Literature festival opens in Schlierbach with 25 events

The Upper Austrian Literature Festival 4553 opened in Schlierbach on Thursday evening, launching four days of readings, discussions, music and performances, ORF reported. The opening at Schlierbach monastery drew numerous visitors.

The festival’s sixth edition will feature 25 events involving 45 contributors, with programmes for different age groups and a range of literary formats.

Schlierbach-born author Thomas Arzt delivered the opening address, highlighting his personal connection to the region. The 43-year-old, who lives in Vienna, has been a regular contributor to the festival for several years.

Eva Menasse led the literary opening in the Bernardisaal, reading from her new novel Alleinruhelage. The book follows a woman who faces a new beginning after the end of her marriage and reconsiders her previous life. Literature scholar Manfred Mittermayer moderated the evening.

The festival describes itself as an open literary event intended to bring together different literary forms and as broad an audience as possible. This year’s programme includes an open microphone and a dedicated poetry slam stage for the first time, alongside music, dance, performances and a children’s programme.

Events will take place at several venues in Schlierbach, including the monastery, the theatre hall, the municipal library, Café Panorama and the town square. Nine of the 25 events are free to attend.