Events – Page 7 of 10 – Helsinki Poetry Connection

Ruusu Open Mic #41

15. 10. 202215. 10. 2022

Welcome to Ruusu Open Mic, Sunday 23.10!

Performing this time is Ulv Janger and Nelli Ruotsalainen.

Ulv Janger is inspired by honesty, embarrassing moments, the Laserskater, Spiderman, and optimistically seeing poetry as an artform capable of dispersing the class structures.Veikka Kalavainen is an actor-musician-poet who identifies Ulv Janger as his Alter ego. Veikka is inspired by the first memories, play, traditions of sung poetry in Karelia as well as that done in the continent of Africa, and by the weird moments when you can’t stop laughing even though the moment doesn’t call for it.

Nelli Ruotsalainen’s newly published second book of poetry Jälkivuoto is about the poetic description of late pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. Nelli’s strongly physical poetry is dedicated to those that are pregnant. At Ruusu we will listen to Nelli’s written prose set to Amanda Martikainen’s soundscapes set to Jälkivuoto’s poetry.

As usual, after the performances, there´s the Open Mic! We welcome performances in any languages, as long as it takes apparently 4 minutes.

This event is produced by HPC, Tania Nathan and Kris Puukari. Poster is made by Tea Tauriainen.

And special thanks to our longtime sponsors, Rautakukka and venue Sörkän Ruusu.

Ruusu Open Mic is free from any discrimination. We don’t accept any racist or hateful content or behaviour. Please also note that we advise performers to state content warnings regarding their poems. Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website.

Please only attend if you have no symptoms of Covid. Unfortunately, Sörkan Ruusu is non-accessible. At the main entrance ~ 20cm step and door ~ 60cm wide, side door ~ 20cm step and door ~ 55cm wide, no ramps. There is an induction loop available at the venue.

Ruusu Open Mic #40 25.9.2022

11. 09. 202215. 10. 2022

Helsinki Poetry Connection brings poetry to warm up chilling evenings, and the first Ruusu Open Mic of fall season 2022 will be organized live in restaurant Sörkan Ruusu (Pääskylänrinne 3, Helsinki) on Sunday, September 24th at 17-20.

As accustomed, Sunday’s stage poetry club kicks off with two warm-up poets. This time we will get to enjoy performances by poets Piki Rantanen and Lari Alanko. After the warm-up acts, it’s time for the main event – that being the open mic itself and all of your performances!

Just raise your hand if you want to perform, or ask for a spot from a host. Please note that the open mic slots are max 4 minutes long each so that as many people as possible have time to perform.

At the end of the evening, lovely prizes from HPC and our partners Sörkan Ruusu and Rautakukka will be drawn among the open-micers, so we do recommend sticking around until the end!

Each performer will be carefully listened to and cheered on – especially, if it’s your first time! Your performance can be a song or a poem, rap, spoken word or anything you can think of, as long as the text is your own! We welcome performances in any and all languages.

Producers and hosts: Elina Ortamo ja Tiina Jokelainen
Poster: Tea Tauriainen

Runokuu Poetry Jam: Rajat / Borders

17. 08. 202217. 08. 2022

Runokuu’s Poetry Jam in Tiivistämö brings together amazing performances featuring spoken word acts combined with music, visual art and dance. This year’s Runokuu has the theme ‘Borders’ and this will be explored through different languages and performances.

This year’s performers are Rosanna Fellman and Sophia Mitiku, as well as Shanna Miruna and Wilma-Emilia Kuosa that were chosen via open call. Music will be provided by DJ Juanes Soyagua. This event is produced by HPC Board members Tania Nathan and Kirsi-Marja Moberg, and they will be hosting the evening together as well.

Poetry Jam also will have a Borders themed Open Mic segment, and 5 poets will be chosen to perform. If you would like to be one of them, apply through helsinkipoetryconnection(at)gmail(dot)com and tell us what sort of piece you would like to perform. The Open Mic segments spots are max 4 minutes long, and will be held after the main performances.

Tiivistamö’s accessibility information can be found here.

The event is free of charge, and observes safer spaces principles which you can read more about here.

HPC Goes Puisto 2022

02. 08. 202202. 08. 2022

The Helsinki Poetry Connection once again invites you and your friends to join us in a unique, lyrical outdoor summertime experience!

HPC Goes Puisto is an open mic club, organized since 2011, where spoken word meets Helsinki’s public parks. The only instalment of the event this year will be held on Saturday, 13 August, 2022 from 6 pm — ~9 pm in Matti Helenius Park, behind the Kallio library.

