event Archives – Helsinki Poetry Connection

Ruusu Open Mic #67

06. 11. 2025

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry, storytelling, performance and other types of word art at Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on Sunday, Nov 30 at 5-8 PM. As usual, the evening starts with a brilliant warm up performance followed by the main act itself: you and your slot in the open mic.

November’s warm up act is: Emma Leppo!

You can sign up for the open mic during the first break after the performance. You’re welcome to perform your text, song or other performance in any language you wish. Instruments and devices can be hooked up to the sound system, if that’s what your performance needs and you have your copyright sorted (/free). Each slot is limited to 4 minutes so everyone has a chance—please respect the time.

At the end of the evening, glorious flowers from flower shop Lutukka as well as some drink vouchers from Sörkan Ruusu will be drawn at random among all the night’s open mic’ers. So, it’s worth staying till the end to see if you’re one of the lucky ones!

The event is produced and hosted by Vinski Valos from HPC ry!

We thank our long time venue Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu as well as the city of Helsinki!

Ruusu Open Mic is free from discrimination. We don’t accept racist or hateful content or behavior. Please also note that we advise performers to state content warnings regarding their poems if needed.
Our event follows the Safer Space Guidelines at here

The main entrance of Sörkan Ruusu has a ~20cm step and 81cm-wide door. A ramp can be set up on request. The venue also has an induction loop, as well as one accessible restroom and three gender-neutral restrooms.

Graphic design by Vinski Valos

Events

Poetry Jam – TWILIGHT

06. 11. 2025

Things are about to get obscure when Poetry Jam arrives at Pacifico x Tenho on Saturday, November 22, starting at 6 p.m. The restaurant is located on Helsinginkatu in Kallio.

The guest performers of the event are Veera Ojola, Aura Nurmi and Sir Liselot. During the evening performers selected through an open call will also be heard.

Do you have a poem, song, speech or performance that fits the theme TWILIGHT – or sheds new light on it? The open mic call is now live! Apply by 18 November to hpc.openmic@gmail.com. In your message, briefly describe yourself and the content and length of your performance. Four performers will be selected for 5-10 minutes on stage.

The event will be hosted by Vinski Valos and Sonja Kaisanlahti from Helsinki Poetry Connection, produced in collaboration with Nuoren Voiman Liitto. The event is supported by the City of Helsinki.

Poetry Jam follows the principles of a safer space, which you can find here . Unfortunately, the venue is not accessible.

Free entry!

Graphics: Vinski Valos

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #66

04. 10. 2025

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry, storytelling, performance and other types of word art at Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on sunday 26.10. at 5-8 PM. As usual, the evening starts with a brilliant warm up performance followed by the main act itself: you and your slot in the open mic.

The stage will be warmed up by our performer Carita Hagan!

The event is produced and hosted by Jamie Simone. We thank our longtime partner Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu and the city of Helsinki!

Ruusu Open Mic is free from discrimination. We don’t accept any racist or hateful content or behavior. Please also note that we advise performers to state content warnings regarding their poems if needed. Our event follows the safer space guidelines

Graphic design by Vinski Valos.

Free entry!

Events

Ruusu Open Mic

05. 09. 2025

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry, storytelling, performance and other types of word art at Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on the last Sundays of September, October and November 2025 at 5-8 PM. As usual, the evening starts with a brilliant warm up performance followed by the main act itself: you and your slot in the open mic.

Warm up acts TBA!

Graphic design by Vinski Valos.

We thank our longtime partner Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu and the city of Helsinki!

Our event follows the Safer Space Guidelines here

Free entry!

Events

HPC GOES PUISTO

15. 07. 2025

20.7. at 5 p.m. Helsinki Poetry Connection Goes Puisto is here again with a whole new episode of spoken word and happy faces!

This time we will take over Käpylän Lippakiska and the Meurmanin puisto in it’s immediate vicinity. We welcome each and everyone of you to perform your own texts in the finest open mic spirit. Naturally everyone who appreciates modern urban folk poetry is most heartily welcome as well.

This time our warm-up act is something a bit more special, because a most quirky and unique act of shouted poetry by the vociferous, soon-to-be-world-famous EJH! His artistic voice is nothing short of powerful and far reaching because their chosen style is to shout each and every poem as hard as humanly possible.

Now it’s time to laugh, now it’s time to weep, and most import of all: now it’s time to shout! All emotions are warmly welcomed!

We follow safer space principles, which you can read here

Free entry!

Events

Poetry Jam – The Party

30. 06. 202515. 07. 2025

“It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to…” -Leslie Gore-
—but maybe also laugh until bubbles rise to the ceiling and the words find their way to the dance floor.

Helsinki Poetry Connection’s August Poetry Jam invites you to a party—one that’s already over or just about to begin, one that’s wild, longed-for, unforgettable, or bitter to the bone. This year, in the spirit of Runokuu, we celebrate the power of words in a way that could never fit on a napkin corner. It demands the whole stage—and those dusty stage curtains too.

“It’s crazy, it’s party” -Käärijä-

Our invited performers include Ester Nuori Leppä, Alba Ala-Pietilä and Mari-Liis Müürsepp. These are some original voices you don´t wanna miss.

The program kicks off at 19:30. Parvisali is located on the 6th floor of Tekstin Talo—not too high up, but just high enough for the party to spiral out of control – or stay confined.

