2017-project of the week – 365TEXTS (Aarhus)

365TEXTS is an art and literature project that rethinks the publishing forms of literature and explores how text as an art form can be communicated in new ways and thus reach new readers, listeners and viewers. The project was created in connection to Aarhus being European Capital of Culture in 2017 and it is already happening now, most recently with the presentation of a number of texts written for and about Øgaderne in Aarhus C under the title ATLAS OF AARHUS.

If you have wandered around in Øgaderne in Aarhus C in the last few weeks, you may have noticed a number of benches and banners with various literary texts on them. The word benches are located at, for instance, the Children's Land in Thunøgade and Lion’s Antique Book Store in Høegh-Guldbergsgade, while a large banner adorns the corner of Thunøgade and Sjællandsgade. The texts are part of ATLAS OF AARHUS, a literary mapping of the city.

The text were just recently placed in the Aarhus cityscape, but for developer and project manager Robert Skovmose Christensen the journey began many years ago. Originally, he had the idea for 365TEXTS, when he participated in the workshops held in 2008 in connection with Aarhus applying for the title as European Capital of Culture 2017.

And it was precisely the theme 'Rethink' that set something off:

"When we ask why people read fiction, the answer will usually be something along the line that it is to learn more about themselves and the outside world. But what about those who never read books? How do we get them to read? Our project challenges both ways of relating to literature, and therefore we place literature in the cityscape, since many people never go to the library. We will activate them by rethinking the way literature is distributed," says Robert Skovmose Christensen.

Consider themselves a publisher
365TEKSTER work and consider themselves a publisher that edits and publishes texts in every other way than in traditional book form. In short, it is about establishing alternative confrontations between literature and audience at unexpected times and places.

Initially, the Øgade neighbourhood in Aarhus has benefited from the project. The authors Carsten René Nielsen, Louise Juhl Dalsgaard, Svend Åge Madsen, Jens Blendstrup, Hanne Højgaard Viemose, Thøger Jensen and Louis Jensen have been invited to write texts about the neighbourhood. But this is only the first step on the road to 2017 and the production of a total of 365 different texts distributed at various locations in Aarhus:

"During 2015 we will also distribute texts in Brabrand and Gellerup. And in general, we would like to get away from the city and out in residential neighbourhoods and other urban environments where art is not assembled in the same way as we know it from the centre of the city," says Robert Skovmose Christensen and elaborates:

"In general, we want to give people something they would not otherwise have experienced. If it inspires them, then that is great. When people read the stories, they will hopefully feel like reading more literature and enjoy more from the same authors. It is hard to measure exactly how many we reach, but we have already received some positive indications; both from people who have read the texts, but also from people who have offered to help and get word benches out to them," says Robert Skovmose Christensen.

A lasting imprint
365TEXTS also work with an international perspective, as they hope that international authors will have the opportunity to visit the city on a residency. In this context, the international authors will also produce texts about the city. This ensures that Aarhus is filled with texts that have different angles of the city; written both by those who know the city well and visitors who write down their immediate first impression.

This dimension becomes extra important since it is the plan that the texts are still accessible to citizens after 2017:

"We will continue using benches as we strive to use platforms that give the city something back. We work in the cityscape and are therefore trying to actively contribute to the daily life with something that the citizenz can make use of – while enjoying literature. The benches will remain after 2017, and as long as they are allowed to. This will leave a lasting imprint on the city," says Robert Skovmose Christensen.

Facts:
• In 2013, the project began with a start-up and pilot phase. In 2017, the project culminates with activities in both Aarhus and throughout the Central Denmark Region.
• The entire project is working with literature in different ways, with publications outside the book. For example, distribution of children's literature in different ways than others have done.
• The project deals exclusively with fiction - so far prose texts, but later also poetry.
• 365TEXTS is organized by Literature on Stage in collaboration with Aarhus 2017, Aarhus Public Libraries, Aarhus Literature Centre, Writing Art School, Geiger and others.
• 365TEXTS presented a number of texts for ATLAS OF AARHUS on February 5, 2015.
• ATLAS OF AARHUS is a literary mapping of the city, where a total of 40 authors are invited to write 365 stories about Aarhus' streets and places. The stories are published and exhibited on the places they are about. As word benches, streetart, on pizza boxes and much, much more.

Follow the project on Facebook - 365tekster