December 28 in London: Poetry evening with Evgeny Ostashevsky

Event

On December 28 at 5:30 p.m., Idiot Books bookstore (London) will host a poetry reading by Evgeny Ostashevsky, an American poet and translator who was born in Leningrad, grew up in New York, and now lives in Berlin.

Ostashevsky is known for his translingual style, in which language becomes a hero exploring its own possibilities and boundaries. He will read poems from his latest book, The Feeling Sonnets — “a fascinating and witty exploration of what language has in store for us.”

He previously published a poem entitled The Pirate Who Does Not Know the Value of Pi, dedicated to the difficulties of translation and communication between a pirate and a parrot. In addition to his own books, Ostashevsky is known as a translator and compiler of anthologies of experimental literature, including OBERIU: An Anthology of Russian Absurdism and An Invitation for Me to Think by Alexander Vvedensky (co-authored with Matvey Yankelevich).

Adresse: Idiot Books, 64A Kensington Church Street, London, W8 4BL
Admission is free.

More info

Questions and answers

What Are the Objectives of the Award?

The primary goal of the Award is to support authors and promote Russian-language literature worldwide. We welcome all who write and read in Russian, regardless of citizenship or place of residence. We aim to foster a Russian-language culture free from political and imperial influences.

How Is the Award Process Conducted?

The Award is given annually. The jury votes, with each member selecting between one and three works. The winner is the author whose work receives the most votes. Additionally, a reader’s vote (Crowdfunding) is conducted on the Award’s website, where readers can vote for authors and support them financially.

What Awards Are Provided?

The winner of the Award receives a grant to translate the work into English, French and German. Also, as part of the reader's vote, all collected funds are transferred to the authors for whom the readers voted.

When Does the Submission Period for the Competition Start and End?

Прием заявок на конкурс второго сезона премии начнется 1 сентября 2025-го и закончится 15-го октября 2025 года.

When will the list of finalists and winners be announced?

В январе 2026 года Совет Экспертов объявит список финалистов. Читательское голосование начинается в тот же месяц. В феврале-апреле члены жюри читают книги-финалисты, а победителей Премии и читательского голосования объявят в мае 2026 года.

What are the conditions for the nomination of a book for the award

В конкурсе второго сезона могут принимать участия произведения, изданные в 2024-м году. Произведения (роман, повесть, сборники рассказов и эссе, документальная проза), вышедшие отдельными изданиями или опубликованные в журналах. Номинировать на премию имеют право как издательства и редакции журналов, так и сами писатели или третьи лица (с согласия и письменного подтверждения автора). Тексты подаются к рассмотрению в электронном виде. Премия «Дар» открыта для всех авторов. Учитывая главные цели премии: продвижение современной русскоязычной литературы за пределами РФ и характер самого вознаграждение (грант на перевод) - приоритет будет отдаваться авторам, чьи произведения ранее не переводились на английский, французский и немецкий языки.