is required to deal with complaints and suggestions of both Executive Committees; if either of these suggest changes to the Programme or the financial plan, it must express its reasons within fourteen days at the latest.
The Mixed Board, no later than 60 days after the conclusion of the main events of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the distribution of prizes, is to prepare a complete financial report on the preparation and execution of the Theoretical Component and the accompanying events, on the basis of reports and documentation of DSP and KD Vilenica.
The DSP and KD Vilenica reports must include, as compulsory enclosures, documentation such as photocopies of original receipts as well as all contracts signed in connection with the Vilenica International Literary Festival project.
DSP is to promote KD Vilenica as co-organizer in all of its promotional material and announcements for the project of the Vilenica International Literary Festival.
KD Vilenica is to promote DSP as co-organizer in all of its promotional material and announcements for the project of the Vilenica International Literary Festival.
III The Corporate Identity of the Vilenica Festival
III.1 The Utilization of the Corporate Identity
– The logo and all design elements of the Vilenica Festival’s corporate identity are to be adhered to with consistency in all stages of execution of the Vilenica Festival.
– The organizers must include the logo of the Vilenica Festival in a manifest way in all stages of the production of the Vilenica Festival and other related events which use the name Vilenica.
– In addition to the main event – the Vilenica Festival – the logo has to be employed in a manifest way with all other events organized by constituent partners in the scope of the Vilenica Festival, as well as all events taking place year round which contain the name Vilenica, such as Young Vilenica.
IV Production of the Vilenica Festival
IV.1Location and Time of the Festival Events
The Vilenica festival usually takes place in the month of September in the Karst as well as at other venues.
IV.2 Official Languages of the Festival
The official languages of the Vilenica Festival are Slovene, German and English. Festival organizers are required to ensure translations at events as well as translations of publications into at least one of the two official foreign languages.
IV.3 The Component Elements of the Festival
The Vilenica Festival includes:
– The central event of the Vilenica International Literary Festival, in the framework of which the Vilenica International Literary Prize is awarded, with DSP preparing the Theoretical Component;
– The accompanying Programme, which takes place during the main event of the Vilenica International Literary Festival or at the same time and is prepared by DSP and KD Vilenica in cooperation and coordination with the Mixed Board;
– Programmes under the auspices of DSP and KD Vilenica (such as, for example, the Young Vilenica event), which take place all year round as the broader cultural background of the festival.
The Programme of the main and accompanying events of the Vilenica International Literary Festival project, as stated under point IV.2, Paragraphs 1 and 2, enter into force when approved by the DSP Executive Committee.
As per point IV.2, Paragraph 3, programmes organized by DSP or KD Vilenica enter into force when harmonized by the Mixed Board and approved by the DSP Executive Committee and the KD Vilenica Executive Committee respectively.
IV. 4 Organization and realization of the festival
DSP and KD Vilenica are to reach mutual agreement on the elements of organization, realization and financing of the Vilenica festival; under this agreement duties and responsibilities are to be exactly divided between the individual partners.
V Validity of the Statute
The statute enters into force on the day it is signed by the authorized representatives of the partners DSP and KUD Vilenica.
Place and Date:
Ljubljana, 8 May 2006
Slovene Writers’ Association
Vlado Žabot, president