On the 1st of October, Burgas will once again take part in the international ‘Night of Literature’ initiative. The city will host the fifteenth edition of the event under the open sky – all the readings will take place outdoors, surrounded by the sea air, the city lights and the night sky.
Seven contemporary European books will come to life in seven different urban spaces, which for a few hours will be transformed into reading nooks. Actors, writers and representatives of Burgas’s cultural community will read extracts from works from Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, Finland, Switzerland and Sweden.
Among the participants you’ll have the chance to meet are Prof. Georgi Bardarov, author of one of the selected books; Todora Daskalova, founder of the book blog Reading Trolls; the writer Boyan Boev; Petar Todorov, director of the Burgas State Puppet Theatre; actress Simona Bogdanova; and a host of other interesting and inspiring voices from Burgas’s cultural scene, who will bring their energy, style and presence to the evening.
The readings begin at 6.00 pm, with the same extract from the respective book being presented in each ‘reading nest’ every 30 minutes: 6.00 pm | 6.30 pm | 7.00 pm | 7.30 pm | 8.00 pm | 8.30 pm | 9.00 pm
Each reading lasts half an hour, during which the audience can move from one ‘reading nest’ to another. Visitors can create their own literary itinerary, moving from place to place and discovering different voices, styles and stories.
Special prize
Any participant who visits all 7 venues will receive a special prize – a symbolic gesture to those who choose to experience the whole of the literary night in Burgas.
‘Night of Literature’ is the voice of contemporary European literature – a live encounter with its themes, languages, styles and, most importantly, its translations into Bulgarian. Burgas’s participation in the initiative supports the city’s bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2032. and forms part of our endeavour to develop strong European cultural formats, build sustainable partnership networks and place contemporary literature and the art of translation at the heart of the city’s cultural life.
PROGRAMME
18:00 | 18:30 | 19:00 | 19:30 | 20:00 | 20:30 | 21:00
- Café Kaive | Aleko Konstantinov Street
‘The Café Without a Name’ (2024) – Robert Seetaler (Austria)
Translation: Lyubomir Iliev
Published by List
Cover design: Sofia Popiordanova
Read by: Prof. Maria Neykova, PhD (Black Sea University) and Diana Radoslavova (Asen Zlatarov 1940 Community Centre) - “Peio K. Yavorov” Regional Library | Terrace opposite Hall 3
“Adagio for Maria” (2025) – Georgi Bardarov (Directorate-General for Translation, European Commission – Bulgaria)
Published by MusaGena
Cover design: Nia Mancheva
Read by: Alberta Alkalay (Alef Centre) and Prof. Georgi Bardarov - “Georgi Baev” Gallery–Museum | 6 Democracy Boulevard
“The Servants” (2026) – Olga Raun (Denmark)
Translation: Rositsa Tsvetanova
Published by ICU
Cover design: Stoyan Atanasov
Read by: Dr Margarita Doncheva and Todora Daskalova (Reading Trolls) - Writers’ House | 1 Vola Street
🕕 Start: 7.30 pm
‘Intermezzo’ (2025) – Sally Rooney (Ireland)
Translation: Boryana Dzhanabetska
Publisher: Ednorog
Design: Faber & Faber
Read by: Petar Todorov (Burgas State Puppet Theatre) and Diana Savateva (Deputy Mayor for ‘Culture and Religious Affairs’) - C.A.S.A Triangulo Creativo | 4 Antim I Street
“Rose Is Missing” (2021) – Katja Ketu (Finland)
Translation: Rositsa Tsvetanova
Published by ICU
Cover design: Zhivko Petrov
Read by: Boyan Boev and Maria Arnaudova - Ethnographic Museum and Café | 69 Slavyanska Street
‘Jakob von Guntten’ (2025) – Robert Walser (Switzerland)
Translation: Boyan Valchev
Published by Nike
Cover design: Lyuba Haleva
Read by: Simona Bogdanova and Emil Ovanesov (BIFF) - Burgas Art Gallery ‘Petko Zadgorski’ | 24 Mitropolit Simeon Street
‘Everything I Don’t Remember’ (2021) – Jonas Hassen Khemiri (Sweden)
Translation: Maria Zmiycharova
Published by Matkom
Cover design: Ina Dimitrova
Read by: Dr Loris Manuelyan and Petya Yanakieva (BNR Burgas)
Organisers and partners
The organisers of ‘Night of Literature’ Burgas 2026 are Burgas Municipality and the ‘Burgas 2032’ Foundation, in partnership with the ‘Peio K. Yavorov’ Regional Library, Kaive Café, the “Georgi Baev” Gallery–Museum, the Burgas Writers’ Community, the Writers’ House, C.A.S.A Triangulo Creativo, the Ethnographic Museum and Café, and the “Petko Zadgorski” Art Gallery in Burgas. The media partner is BNR Radio Burgas.
‘Night of Literature’ is organised by Sofia Municipality, EUNIC, the ‘Read Sofia’ Foundation, the Austrian Cultural Forum Sofia, the Embassy of Belgium, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Translation – Bulgaria, the Goethe-Institut Bulgaria, the Embassy of Greece in Sofia, the Danish Embassy in Bulgaria, the Irish Embassy, the Instituto Cervantes – Sofia, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Bulgaria, the Italian Cultural Institute, the Dutch Embassy in Bulgaria, the British Council Bulgaria, the Polish Institute in Sofia, the Cultural and Information Centre of the Republic of North Macedonia in Sofia and the Embassy of the Republic of North Macedonia, the Embassy of Slovenia in Sofia, the Embassy of Ukraine, the Liszt Institute – Hungarian Cultural Institute, the Embassy of Finland in Sofia, the Czech Centre Sofia, the Embassy of Switzerland in Bulgaria, the Embassy of Sweden in Bulgaria, and the ‘Children’s Books’ Foundation.
The ‘Read Sofia’ Foundation is the national coordinator of the initiative. ‘Night of Literature’ is part of the Sofia Municipality’s Calendar of Cultural Events for 2026.
Follow the event online
Any updates to the programme will be published on the event’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1293553152769149/
Come and join us for the ‘Night of Literature’ in Burgas – under the stars, amongst the words and in the company of seven captivating stories.
Free entry.
