Children's
Literature
Industry
Days

25-27 November
2026

This year marks 10 years of CREATORS ISLAND! To celebrate the birthday, all events are free, the main venue is the Martynas Mažvydas National Library, and the programme is packed like never before! A total of 22 guests from 8 European countries – Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – will share the behind-the-scenes stories of their creative journeys.

CREATORS ISLAND welcomes everyone, not just industry professionals! Whether you love books, seek inspiration, or enjoy live author talks, this event is for you!

2026 FOCUS

The theme of CREATORS ISLAND ’26 is POP!
We’ll explore what popular literature actually is: classics that remain on top lists for decades, or striking contemporary bestsellers? What is more important for an author – being a talented creator or a charismatic personality? Can being different drive popularity? Does going against the grain always guarantee quality? How do you “sell” reading? What matters more – a book that changed a single life, or a story that made hundreds of readers giggle? Let’s rethink popularity together!

We are delighted to have Sweden as the guest of honour and to host the 2026 event in collaboration with Children's Literature Festival Litteralund.

VENUES

• Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

• Vilnius Literary House

• Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts

• Vilnius University

Programme

Wednesday,
November 25

UNIVERSITY
DAY

Both lectures will be in English

Vilnius University, Faculty of Philology
Vincas Krėvė auditorium (Universiteto Str. 5)
Time: 11 a.m.
Public lecture with children’s author Emma Karinsdotter (Sweden)
Hiding clouds and eating fathers – 9,5 years in children´s literature

Free entry but registration required >>

Vilnius Academy of Arts

Gothic Hall (Maironis str. 6)
Time: 5.30 p.m.
Public lecture with illustrator Rūta Briede (Latvia)
How I almost didn't become an illustrator (but not decided jet)
Free entry but registration required >>

Thursday,
November 26

VISUAL JOY
DAY

Martynas Mažvydas National Library (Gediminas av. 51)
5th floor – Conference Room (501)

All events will be in English
Free entry but registration required >>

10 a.m. Emma Virke (Sweden)

10.45 a.m. Inga Dagilė (Lithuania)

11.30 a.m. Coffee break

11.45 a.m. Mawil (Germany)
Talk and Workshop
Open to all, regardless of experience or background

1.15 p.m. Lunch break

2 p.m. Sweden and Lithuania meet in Comics: Elin Lindell, Emelie Östergren (Sweden), Greta Alice, Neringa Mongirdaitė (Lithuania)

3 p.m. Coffee break

3.15 p.m. Ignas Meilūnas (Lithuania)

4 p.m. Ulrika Kestere (Sweden)

Evening at Vilnius Literary House
(Vilniaus literatų namai, 11 Šv. Jono Str.)
Free entry, event language – English

6.30 p.m. Opening of the miniature exhibition POP!

6.45 p.m. Do we POP? Let's Talk Baltic Children’s Books
Linda Bondestam (Finland), Rūta Briede (Latvia), Anti Saar (Estonia), Kotryna Zylė (Lithuania), moderated by Marius Eidukonis (Lithuania).

Friday,
November 27

STORY CRAFT
DAY

Portfolio reviews (registration to be announced soon)

Venue: Martynas Mažvydas National Library (Gediminas av. 51),
5th floor Leisure area
Time: 11 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.
Free entry, registration required

Martynas Mažvydas National Library (Gediminas av. 51),
5th floor – Conference Room (501)

All events will be in English
Free entry but registration required >>

1 p.m. Bart Moeyaert (Belgium)
Talk and Workshop
Open to all, regardless of experience or background

2.30 p.m. Coffee break

2.45 p.m. Daiva Čepauskaitė (Lithuania)

3.30 p.m. Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir (Iceland)

4.15 p.m. Sip & Connect break

4.45 p.m. Co-creating Children’s Literature. Translators’ Panel with Ieva Toleikytė (Lithuania), Viltarė Urbaitė (Lithuania) and Jolanta Pētersone (Latvia), moderated by Paulius Garbačauskas.

