Poetry market in Brussels
What? Poetik Bazar, Brussels’ poetry market, is celebrating its fourth edition. At the multilingual festival, you will find author lectures, book presentations, signings and workshops, e.g. With Mustafa Kör, Carmien Michels, Carl Norac and Lisette Ma Neza. There are poetry publishers from different countries on the market: they offer books, magazines and all kinds of poetry objects and above all they show the vitality of contemporary poetry. Turkey is in the spotlight this year.
where and when? Halles de Schaerbeek, Brussels, 20.-22.9. More information: www.poetikbazar.be
Lisette Ma Neza. — © Jan Van der Perre
Southern phrases in Antwerp
What? Zuiderziens wants to be a popular festival for everyone interested in language and literature. The festival, with its book market, “once again chose a mix of old and emerging talent from both literature and music,” says co-organizer Luc Huybrechts. “This Play Zuid stage is our show with top performers like Tom Lanoye, Arthur Japin, Kader Abdolah and Els Dottermans and Andrea Croonenberghs.” At least 100 performers will perform in more than 20 locations. Also Kristien Hemmerechts, Aya Sabi, Ish Ait Hamou, Jeroen Olyslaegers, Ferre Van den Broeck, Kaat Vrancken, Maud Vanhauwaert, Saskia De Coster, Michiko Lii, Rick de Leeuw, Christophe Vekeman, Halve Neuro, Inès Eshun, C, Erik Van Looy The stages will feature Verbeeck, Olga Leyers, Katia Schipperheijn, Wim Willaert, Marcel Vanthilt and Hind Eljadid.
where and when? South (near KMSKA), Antwerp 22 September. More information: www.zuiderzien.eu
Aya Sabi. — © Fred Debrock
The night of the canon
What? Canon night brings literature and music together. Ghent’s impressive academy building is once again transformed into a magical environment. The literary-musical festival promises an evening full of surprises, where writers alternate their own works with favorite fragments, strange odes and spicy commentaries on our literary classics. In between, the musicians treat themselves to intimate concerts. Christophe Vekeman, “The Netherlands’ most literary cowboy”, will lead the audience through the night.
where and when? Kantl, Ghent September 27. More information: www.kantl.be
Participants of the canon night. — © rr
Woolf fans
What? The five kindred spirits recently founded the Gordon Square Society, “a non-profit organization committed to promoting and promoting the free thought of the Bloomsbury Group and Virginia Woolf through lectures, exhibitions, concerts, performances, discussions and more.” Gordon Square in London was one of the residences of Woolf and her free-spirited friends. On September 28th, the club will organize a “fundraising evening” in Antwerp to enable the activities planned by the club. During the presentation evening, you can get to know Bloomsbury in person with cocktails and a buffet and a performance by the well-known mezzo-soprano Natascha Petrinsky.
The first Virginia Woolf & Bloomsbury Festival will take place on November 22, 23 and 24 at various locations in Antwerp with speakers, artistic performances and discussions.
where and when? About: www.gordonsquaresociety.net
Virginia Woolf. — © National Portrait Gallery London
Phrases with red ears
What? The eighth edition of the annual Flemish-Dutch erotic writing competition Red ear the organizers challenged the participants with a writing task: ‘Which sentence makes you want to?’ Eight illustrators were then commissioned to create a stimulating illustration for one of the eight best stories. You can listen, watch and feel the result during the final. In the Zuiderpershuis, theater maker and musician Nele Van den Broeck directs the evening and Rashif El Kaoui, Sophia Blyden and Maxine Palit de Jongh read eight stories. At the end of the evening, we know the winners Red ear and the very first Naughty brand.
Where and whenthere is? Zuiderpershuis, Antwerp 29 September. More information: www.deburen.eu
Nele Van den Broeck. — © Alexander Meeus
Tribute to Mark van Tongele
What? Het Predikheren and Het Paradijs organize a tribute to the poet Mark van Tongele (1956-2023) in Mechelen. Bart Leroy, Koen Vergeer, Kurt De Boodt and Hedwig Speliers remember their friend and fellow poet with poetry and testimonies. Patrick Riguelle performs lively French chansons, “the music that allowed Mark to dream.” His last poetry collection is posthumous Solar water is suggested. The hostess is Evita Nossent.
where and when? Predikherenkerk, Mechelen on September 29 from 11 am. More information: www.hetpredikheren.mechelen.be
Mark Van Tongele. — © rr
The royal tour met Lanoye
What? The prestigious triennial award for Dutch literature is presented at the Royal Palace and in a limited circle. Award-winning Tom Lanoye wants to include three “popular theater parties” in October that are accessible to all.