✨ Do you have a poem, song, or spoken word performance that fits the theme The Party—or maybe turns it completely on its head? The open mic call is now live! ✨
Apply by 14 August at hpc.openmic@gmail.com. Tell us briefly about yourself and your performance idea. We’ll select 4–5 performers, each with 5–10 minutes on stage.

Poetry Jams follow safer space principles, which you can read here

Accessibility information for Tekstin Talo can be found on their website: https://tekstintalo.fi/accessibility

The event is produced and hosted by Aika Huusko and Sonja Kaisanlahti from Helsinki Poetry Connection, in collaboration with Nuoren Voiman Liitto. Supported by the City of Helsinki.

Free entry!

Events

HPC Goes Puisto 11.7.

25. 06. 2025

Helsinki Poetry Connection’s Open Mic summer club HPC Goes Puisto! is here again! This time the season starts at Lapinlahti Lähde’s Park as part of the Lapinlahti Loves Art and Life program. In case of rain, we will move indoors.

Bring your own poems or other texts to the venue or write your own on site at the nonstop workshop taking place from 3-5 pm! The detailed content of the workshop will be published on the event website later.

In addition, the Lähde Sauna’s Poetry Sauna will warm up as a mixed sauna from 1-5 pm. Bring your own towel and swimming trunks! The sauna costs 6€ (support price 12€) and it supports the employment and mental health work carried out by Kahvila Lähte. Towels can also be rented for 5€ from Kahvila Lähte.

The Open Mic itself will start with a warm-up performer (TBA) at 5 pm in Lapinlahti Park on the apple tree stage. After this, the stage will be free for your own texts and songs.

A warm welcome to poetry, summer and art!

The event is organized in collaboration with the Pro Lapinlahti Mental Health Association and Lähde’s Sauna.

PS. The next Helsinki Poetry Connection Goes Puisto event is on Sunday 20th July at the Käpylän Lippakioski.

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #64

02. 05. 2025

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry and other forms of literary art to Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on 25.5. at 17-20. As usual, the evening starts with a brilliant guest performance followed by the main act itself: you and your slot in the open mic.

The evening will be warmed up by our performer Stina Saari!

You can sign up for the open mic after the performance during the first break. You’re welcome to perform your text, song or other performance in any language you wish. It’s possible to connect your instrument or phone etc in the sound system, if that’s what your performance needs and you have your copyright sorted (/free). Time limit for every open mic performance is 4 minutes, so everyone has a chance to perform. Please, make sure you don’t exceed this time limit out of respect towards your fellow poets.

At the end of the evening, glorious flowers from flower shop Lutukka as well as some drink vouchers from Sörkan Ruusu will be drawn at random among all the open mixers that performed that night. So, it’s worth staying till the end to see if you´re one of the lucky ones!

The event is produced and hosted by Sonja Kaisanlahti. The event’s graphic design is created by Vinski Valos.

We thank our long lasting partner Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu and city of Helsinki!

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 if needed.

Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website here

The main entrance of Sörkan Ruusu has a ~ 20cm step and door 81cm wide. There is a ramp that can be installed when asked to. There’s also an induction loop available at the venue, one accessible and three gender neutral toilets.

Free entry!

Events

Poetry Jam – Arrangement

27. 04. 2025

Arranging threads, plans in time,
fitting a movement into meaning,
a poem into the swell of sound:
words arranged
to meet the moment and its music.

Helsinki Poetry Connection warmly invites you to Bar Tÿpo in Tekstin Talo on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

Poetry Jam: Arrangement is a poetry club that brings together spoken word, rap and music.

From 6 PM, we’ll be arranging ourselves into the space. The program starts at 7 PM.

The evening’s performers are: stage poet Juho Kuusi, spoken word duo Harmio & Saarinen, singer-songwriter and lyricist Emilia Tuovila, and our open mic poets. The evening will be hosted by Anni Katajapuu and Vinski Valos.

Do you have a poem, song, performance or rap piece that fits—or could be fitted—to the evening’s theme? After the featured performers, the microphone will open to 4–5 selected open mic’ers. Each performer will have 5–10 minutes on stage. Apply by emailing hpc.openmic@gmail.com by May 9, 2025. In your message, tell us about yourself, your performance, and its length.

Helsinki Poetry Connection’s events follow safer space principles, which you can read about on our website here.

Accessibility information for Tekstin Talo is available on their website.

This event is produced by Helsinki Poetry Connection and Nuoren Voiman Liitto, and supported by the city of Helsinki.

Graphic design: Emma Johansson

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #63

10. 04. 2025

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry and other forms of literary and performance art to Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on April 27 at 5-8 PM. As usual, the evening kicks off with a guest performance followed by the main act itself: you and your slot in the open mic.

The stage will be warmed up by our performer Minttu-Maaria Makkonen!

April’s Ruusu Open Mic is produced and hosted by Vinski Valos, who is also behind the event’s graphic design.

We thank our long lasting partner Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu and our lovely supporter (and home) – the City of Helsinki!

Ruusu Open Mic is free from any discrimination. We don’t accept any racist or hateful content or behavior. Please also note that we advise performers to state content warnings regarding their poems if needed.

Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found here

Free entry!