Poços Literary

1 - Wells of Literature and publishers

Poços de Caldas is a barn of writers and writers. The pioneers, approaching the historical literature, were the doctors Pedro Sanches de Lemos (1846 – 1915) and Mário Mourão (1877 – 1957). Also noteworthy are Jurandir Ferreira (1905 – 1997), winner of the “Guimarães Rosa de Minas Gerais” and considered the greatest writer of Poços de Caldas, who wrote from fables, short stories and poetry to novels; and Antônio Cândido (1918 – 2017), an illustrious literary critic who also had his career recorded in Poços de Caldas.
Perhaps because it already has literature in its DNA, Poços de Caldas has, today, a very significant volume of people of all ages and genres who dedicate themselves to writing, whether as writers and writers, literary critics and editing and publishing professionals. Proof of this is the Literary Festival and the Book Biennial of the South of Minas Gerais, which count annually as the massive presence of authors and authors well-Caldense. In a current and independent survey, more than 150 well-Caldensians who write were cataloged, whether complete books, texts or poems, but this number can exceed 200 authors of historical novels, contemporary novels, dystopian novels, chronicles, poetry, children's literature, biographies, documentaries among others.
Poços also has publishers, especially Estância Projetos Editoriais, which always supports well-Caldense authors in their publications. In another aspect, Leiturinha is a company based in Poços de Caldas that innovated the children's literature market throughout the national territory, through the subscription program. Subscribers receive a monthly kit containing children's books, according to the age group chosen and chosen by a team of curators, as well as other objects alluding to literature.
Finally, the Academia Poços-caldense de Letras founded on October 21, 1977, today with 40 members, stands out. The Academy, without economic purposes, without political-partisan or religious ties, has as its purposes, among others, to cultivate the Portuguese Language; cultivate and encourage literature; promote the knowledge and dissemination of literary works by national and municipal authors; and to support literary and artistic movements, both private and official.

2 - Wells of Literature in School Programs

The action focused on literature in Poços de Caldas goes beyond the school walls. In addition to actions within the libraries of schools of both public and private networks, there are several actions involving literary creation annually. We highlight the EPTV Writing Contest in the School in which Poços de Caldas has a history of classified city; the 10th BrazMedChem Writing Olympiad; the Student Contest that is part of the program of the Flipoços Literary Festival; the programming of Pegada Literária, which aims to bring authors into the classroom in order to demystify the writing professional and encourage students to become writers. In addition, Poços de Caldas annually promotes the Prose and Poetry Texts Contest "Gaspar Eduardo de Paiva Pereira Prize" (which has been taking place for 42 years) and the Municipal Poetry Contest "Teresa Maria Valques de Carvalho" (which is already in its 17th edition). Both events are intended for students enrolled in public and private education units in Poços de Caldas, in the classes of Elementary and Secondary Education of Regular Education and Youth and Adult Education (EJA), as well as adults and seniors who reside in the city. The initiative is carried out in partnership by the Municipal Secretariats of Culture and Education. Poços de Caldas also co-organizes with the Sul de Minas Literário, the South-Minas Gerais Reader Award (which has been held for 23 years) and hosts, annually, the delivery of the Trophy to innovative and replicable Reading Practices of the entire region with CEP 37,000. It is an initiative linked to ProLer Sul-Mineiro, to the network of Committees of the National Reading Incentive Program of the National Library Foundation.

3 - Wells of Literature in University Programs

In 2009, the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of the South of Minas Gerais IF Sul de Minas installed a campus in Poços de Caldas and now offers the course of Letters in the modality of Distance Education (EaD), which allows the participation of students from all over the south-Minas Gerais region. Also in 2009, the Federal University  of Alfenas  (UNIFAL-MG), began to offer the course of Letters on the campus of Alfenas, but because it has a campus in Poços de Caldas, its research and extension serve the city and region in a very satisfactory way. In 1965, through Law 1,265, the City Hall of Poços de Caldas created the Municipal Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters as a regularly organized municipal entity of public law, authorized by the State Council of Education of Minas Gerais, by opinions 268/66 and 269/66. In mid-2002, AME returns its activities in Higher Education, in the search for the educational-pedagogical service. That same year, the agreement was signed between the University of the State of Minas Gerais, UEMG, and AME to offer the Pedagogy course of the Faculty of Education of the Belo Horizonte campus – out of headquarters. In a meeting of the University Council – CONUN, held on May 11, 2017, the Academic Unit of Poços de Caldas was proved, with autonomy to manage its own curricula. This change marks the beginning of a new stage for the Pedagogy course and for UEMG - State University of Minas Gerais in Poços de Caldas. Since 2000, the Polygon South-Minas Gerais Book has acted as a collective focused on the production and research in literature, training professionals in reading, reading mediation, writing and publishing. The activities are carried out through courses, workshops and laboratories that cover the creation, production and distribution of content in multiple formats and platforms. In addition, in 2016, the Reading and Literary Inventions Club was created in Poços de Caldas, which aims to train readers through innovative activities aimed at children and adolescents between 5 and 18 years old. The initiative is an educational project developed by Artemísia - Ateliê Escola in partnership with the pedagogical team of the NGO Casa da Árvore - Digital Culture and Creative Learning. The aim is to explore how new generations use new information, communication and mobility technologies to create experiences of reading and cultural production. The activities offered by the club aim to encourage children and adolescents to integrate reading into their daily lives increasingly connected to the digital universe. In addition to private institutes such as the one mentioned above, Sesc Minas, Poços de Caldas unit, develops a continuous literature project for children and young people. They also offer Literature events such as the national project "Art of the Word" where the city is inserted annually in the itinerant circuit. Annually since 2011, Sesc Minas is also responsible for the specific curatorship for children and young people in the programming of Flipoços with a space entitled "Espaço Sesc Flipocinhos".