The evening and the microphone will both be warmed up by the voices of spectacular writer-performers Hanna Rentola, Ansa Kurola, Aaro Peltonen, and Tuula Maria Rauma.

After this initial taste it’s time for the most important portion of the festivities, namely the open mic! All audience members are welcome to perform their own verbal artistry in the grassy environs for 5 minutes apiece, for the edification of the humans, birds, bees, and other spirits in attendance. All languages and forms of expression are welcome!

This year Goes Puisto will feature its first ever pre-show event, as the Runosvengi collective will organize a poetry showcase of their own that very same afternoon, in café Taikalamppu next door (Torkkelinkatu 21) starting at 3 pm! Reading their original work are Leena Sainio, Riika Helle-Kotka, and Ursula Anttila-Halinen from Runosvengi, along with Jussi Kiova, Meri-Sofia Lakos, Kasper Salonen, and special guests. You are welcome to join in both events or just either one! (Please note that the open mic takes place in the park, not the café).

HPCGP will be MC’d by the club’s founder, park poet Kasper Salonen together with stage veteran Jussi Kiova. A heartfelt welcome to you all, as we embark on this poetic highlight of the summer!

Note on weather: if it appears to be a wet day, the club will remain inside the wonderful Taikalamppu café for the duration of the evening (or the rain).

No form of discrimination or harassment is tolerated in the Helsinki Poetry Connection’s events. We are gathering together with peace, creativity, and compassion. Please familiarize yourself with our safer space guidelines on our website.

Poetry Jam x Runokuu

07. 06. 2022

Open call

Open call for performance slot in Runokuu Poetry Jam on Monday 29.8.2022 at 18-21, Tiivistämö, Suvilahti. Your performance can be a poem, spoken word, video plus poem combination, music with spoken word, media with poetry. The theme is BORDERS. Suggested duration of the performance is 15-20 min. Send your applications by the 10th of July 4 pm, 2022. The performance can be in any language!
Send your application here.

Poetry Jam 6th of June

26. 05. 2022

at Siltanen (Hämeentie 13b, Helsinki), 19.00

Poetry Jam starts the Summer for Helsinki Poetry Connection. This time we’ve no special theme – if we’d have to pick one it could be HARD-ASS POETRY.

The event starts with a curated open mic which will be followed by performances from:
– MC Vatkain
– Veera Milja
– Juha Kulmala
– Kuopus

The event is produced and hosted by Samppa Varis and Juho Kuusi. They are also to praise for the music selection during the breaks.

If you would like to participate in the open mic, please send an e-mail with a text sample to samppa.varis@gmail.com. There will be a slot for five performers.

Helsinki Poetry Connection’s events are safer spaces, so be extra mindful of others and don’t be a dick. https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/…/safer-space…/

About accessibility: A wheel chair ramp can be put on the Hämeentie entrance. WC’s are fully accessible.

Also remember the COVID-19 safety regulations during the event, too.

Free entry – a warm welcome to everybody!

Ruusu Open Mic #39 on May 29th 2022

08. 05. 2022

Helsinki Poetry Connection brings poetry back home into Sörnäinen, and the last Ruusu Open Mic of springtime 2022 will be organized live in restaurant Sörkan
Ruusu on Sunday, May 29th at 17-20.

As accustomed, Sunday’s stage poetry club kicks off with two warm-up poets. This time we will get to enjoy performances by Vishnu Vardhani and Kirsi-Marja Moberg. After the warm-up acts, it’s time for the main event – that being the open mic itself and all of your performances!

Spots for the open mic are not reserved in advance, and the running order will be randomly drawn. Please note that the open mic slots are max 4 minutes long each so that as many people as possible have time to perform.

At the end of the evening, lovely prizes from HPC and our partners Sörkan Ruusu and Rautakukka will be drawn among the open-micers, so we do recommend sticking around until the end!

Producers: Samppa Varis and Aatos Ketvel
Hosts: Aatos Ketvel and Samppa Varis
Poster: Touko Miikkulainen

K1-club: QuePoc Club (April 28th 2022)

21. 04. 2022

Together with Helsinki Poetry Connection ry, K1 presents QuePoc Club, a poetry event influenced by Zanele Muholin’s ZAZISE exhibition showcasing themes of antiracism and LGBTQIA + perspectives. HPC is a poetry association that was founded in 2013 with the intent to promote stage poetry scene in Finland. QuePoc Club will feature two performances by poets Kihwa-Endale and Haliz Yosef and the rest of the evening will be for open mic performances. The club will be produced together with writer and spoken word artist Tania Nathan, and hosted by Saban Ramadani, actor and artist who is a familiar face from the ballroom scene in Helsinki.

