event Archives – Helsinki Poetry Connection

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!

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #61

11. 02. 202511. 02. 2025

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry and other forms of literary art to Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on 23.2. 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 Toni Lahtinen & Matti Salo!

The event is hosted by Jamie Simone and Timo Nikkilä. The event’s graphic design is created by Vinski Valos.

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

Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website: https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/

Free entry!

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #58

13. 10. 202414. 10. 2024

It´s october, it´s time for Ruusu Open Mic #58! We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry and other forms of literary art to Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on 27.10. at 17-20. As per 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 kick off with a poetry performance by Eugenie Touma van der Meulen (they/she). Eugenie is a joyful and justice-oriented artist and activist whose artistic practice focuses on poetry, spoken word, and otherwise text meant for a live audience.

You can sign up for the open mic after Eugenie´s 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.

October Ruusu is produced by Aika Huusko, hosted by HPC’s new head of board, Vinski Valos, who also designed the visuals of the event.

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

Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website: https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/

Free entry!

Events

Poetry Jam – Emptiness

27. 09. 202403. 10. 2024

Poetry Jam is back! On Saturday, October 19th, at Tekstin Talo the theme is emptiness.

Emptiness can signify free time, a state of mind, a sense of space, and much more. It can also be approached not merely as absence but as a space filled with potential. This time, we won’t flee from emptiness; instead, we will explore what it might encompass: time, timelessness, darkness, light, absence, or creative power. What does your emptiness consist of?

How does a full evening of people blend with the theme of emptiness? Come and experience it with fellow poetry enthusiasts!

The program starts at 6 PM in the Permantosali on the first floor.

Performers of the evening are:

Collin Ngiesi

Oteanankanduro

Ellala & Parviainen with their performance “Tässä olisit”

After the invited guests, there will be four curated open mic performers. Each performer gets 10-15 minutes, which they can use fully or emptily. Do you have emptiness-themed texts? Would you be interested in performing? Sign up at hpc.openmic@gmail.com by October 11th, 2024, sharing something about your performance and yourself.

Poetry Jams adhere to safer space principles, which can be found on our website.

Accessibility information for Tekstin Talo is available on their website.

The event is produced by Helsinki Poetry Connection and Nuoren Voiman Liitto.

Event: Poetry Jam – Emptiness

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #57

06. 09. 202423. 09. 2024

Ruusu Open Mic 2024! We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry and other forms of literary art to Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on 29.9. at 17-20.

Once again it’s time for wonderful performances and open mic. The evening will be warmed up by Pauliina Haasjoki!

You can sign up for the open mic after the performances. 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. Time limit for every open mic performance is 4 minutes, so everyone has a chance to perform.

At the end of the evening, glorious flowers from flower shop Lutukka will be drawn among the open micers!

Event is produced by Sonja Kaisanlahti. The hosts of the event are Sonja Kaisanlahti and Jamie Simone. Poster and video is designed by Vinski Valos!

We thank our long lasting partner Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu with joy!

Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website: https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/

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 is an induction loop available at the venue.

Free entry!

Event: Ruusu Open Mic syksy 2024

Events

HPC Goes Puisto

01. 08. 2024

Helsinki Poetry Connection Goes Puisto! summer tour continues on Saturday 10th of August at Alppipuisto Amphitheatre at 6pm!

There’s a bucketload of slam and performance poetry goodies to be expected from the evening, which will shake your poetic soul to its very core. To warm things up, there are warm up performances from the Finnish Slam Poetry OG Harri Hertell and the 2023 Finnish Poetry Slam winner Diliana Stoyanova.

When the stage is properly warmed up, it’s time for the main act of the night, namely YOU. Everyone with a bit of courage and a bunch of material can get up on stage to blow your poetic socks off! Everything thing, that you dare to call poetry is allowed (minus racist bullshit etc.). Just keep your pants on and limit your act to 4 minutes, so that we have time to for every single soul to perform.

So, pack your picnic packs with your favorite snacks and drinks and friends, and sharpen your favorite pens. Be welcomed, be awesome one and all!

The night’s producers are Jussi Kiova and Timo Nikkilä.

Raincheck!

Address: Alppipuisto, Viipurinkatu 00520 Helsinki

Events

Runokuu’s Poetry Jam

15. 07. 2024

You are warmly welcome to Runokuu’s Poetry Jam club on friday, 23 August at 7 pm at Tekstin talo!

The evening will be warmed by our wonderful performers Lauri Hei, Elsa Tölli ja Nihkee.

After the performances there will be Open Mic segment, and 5 poets will be chosen in advance. If you would like to be one of them, apply through hpc.openmic(at)gmail.com On the subject field write “Poetry Jam Open Mic”. Please note that the open mic slots are max 5 minutes long.

The producers and presenters of the evening are Sonja Kaisanlahti and Elina Ortamo. The event is organized in cooperation with literature association Nuoren Voiman Liitto.

Free entry!

Poetry Jam is free from any discrimination. We don’t accept any racist or hateful content or behaviour. Our event adheres to Safer Space Guidelines as found on HPC’s website: https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/

https://runokuu.fi/

Events

Helsinki Poetry Connection Goes Puisto

15. 07. 202424. 07. 2024

Helsinki Poetry Connections Open Mic -summer club HPC Goes Puisto keeps on giving in it’s all summerly glory. We’ll be meeting in Käpylän lippakiska on sunday 28 July at 6 p.m.!

We are about to see poetry’s ever flourishing creativity in it’s full, glorious multitudes. Concept is that we sit in a park in good company and warmly sunny atmosphere, listening to poetry and getting inspired by it.

Afternoon starts with warm-up performers, such as the glorious Elmy Helmos and Jamie Simone. After that comes the main performers, being you, get the stage for use, to interpret your self-written poems. Pretty much everything that you can call poetry with a straight face is allowed, as long as you keep your trousers on, consider the safer space, and keep your performances under four minutes.

HPC-GP is hosted and produced by Jussi Kiova and Timo Nikkilä. You are warmly welcome!

Raincheck!

In Helsinki Poetry Connection ry’s events we don’t tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind. We gather to shared experience with peace, creativity and compassion. Please check our safer space instructions from HPC’s site at: https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/