The Finnish Institute for Children’s Literature: WORD BRIDGES – A Bridge from Pirkanmaa to the Tartu Region

The Word Bridges project will showcase the versatile children's literature offering and know-how of the twin cities of Tampere and Tartu, and the project aims to strengthen knowledge and cooperation in children's and young people's literature in Estonia and Finland.

Writers and illustrators from Pirkanmaa and Estonia will first meet each other in workshops for professionals in Tartu in the autumn of 2023. The aim is to establish contacts and cooperation between the participants from different countries and start working on a new workshop model for youth.

In the spring of 2024, workshops for children and young people will be held in both countries, where we give voice to the children – what subjects and themes are interesting in literature, what do they hope from literature aimed to them? The participating youth will have an opportunity to write and illustrate stories under the guidance of professionals in children’s literature and illustration.

At the end of the project, exhibitions held in both countries will show the work of both the professionals and the children who participated in the workshops. The closing seminar in Tampere will present the results of the project and cooperation to publishers, professionals in the literature industry and other parties interested in children’s literature.

The project will start in 2022 and culminate in 2024, when Tartu will be a European Capital of Culture.

The project will be implemented by the Finnish Institute for Children’s Literature in cooperation with the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Pirkkalaiskirjailijat ry, Kuvittajat ry. and the youth services of city of Tampere.

Picture: Anna Helminen