Viseu to Launch International Literary Festival in October
The Portuguese city of Viseu is set to transform into a global literary hub this October with the launch of the first-ever Viseu International Literary Festival (FLIV). The event, which runs from October 2 to 11, promises a packed program of 218 sessions featuring 174 participants, including renowned authors, musicians, and illustrators from across the Portuguese-speaking world and beyond.
A City Transformed by Words
Spanning 10 days, the festival will breathe new life into Viseu’s historic center. The Mercado 2 de Maio will serve as the primary site for a traditional book fair, while events will spill out into Rua Direita, local schools, hotels, and even nursing homes. Curators Teresa Adão, Paulo Santos, and Luísa Paolinelli have designed the festival to be a truly immersive experience.
“The goal is to put Viseu on the international circuit of book fairs,” Adão explained during a press conference on Monday. She noted that the program is intentionally dense, with multiple sessions occurring simultaneously to give the city a “cosmopolitan” feel. “People will have to choose their preferences; there is something for every taste.”
Star-Studded Lineup
The festival boasts an impressive roster of national and international talent. Adão highlighted the attendance of literary heavyweights such as Gonçalo M. Tavares, José Luís Peixoto, Dulce Maria Cardoso, Ana Paula Tavares, Ondjaki, António Torres, and Marco Lucchesi.
The guest list extends to authors and artists from Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Spain, France, and Italy. The lineup also features diverse figures like musician Pedro Abrunhosa, journalist Mário Augusto, and writer Pedro Chagas Freitas.
Bridging Generations and Digital Trends
FLIV isn’t just staying within the pages of books. Nuno Bico, President of the Viseu Parish Council, announced that the event will host Portugal’s first national meeting of “bookstagrammers”—digital influencers who shape cultural trends on social media.
The festival is also prioritizing social inclusion. In an unprecedented move, Viseu-based writer José Rodrigues will lead a program bringing authors into nursing homes and daycare centers. “We want to reach the elderly, not just the students,” organizers noted. Nevertheless, education remains a pillar of the event, with 92 sessions scheduled across schools in all local parishes.
A Two-Chapter Strategy
The festival structure follows a unique “two-chapter” format. The first five days (October 2–7) will focus heavily on local Viseu authors, ensuring the regional community feels ownership of the event. The second half of the festival will shift toward a broader international scope, though national Portuguese authors will be featured throughout the entire 10-day run.
Mayor João Azevedo emphasized that the festival marks the long-awaited return of a book fair to the city. “It is an obligation of the municipality to promote the book as a pedagogical tool for education,” Azevedo said. “This first edition is the first step toward a festival recognized with international notoriety.”
The festival represents a €100,000 investment, a joint effort between the Viseu Parish Council and the City Council. The program includes 35 debate panels, 18 presentations, eight book launches, eight concerts, and three major exhibitions.
Image: Pexels – Newman Photographs