4 - Wells of Literature in all environments

In Poços de Caldas it is common to see literary actions in squares and libraries. The Centennial Library, located in the Urca Cultural Complex, routinely hosts prose circles and Reading Clubs. In fact, book clubs around here take place in various places, such as Galleries, Parks, Cafes, Tallows, Centennial Library and even in a Chocolatier. Groups of well-born authors who foster women's literature, school-age youth who foster fantasy literature. You don't have to look far to find literature in every room and people sitting reading on the benches in the squares.
In 2015, the Minas Gerais Book Chamber released a survey entitled The Book in Minas Gerais, which places Poços de Caldas with the highest reading index in the state, and with an average above that recorded nationwide. In this research, it is highlighted that the well-Caldense readers read on average 4.34 books per year. The national average is 1.85 and in Minas Gerais 1.62.
Already in 2019 a new survey was conducted by the same agency, and once again Poços de Caldas appears among the cities with the largest number of inhabitants who have the habit of reading: Belo Horizonte is the city with the largest number of people who claim to like to read (63.14%), followed by Juiz de Fora (58.59%) and Poços de Caldas (57.47%).

5 - Poços de Caldas of Literature and Literary Festivals

The Flipoços Literary Festival has been taking place in Poços de Caldas for 18 years and has already achieved international renown, with the presence of authors from Brazil and abroad. Discussion tables, prose circles, literary launches, various presentations, literature for children, young people and adults. Flipoços was the winner of the 2018 Portraits of Reading Award held by the Instituto Pró Livro, Câmara Brasileira do Livro (CBL), Sindicato das Editoras de Livros (SNEL) and Abrelivros, in the Productive Chain category, as one of the most inclusive, democratic and important literary festivals in Brazil. He was the winner of the Portraits of Reading Award in Brazil in 2018.es
It is, without a doubt, a remarkable moment in the city's annual program.

6 - Wells of Literature and Events

In addition to the Festival, Poços de Caldas also has the National Book Fair, which has grown so much that it was recently renamed the Book Biennial of the South of Minas. In it, readers of Poços de Caldas and region have access to dozens of bookseller exhibitors, publishers, writers and writers. In 2022, more than 16,500 book vouchers were distributed to students in the state public school system of Poços and region, a more than efficient way to connect young students and literature.

7 - Literature Wells and Bookstores

Although virtual stores have gained ground in recent years, reducing the number of physical bookstores throughout the country, Poços de Caldas remains in the tradition with bookstores, tallow and stalls both in the center, as well as in the periphery and shopping. We highlight Livruz, with two stores in the city and which has a vast collection. In addition to the Basement Bookstore an original bookstore and has tallow as well.

8 - Literature Wells and Libraries

Poços de Caldas has five municipal public libraries, which are constantly updating their collection and with more than 12 thousand registered users. This number tends to rise in the coming months, considering that recently the Municipal System of Public Libraries was created, in which the user makes a unique registration, and with it has access to the collection of any of the municipal libraries. In addition, libraries have profiles on social networks in order to be closer to the young public, encouraging them to attend the environments.

9 - Literature Wells and Cultural Centers

The old Urca Casino, inaugurated in 1942, today called Urca Cultural Complex, has in its premises the Benigno Gaiga Theater and annually receives several events and exhibitions, many of them linked directly or indirectly to literature.
In addition, we have the Moreira Salles Institute, inaugurated in 1992, with more than 1,000 m² of exhibition area and which hosts exhibitions, film festivals and events, often linked to literature, such as the Reading Club. The IMS received, in 1999, the collection of the writer Jurandir Ferreira, with more than 4 thousand items. Subsequently, the Institute ceded the collection to the Historical and Geographical Museum.

10 - Wells of Literature and Translation

Poços de Caldas has more than 20 language schools and translation companies, as well as bilingual schools in basic education. Well Caldensian authors have books published in other languages, such as the young author of the book "Half of my Enzo", published in English in 2022.

11 - Wells of Literature and Media

Poços de Caldas has several local newspapers and many are traditional, although they have moved to the digital and virtual format. A TV network, TV Poços, affiliated to Rede Minas of the Government of the State of Minas Gerais. News portals are several that can be highlighted: Portal Pocos.com, Portal Poços Já, Portal de Poços, as well as communication channels of the Municipality of Poços de Caldas.