Summer School Südtirol 2026: Friendships
Workshops, forums, readings and concerts
21–25 August 2026, Velthurns Castle (Italy)
An event organised by the SAAV – South Tyrolean Authors’ Association, in collaboration with the Neuen Institut für Dramatisches Schreiben, the Wiener Wortstaetten and the Netzwerk Münchner Theatertexter:innen.
The uniqueness of friendships in their diversity
Compared to the media attention accorded to romantic relationships, friendship fares significantly worse: songs celebrate all forms of romantic bliss and heartbreak, whereas there seems to be little to say about friendship. In literature, however, male friendships are a very familiar theme, one that even reaches philosophical heights; in contrast, female friendships in literature tend to focus on shared crochet sessions, where women complain, gossip and laugh. Friendships exist – how they develop seems less important; what matters all the more is that they are there. They seem to be a firm anchor in difficult times. However, friendships can also break down. As rarely before have the pandemic, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the Gaza-Israel conflict led to rifts in friendships. This is a reflection of just how deeply the current political climate divides us.
What are friendships? What defines them? In times of heightened hatred, we wish to highlight the literally existential importance of friendships – and to extend this circle of light to forms of friendship that have hitherto gone largely unnoticed. These include friendships between different species. Friendships between humans and animals. Friendships with nature. Friendships within landscapes.
Friendships are vital; they sustain life – they are unique, particularly in their diversity. We wish to highlight this breadth, focusing on both the local and the international spheres. We want to be a living expression of the diversity of friendly connections that the Summer School has made possible.
Programm
Fr., August 21, 18h:
opening, contributions to the topic of “Women-friendships as history of culture”
Sat., August 22, 18h:
contributions to the topic of “Friendships down to the last neurons”
Sun., August 23, 18h:
contributions to the topic of “Friendships healing in hopeless times”
Mo., August 24, 18h:
contributions to the topic of “Friendships saving history”
Tue., August 25, 18h:
contributions to the topic of, “The Friendships of animals”, closing
The Summer School comprises
– The Forum (held each evening) as an interdisciplinary platform that highlights the processes of research, thought and practical experience, and shares them with the public. Over the course of five evenings, a topic of current relevance is discussed and explored from many angles through lectures, concerts, talks and panel discussions.
– Book launches, readings and performances that offer insights and encounters with significant authors and their works.
– Writing workshops for literary and dramatic writing, which give authors from South Tyrol, Austria and Germany the opportunity to develop and advance their current work with renowned mentors. The workshops form part of the European fellowship programme ‘Tour-des-Textes’, which was developed by the Münchner Theatertexter:innen, the Wiener Wortstaetten and Nids, the Neuen Institut für Dramatisches Schreiben in Berlin, and has been brought together with the South Tyrol Summer School.
This year the WIENER WORTSTAETTEN will take part with the authors Leonie Pürmayr and Jakob Stoiber as well as the mentors Bernhard Studlar and Martina Knoll.
A cooperation with the Institut für Sprachkunst Wien.
With the support of Österreichischem Kulturforum Mailand.
