Press release, March 20, 2010.

Kęstutis Kasparavičius illustration.

In 2011, Lithuania, under the patronage of President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, will participate in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair as a Guest of Honour. For a small country like Lithuania, it is quite a challenge, however we are determined to prove that we are capable of surprising the world.

At this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the International Cultural Programme Centre together with the Lithuanian Publishers’ Association will present the latest and most interesting children’s books published by Lithuanian publishing houses as well as the best illustrators of children’s books. During the press conference held at the Fair, Lithuania will present to an international audience of specialists the trends in the publishing of children’s books in the country as well as the traditions of Lithuanian illustration and the most outstanding illustrators. The conference will also touch on Lithuania’s presentation in 2011.

The Lithuanian stand (Hall 30 Stand A 56) will feature a collection of children’s books consisting of more than 150 titles. Visitors to the Fair will receive specially prepared information publications and souvenirs adorned with works by Lithuanian illustrators. Visitors will also have an opportunity to meet one of the most famous Lithuanian children’s book illustrator and writer Kęstutis Kasparavičius (March 24). This year, works by Kęstutis Kasparavičius have been selected for the annual world’s best illustrations catalogue prepared by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, and in 2003, the artist received the Award for Excellence at the Illustrators Exhibition at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

Lithuanian illustrators have long valued the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Individual artists have been taking part in the Fair since the 1980’s. The annual Illustrators Exhibitions are attended not only by Kęstutis Kasparavičius, who is best known in Bologna, but also other artists such as Taida Balčiūnaitė, Irena Daukšaitė-Guobienė, Agnė Každailytė (Agnė Indrė), Rimvydas Kepežinskas, Diana Radavičiūtė, Rimantas Rolia, Laisvydė Šalčiūtė, Stasys Eidrigevičius, Arūnas Prelgauskas and Leonardas Gutauskas.

At the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2011, Lithuania will present to the world the country’s most talented and promising illustrators of children’s books. The main exposition of the Fair will feature not only works of contemporary illustration but also the distinctive school of Lithuanian book illustration with its traditions. At the next year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Lithuania will also present sharp contemporary Lithuanian animation and the puppet animation films first created by the animation wizard Vladislovas Starevičius.

Lithuania’s participation in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, International Cultural Programme Centre and Lithuanian Publishers’ Association.

More information on Lithuania’s participation in the Bologna Children’s Book Fair can be found at: www.lituania-bologna.eu and www.koperator.lt