event Archives – Helsinki Poetry Connection

HPC Goes Puisto: Käpylän Kiska

03. 07. 2026

25.7. 17-20 Käpylän kiska

Otto-Iivari Meurmanin puisto

The Helsinki Poetry Connection’s summer park tour is sailing happily along. This time, we are heading to Käpylän Kiska, that little gem known for its incomparable park events. So, pack a blanket, a picnic, some toiletries, and your friends.

An evening full of the most potent word art your soul could possibly need is in store. Anyone can take the stage and enchant us all. So, write a poem, show up, sign up, wait for your turn, and when it arrives, let yourself sparkle into the summer evening! You can bring a guitar or similar instrument for accompaniment, keeping the technical limitations in mind.

The evening will be kicked off by Rae Aiemaa with their ambient live-accompanied poetry piece, EMBRACE ANGELMODE.

Sign-ups for the open mic will be taken after the opening act.

For everyone to have a good time, it is essential that everyone feels safe. So, let’s keep the space safe! More specific instructions on modern etiquette can be found in our safer space principles from https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/

The event is weather-dependent.

The event is supported by the City of Helsinki.

Graphics: Maija Kivi.

Events

POETRY JAM: NIGHT

27. 06. 2026

What kind of texts emerge in the night?

Helsinki Poetry Connection’s interdisciplinary Poetry Jam invites you to celebrate the Night of the Arts and Runokuu Poetry Moon Festival on Thu August 20, 2026, 7:30 PM-11:00 PM!

Join us for a moonlit feast of nocturnal spoken word on the 6th floor of the House of Text (Tekstin talo) in Helsinki.

Our featured performers are Veera & Senni and Susinukke Kosola. Between the guest performances, you’ll hear artists selected through an open call.

Do you have a poem, song, speech, or performance that fits the theme NIGHT? The open mic call is now open!

Send your application by 3 August to hpc.openmic@gmail.com. In your message, briefly introduce yourself and describe your performance, including its length. Five performers will be selected with performance slots of 5-10 minutes each.

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

Poetry Jam events follow safer space principles, which can be found here

Accessibility information is available on Tekstin talo’s website.

Free admission! 🌙

RUNOKUU: https://runokuu.fi/en/

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #71

07. 05. 2026

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry, storytelling, performance and other types of word art at Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on Sunday, May 31 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.

Next warm up act is: Mirjam Larinkari!

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 evening will be hosted by Sonja Kaisanlahti.

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 Matias Ahtinen.

Events

POETRY JAM: LANDSCAPE/SELF-PORTRAIT @ Ateneum Late

01. 04. 2026

Helsinki Poetry Connection brings featured cross-disciplinary performers onto stage to explore the exhibitions’ themes. At the Poetry Jam clubs, spoken word poetry merges with performance, music, and art. Through the curated open mic, anyone can apply to step onto the stage. Come and experience the poetry of today in the Ateneum Hall!

The guest performers of the event are Lempi Elo and Ville Vuorenmaa. 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 LANDSCAPE/SELF-PORTRAIT – or paints it in a completely different light? The open mic call is now live! Apply by 17 April 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 in the bio and at https://www.helsinkipoetryconnection.fi/en/about-us/safer-space-guidelines-of-hpc/

Free admission with a student card and for under-25-year-olds. Admission for others is included in the price of a museum ticket, with a Museum Card, or with a Friends of the Ateneum membership card.

24.4.26 18:00 and 19:00, The Ateneum Hall

Picture – Eero Nelimarkka: Ateljeesta (1940). Kansallisgallerian kokoelma / Ateneumin taidemuseo, kokoelma Ahlström. Kuva: Kansallisgalleria / Hannu Pakarinen.

Graphics: Vinski Valos

Events

Ruusu Open Mic #69

09. 03. 2026

We warmly welcome you to come enjoy poetry, storytelling, performance and other types of word art at Restaurant Sörkan Ruusu on Sunday, March 29 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: Pauli Pietilä!

The event is produced and hosted by Vinski Valos!

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

Graphic design by Matias Ahtinen.

Events

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!

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!

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.

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!