On 23 September, a river of 10,000 illuminated books will float along with the flow of traffic in a street in the centre of Utrecht. The installation illustrates ILFU’s theme for this year: the fiction behind the facts. With the installation, artist’s collective Luzinterruptus aims to literally make room for fiction in the city and on the streets. The installation is also intended as a silent protest against the effects of traffic and pollution on urban life, by replacing noise and dirt with words, poetry, the rustling of pages and soft light.

That same day, the 10 writers from Utrecht will end their writers-in-residence tour conducted in collaboration with the organisation Mooie Woorden at the art installation. There, the writers will present their stories on the theme of Utrecht’s 900th anniversary: City Without Walls. The official opening of the festival will conclude at midnight.