5.45 p.m. Last Sip & Connect break

6 p.m. Eva Franz (Finland/Sweden)

6.45 p.m. Benas Bėrantas (Lithuania)

7.30 p.m. Private afterparty at LOŽĖ (J. Basanavičius Str. 13)

Speakers

Emma Karinsdotter

Sweden
Children’s book author who creates stories blending humor with darker themes – exploring everything from men's secret tears and fathers turning into dinner to grief and high adventure. Emma has published 10 children's books, which have been translated into 15 languages.

Bart Moeyaert

Belgium
Acclaimed author whose work for readers of all ages occupies a unique place in Dutch-language literature. Since his debut in 1983, Bart’s books have been translated into 28 languages and earned numerous domestic and international accolades, culminating in the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2019.

Ulrika Kestere

Sweden
Latvian-born Swedish author and illustrator. Ulrika has published six children’s books, which have been translated into 18 languages. She enjoys creating stories with a touch of philosophy and layered narratives that speak to readers of all ages.

Mawil

Germany
Comic artist and illustrator based in Berlin. Mawil began self-publishing his first fanzines in East Berlin in the 1980s and has since grown into one of Germany’s most celebrated graphic novelists, known for his humorous, semi-autobiographical stories and distinctive visual style.

Emma Virke

Sweden
Picture book maker, artist, and graphic designer based in Stockholm, Sweden. Emma experiments with new techniques, exploring the book as an interactive art form while telling stories.

Inga Dagilė

Lithuania
Freelance designer, children's book illustrator, and book designer based in Kaunas. Recognized with prestigious national awards and selected as a finalist at the Bologna Silent Book Contest. Alongside illustrating, Inga leads creative workshops for children and is passionate about art therapy, healthy living, and sports.

Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir

Iceland
Folklorist, researcher, and lecturer at the University of Iceland. Dagrún is passionate about sharing the knowledge and joy of Icelandic folk legends through exhibitions, podcasts, and books. Her most recent book, co-authored with fellow folklorist Jón Jónsson, explores the lore surrounding Iceland’s Christmas tradition, bringing forgotten tales of Grýla, Leppalúði, and the Yule Lads to light.

Ignas Meilūnas

Lithuania
Animation director and producer based in Vilnius. After years of working with different animation techniques, Ignas settled on stop-motion animation, mainly creating short films for young audiences. His works have traveled the world and won awards at major international film festivals. Ignas has also adapted well-known children's literature for the screen. He is the co-founder of the Vilnius-based animation studio Kadrų Skyrius.

Linda Bondestam

Finland
Illustrator and author who has collaborated with numerous writers in Finland and internationally. Linda’s work frequently explores themes of diversity, tolerance, and empathy, bringing warmth, humor, and shape to unique characters. Her dynamic artistic style combines traditional media – including paint, pencil, crayons, and collage – with digital techniques to keep her process playful and inventive.

Rūta Briede

Latvia
Illustrator, children’s book author, scenographer, art editor, and lecturer at the Art Academy of Latvia. Her debut book has been translated into multiple languages, and her work for Marts Pujāts’ poetry collection was selected for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition. Rūta has won the International Jānis Baltvilks Award and the Golden Apple Book Art Award.

Emelie Östergren

Sweden
Cartoonist, children's book author, and artist known for her experimental, avant-garde style infused with fantasy and surrealism. Since her debut in 2007, Emelie has created numerous comics and picture books. Her multidisciplinary work also extends to the stage, including writing play scripts for the Royal Theatre in Stockholm.

Neringa Mongirdaitė

Lithuania
Illustrator and visual artist based in Lithuania, working across drawing, painting, and animation. In her creative practice, Neringa explores the interplay between playfulness and concept, deriving inspiration from nature, mundane everyday moments, and personal reflection.

Elin Lindell

Sweden
Children’s book author, illustrator, and comic book artist. Having started her career as a journalist for KP – the world’s oldest children’s magazine – Elin realised she loved writing fiction even more. Over the past two decades, Elin has created around 25 books that highlight the humor and charm found in everyday life.

