From Lorenzo Mattotti's inspiring lecture during the 2020 edition of the festival.
From Lorenzo Mattotti's inspiring lecture during the 2020 edition of the festival.


What is Create Festival?

CREATE Festival (formerly Svendborg Graphic) is a festival that is run and developed by passionate employees from Svendborg Library.
The festival offers participants experiences in three major visual media, namely animation, games and comics.


Professional Storytellers

Through workshops, exhibitions and diverse events, it is possible to meet illustrators, writers, game developers, animators and others who work in the creation or dissemination of visual storytelling.

The Collaboration is a Strength

CREATE Festival places great emphasis on collaborating with local and national partners. Our good partnerships have in fact been one of the festival's great strengths from its first beginnings.

 

Common About the Good Story

CREATE Festival is run by good stories, and we take pride in the fact that the festival's community has room for all kinds of stories. The festival therefore produces activities for children and adults, young people and families and not least for schools. It is important for the festival to bring visitors together for shared experiences. 

Artist Lars Horneman doing research for his “Uledsaget” (“Unaccompanied”) anthology, which was published at the 2017 festival.
Artist Lars Horneman doing research for his “Uledsaget” (“Unaccompanied”) anthology, which was published at the 2017 festival.

Proximity and Conversation

Our ambition is not to be one of the biggest but to be one of the most significant. Most of the CREATE Festival venues are small and intimate to encourage dialogue and an informal tone.
This provides spaces for new relationships, a larger network and opportunities to exchange experiences. The most important thing for us is that our participants learn about art and creativity while they attend the festival.

Involvement and Hands-on

The festival places great emphasis on involvement and the possibility of co-creation. We want to inspire our participants and give them “aha” moments, but it is at least as important that they get a feel for the festival in their hands and bodies. Visual storytelling is for everyone, and the CREATE Festival wants to bring our participants right into the engine room.

Everything from Drawing to VR

Participants have the opportunity to dive into everything from drawing and talks, animated films and VR headsets to lectures, experience zones and inspiring exhibitions. The many activities during the festival are presented by artists and professional stakeholders who possess considerable knowledge of the three media.

The goddess Freja, drawn by Rune Ryberg, who visited the festival in 2020.
The goddess Freja, drawn by Rune Ryberg, who visited the festival in 2020.

5 Important Objectives

  • When we put the festival's programme together, we have a number of goals that guide our work. They are crucial to the success of the festival and are also the justification for the festival's existence:

    • We invite our participants to participate in the creative processes and become co-creators
    • We have room for everyone, and we make room for communities – also across generations
    • We create spaces for immersion in a world of boundless information
    • We challenge habitual thinking and prejudices through the dissemination of research and art
    • We strengthen children and young people's opportunities for education by strengthening their connection to the library

When?

CREATE Festival has been held in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2023, and will be held every other year in the future. The next time will be in 2025, and as always, it will take place in week 5.