Helsinki 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

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 #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!

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: 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/