Kihwa-Endale performs poetry to share stories that break apart as easily as they are built. Her works are structured like the internet, Nature, and Love, where time is not linear. In addition to performing and publishing some of her pieces, she has established Kairos, a spoken word collective in Helsinki that re-imagines the culture of creativity. In addition to spoken word, Kihwa-Endale paints, mainly using mirrors as her canvas. More can be found on her IG @akea_laniakea, and @kairos.helsinki

Haliz Yosef, b.1990, frequently works with memories, cultural-identity and language which mediates through moving image and sound art installations where they all interplay site-specifically.

We abide by the Safer Space Principles in all our events.

K1 Clubs Spring 2022

31.3. 19.30-21.30 F5.6 X K1 Club: The Photographs of Leo Montonen (in Finnish)
14.4. 19.30-21.30 F5.6 X K1 Club: Kuvajournalismi 2021 (Photojournalism 2021) -panel (in Finnish)
28.4. 19.30-21.30 K1-klubi: QuePoc Club (in Finnish, English, Kurdish, Arabic)
12.5. 19.30-21.30 F5.6 X K1 Club: Short Cut (in English)

Free entry. The events are organised following the current Covid-19 guidelines.

Poetry Pop-Up: Kannustusklubi

05. 04. 202205. 04. 2022

After the corona gloominess, Helsinki Poetry Connection awakens into spring and sunlight bringing up a new club concept! Poetry Pop-up is a club of changing ideas, where we set up poetry into new locations and surprising concepts!

First Poetry Pop-Up: Kannustusklubi (Cheer-up club) will be held Wednesday 13.4. at Espoo, Kannusali’s Cafe bar Luola, Kannusillankatu 4. Club will start at 19, but you can come to the chat with us from 17.00 and join to a writing workshop beginning at 17.45. Workshop will be held by charming Aika Huusko. We will have three different and amazing performers: Rae Aiemaa, Jarkko Jokinen and Kuopus!

Between the warm-up performers we have open mic, when the stage is free to everyone to read their own poetry. You will have 5 minutes to read your poems or other texts. First timers will get a double applause! If your poetry contains heavy issues, please warn beforehand – but remember that all poems are welcome!

Helsinki Poetry Connection adheres into safer space guidelines. We don’t accept discrimination or harassment in our events. You can read more here!

Please don’t hesitate to talk to us about anything!

The venue has a bit over 2 cm high doorstep at front door and at cafe door.There is a slope leading into cafe.The corridor is well lit and route into cafe is easy to find.There is an accessible toilet at the venue floor.

The entrance is free and there is no age limit. Welcome, see you!

Host and producers: Elina Ortamo and Tiina Jokelainen
Poster: Sirja Moberg
Partner: Kannusali

Ruusu Open Mic #38 on April 24th

04. 04. 202204. 04. 2022

Springtime is here, and so is Ruusu Open Mic! Helsinki Poetry Connection brings poetry back home into Sörnäinen, and the second Ruusu Open Mic of 2022 will be organized live in restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on Sunday, April 24th at 17-20.

As accustomed, Sunday’s stage poetry club kicks off with two warm-up poets. This time we will get to enjoy performances by Henri Seger and Riitta O. After the warm-up acts, it’s time for the main event – that being the open mic itself and all of your performances! Spots for the open mic are not reserved in advance, and the running order will be randomly drawn. Please note that the open mic slots are max 4 minutes long each so that as many people as possible have time to perform.

At the end of the evening, lovely prizes from HPC and our partners Sörkan Ruusu and Rautakukka will be drawn among the open-micers, so we do recommend sticking around until the end!

Each performer will be carefully listened to and cheered on – especially, if it´s your first time! Your performance can be a song or a poem, rap, spoken word or anything you can think of, as long as the text is your own! We welcome performances in any and all languages.
Ruusu Open Mic is free from any discrimination. We don’t accept any racist or hateful content or behaviour. Please also note that we advise performers to state content warnings regarding their poems. Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website.

Producers: Samppa Varis and Aatos Ketvel
Hosts: Kirsi-Marja Moberg and Samppa Varis
Poster: Touko Miikkulainen