Performances at Viernulvier in Ghent on October 2nd, pop-up theater ‘t Bau-huis Sint-Niklaas on October 6th and De Roma in Antwerp on October 12th with guests invited by Lanoye. The author himself presents some of his recently republished works in his own unique way The Waasland Omnibus. It consists of Butcher’s son with a glass (1985), Cardboard boxes (1991) in Speechless (2009), the three novels with the most autobiographical content in Tom Lanoye’s output. Special guests on stage include Jan Decleir, Filip Jordens, Antjie Krog, Lisette Ma Neza and Els Dottermans.
where and when? More information: www.begeerte.be
Tom Lanoye. — © Arthur Los
The new Hertmans
What?you say the latest is called Stefan Hertmans. “Is there such a thing as friendship sorrow, just as there is heartbreak?” That is the central question of the novel. “you say tells about the unconditional friendship between student and teacher. They are united by the desire to live in another time – in the space of the polders, in a sublime painting, in a lost beauty. of you say Hertmans tells the irresistible life story of a fashionable artist soul in the great tradition of the old biographies of painters.
Sarah Vankerschaever, director Standard of lettersmakes a presentation. Chantal Pattyn, director of the Klara network, then talks with the author.
where and when? Bozar, Brussels, October 5. More information: www.bozar.be
Stefan Hertmans. — © Gallimard
Charlotte Van den Broeck and the Tasmanian tiger
What? In her new book, Charlotte Van den Broeck follows the tracks of the Tasmanian tiger. Through European natural history collections and zoos, his search takes him deep into the Tasmanian bush, where some collect the mythical animal’s footprints and droppings, hoping to prove that it is still alive – and therefore not extinct due to violent influences. of colonization. “Using the ecological history of the Tasmanian tiger, he reflects on loss and hope in times of climate crisis, science and stories, observations and distortions. The new book forms the basis of a literary performance where the audience is invited on a journey through time and space.” Tasmanian Tiger Flame is a follower Bits of risk (2019), a book of thirteen texts about tragic architects.
Roel D’Hont provides the original sound decoration for Van den Broeck’s performance.
where and when? From October 10 on tour in Antwerp, Sint-Niklaas, Leuven and Ninove. More information: www.begeerte.be
Charlotte Van den Broeck. — © Joren De Weerdt
Poetry as an act of resistance
What? An evening about poetry as an act of justice and resistance. “Palestinian-Syrian poet and filmmaker Ghayath Almadhoun is one of the greatest talents of contemporary Arab poetry. In his poems, he shows how bad banal violence often is, what marginalization really means and what he feels about losing his homeland.
Almadhoun’s voice is resolutely political and feeds off the rich imagery of Arabic poetry. His work on the Syrian civil war earned him the nickname “the great poet of the great catastrophe”. A Dutch translation of his third book with a strong title was published this year I brought you a severed hand.
At Bozar’s invitation, Almadhoun reads some of his poems and is interviewed by Brigitte Herremans.
where and when? Bozar, Brussels 16 October. More information: www.bozar.be
Ghayath Almadhoun. — © Cato Lein
Apero met Lale Güli
What? For the aperitif series You can ask me anything van deBuren, the guest voluntarily allows himself to be interrogated by the curious interviewer and the audience. Turkish-Dutch author and columnist Lale Gül as a guest in the second episode of autumn. Heleen Debruyne, radio producer, author and feminist, talks to her.
Lale Gül grew up in a strict Islamic family. He became famous for his autobiography I’m going to live (2021), fresh I’m free (2024), where he distances himself from his religious upbringing.
where and when? deBuren, Brussels, 24 October. More information: www.deburen.eu
Tulip rose. — © rr
Everyone reads
What? On Saturday 16 November, Everyone Reads is organizing an interactive reading inspiration day in Antwerp, which is only for volunteers who (want to) read to children aged 2.5 to 12 years. The program includes inspiring sessions on the features of interactive reading and a selection of toddler and children’s books.
where and when? Hotel Dumont, Antwerp on November 16. Register for free at www.iedereenleest.be