Greta Alice

Lithuania
Illustrator with a backpack who loves discovering character in everyday objects, bringing them to life with expressive faces and quirky personalities. Greta has illustrated more than 60 children’s books and approaches her work with humor, playfulness, and a fondness for potato chips.

Jolanta Pētersone
Latvia
Translator of children’s and adult literature, based in Latvia. Jolanta has spent around twenty years translating, mainly from Norwegian and Swedish, with a primary focus on children's literature. Thanks to her work, Latvian readers can enjoy books by acclaimed Nordic authors and illustrators.

Eva Frantz

Finland–Sweden
Author of spooky books for young readers and crime novels for adults. Eva is passionate about meeting readers in schools and libraries, and convinced that there is a natural born story teller in each and every one of us.

Daiva Čepauskaitė

Lithuania
Poet, playwright, and actor who transitioned from medicine to the arts, recognized as Lithuania’s most popular playwright of 2025. Author of five poetry collections and numerous plays, her venture into children's poetry blends playfulness, dark humor, and horror with the conviction that young readers deserve the highest quality.

Viltarė Urbaitė

Lithuania
Translator of children’s and adult literature based in Lithuania. Having translated over 70 books from Finnish and Estonian, her two decades of work include three award-winning translations recognized by IBBY Lithuania for Most Significant Translation of the Year.

Anti Saar

Estonia
Writer and translator based in Tartu, Estonia. Anti writes mostly for children and translates French literature for adults. Known for stories that subtly reflect everyday life, his children’s books have gained widespread recognition in Estonia and have been translated into a dozen languages.

Ieva Toleikytė

Lithuania
Writer and translator of Danish literature based in Lithuania. Working at an independent bookstore, she mainly writes poetry and authored a children's book about mushrooms. Her work as a translator includes classic fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen.

Benas Bėrantas

Lithuania
Children’s book author and foreign rights agent. Benas is the founder of the Book Smugglers Agency, working as Lithuania’s only independent agent dedicated to introducing young readers' literature abroad – a role that earned him IBBY Lithuania's Vincas Auryla Award in 2024. He is also the author of 13 picture books, which have been translated into 20 languages.

Kotryna Zylė

Lithuania
Author, illustrator and ambassador for local mythical creatures. She is also the co-founder of Creator Island events and the mind behind a blog chronicling modern Lithuanian children’s and YA literature through lively creator interviews – 'book anatomies'.

2025:

Organizers

Kotryna Zylė

Writer, Illustrator,
Founder of Creator Island

Justinas Vancevičius

Head of literature promotion program
"Vaikų žemė (Children's World)",
Founder of Creator Island

Greta Alice

Illustrator, Comics artist,
Curator of the Exhibition, Coordinator of Creator Island

Jurga Tumasonytė

Writer, Author of Creator Island
guests' interviews

Illustration: Inga Dagilė
Design: Miglė Vasiliauskaitė
Translation: Audronė Kvietkutė

Anželika Bielskienė

Educator,
Coordinator of Creator Island

Gabrielė Gaižiūnaitė

Communications Creative,
Social Media Administrator

Event organised by

Centre for School Improvement
Reading promotion programme CHILDREN'S WORLD
Children's Literature Festival LITTERALUND
Latvian publishing house LIELS UN MAZS

Partners

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania
Lithuanian Culture Institute
Baltic centre for writers and translators
IBBY Lithuania
Lithuanian Publishers Association
Vilnius UNESCO City of Literature
Vilnius Academy of Arts
Vilnius University Philology Faculty
Lithuanian Writers’ Union
Literatūra ir menas
"Būkčia" kombucha

Financially supported by

Lithuanian Council for Culture
Vilnius Municipality
Flanders Literature
Swedish Arts Council

In partnership with

"Europe for Children 2026-2028",
co-funded by European Union and
Lithuanian Culture Institute

CREATOR
ISLAND

THE MAIN VENUE

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania
(Gediminas av. 51)
Vilnius, Lithuania

CONTACT US

labas@vaikuzeme.lt
kotryna.zy@gmail.com

Children's Literature
Industry Days