Poetry Processing Party

Looking for an evening filled with poetry and music? Then come to the Poetry Processing Party by NOORDWOORD, The Stage & Noordstaat! This event brings everything together: spoken word, poetry, music, and everything in between, combined with engaging conversations that definitely won’t be confined to the stage. Expect performances from local Groningen talent, as well as big names like Zaïre Krieger, Shishani, Guus van der Steen, and YMP.

Your host for the evening is Romano Liu, whom you may know from Spaces Art Collective. Along with spoken word artist Onias Landveld, who loves to engage in meaningful conversations, Romano will guide you through various performances and vibes. The big question of the night is: “Would you still walk through a door with me if you knew what I really thought?”

We’ll close the evening with a poetic house set by DJs from Relate Radio, giving you plenty of time to dance and chat afterwards.

An evening to fully immerse yourself in the moment. Will you be there?

Organizations

NOORDWOORD is the literary organization of Groningen. NOORDWOORD organizes festivals such as the poetry festival Dichters in de Prinsentuin, the literature festival Het Grote Gebeuren, and presents the Best Groningen Book awards. They also maintain the literary calendar of Groningen, support the ‘stadsdichter’ (City Poet), and encourage northern writing talent.

The Stage is a platform for spoken word, touring the Netherlands this year with a wide range of artists, providing space for top-tier word art. Their program tackles polarizing issues and challenges audiences to think.

Noordstaat is the place up north where emerging and up-and-coming artists can accelerate and grow their talent. They offer coaching, promotion, rehearsal/studio facilities, and connect artists and acts to stages and festivals.

Relate Radio is a community-driven online radio station in Groningen, serving as a cultural platform for those who want to learn, develop, and experiment with their musical interests and societal explorations. During the Poetry Processing Party, Relate DJs Coco Coquelicot and Geert Jan will close the evening with a few hours of great music & vibes.

Coco Coquelicot is a musical nerd who digs deep for her gems, regardless of genre. Her DJ sets aim for more than just a good time and reflect her passion for social and political issues. By amplifying queer and other marginalized voices, she empowers people who seek refuge in nightlife.

Geert Jan’s DJ sets reveal a deep love for raw jazz, deep house, hard-hitting funk, and other soulful grooves. He prefers vinyl and has built up a huge collection by digging through dusty warehouses and forgotten sale bins for hidden treasures. These unique finds come to life in his sets, always different, always soulful.

Artists

Romano Liu is a 23-year-old poet and co-founder of Spaces, who tries to capture what’s left unsaid in his texts. With his work, he aims to connect poetry with other disciplines in a fresh way to increase its appeal. He has a lot of experience as a performer, host, and organizer, having appeared on well-known stages such as Noorderzon, OOST, and Jonge Harten.

Onias Landveld is an award-winning spoken word artist, storyteller, and poet. Born in Suriname and raised in the Netherlands, he fled the Surinamese civil war with his family in 1989. After living in Utrecht for three years, the family returned to Suriname. Since 1998, Onias has lived in Tilburg. He brings personal experiences and societal themes together in powerful performances. In 2015, he won the Poetry Slam. Onias uses his performances to spark conversations about identity, migration, and social justice.

Shishani is an internationally awarded artist who transcends genres and cultures. Their work combines art and research with a strong social conscience. Shishani advocates for the equal rights of indigenous peoples, the LGBTIQ+ community, and climate justice. Their academic work focuses on Namibian cultural heritage. As a pioneer, Shishani has initiated several projects, such as Namibian Tales, Sisterhood, Shakuar, and Miss Catharsis, which amplify marginalized voices and offer inspiring counter-narratives.

Y.M.P (YoungMichPoetry) is a Rotterdam-based entrepreneur and word artist, raised on hip-hop influences like 50 Cent, Eminem, DMX, and Wu-Tang Clan. He discovered his love for language during a difficult time in prison, where he began writing to transform negative experiences into something positive. With fiery, rhythmic texts and influences from both hip-hop and classical music, Y.M.P leaves a deep impression. In 2016, his solo show De Binnenplaats premiered, where he candidly tells his life story in an exciting mix of spoken word and live music, touching on growing up without a father, family values, and wrong ideals. He is the business and artistic director of Productiehuis FLOW, where he guides young people in art and theater.

Zaïre Krieger (1995) is a spoken word artist, opinion maker, and voice actor. She co-organized the Black Lives Matter demonstration in Rotterdam and was a speaker at events like TEDx. In 2019, she won the Spoken Award in the gospel category. Zaïre translated Amanda Gorman’s poem for Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration into Dutch. Her performances are layered, rhythmic, and deeply felt. Zaïre Krieger is an original and important voice in the Dutch spoken-word scene.

Guus van der Steen is a versatile spoken word artist and performer from the Netherlands. Along with his brother Frank, he made a name for himself as part of the hip-hop group Kern Koppen. In 2018, they appeared in theaters with Stomp, a poetic mix of spoken word, rap, and movement theater. Guus also performed in the surreal opera Aardappelvreters at the Oerol Festival. With his humor and fascinating music, he has a unique voice in the Dutch poetry world and teaches programs in schools. He combines poetry with musical influences and is known for his ability to touch audiences and provoke thoughts in them.

Plastic Psyche is an alternative hip-hop group that expresses itself through art installations. Expect introspective rhymes and existential beats, resulting in universally poetic questions. Hip-hop that boosts your self-esteem. Known for their energetic live performances and unique sound, Plastic Psyche challenges the genre with innovative productions and sharp wordplay. Each track takes you on a musical journey that touches both mind and heart.

Sakaria, A.K.A. Saka, is a Somali spoken word artist with a background in freestyle rap. He plucks words from the air and can play around with compositions at any given moment. Saka has broadened his word art through spoken word, drawing inspiration from his roots.

Lilian Anneloes is a visual artist, writer, and researcher. As a creator and human rights activist for Amnesty International, she has been heavily involved in themes such as gender and sexuality. This also led to her documentary De Buurvrouw is een Kutwijf (2023), for which she won the audience award of the Hendrik de Vries stipend. In her artistic practice, Lilian likes to touch on the places where things get uncomfortable. She is currently exploring (the generational transmission of) trauma and its inherent connection to (her) activism through her artistic work.