Annikki Poetry Festival
June 8th 2013
Annikki Wooden Quarter Annikinkuja 2
Tampere, Finland
Annikki OFF 5th – 7th of June
Annikki Poetry Festival, reaching its 10th anniversary, has grown to be one of the most significant poetry events in Finland. With the focus staying on poetry, the event has also reached towards music and arts. Annikki Poetry Festival has wanted to create fresh views on lyrics and to put together surprising combinations of performers as well as redefine the boundaries of poetry events. We have invited high profile international poetry performers, recently for example Nikky Finney, John Cooper Clarke, John Giorno, Jaan Kaplinski – many of which haven’t been seen here before. Our Finnish performers represent both more established authors and more recent voices. Annikki Poetry Festival has sprung its own OFF-programme around the event – Annikki OFF.
The venue of Annikki Poetry Festival is a 100-year-old wooden quarter in the centre of Tampere city, which has created special warm atmosphere for poets and audience to meet. In 2011 and 2012 Annikki Poetry festival was held elsewhere, due to the renovation of its original venue. Annikki Poetry Festival is a non-profit event organized by volunteers.
Annikki Poetry Festival 2013
The theme for the next Annikki Poetry Festival – on the 8th of June 2013, is “The Earth”. The theme aims to explore and celebrate the diversity of the world and poetry. The festival brings in more international performers than ever. Jenni Haukio, the First Lady of Finland, is the patron of this year's Annikki Poetry Festival.
2013 program includes Anne Waldman (USA), Kido Shuri (JP), Habiba (NL), Niillas Holmberg (Lapland), Kaj Chydenius & Taru Nyman, Eira Stenberg, Archie Ahola, Anni Sinnemäki, Martin Enckell, Veera Antsalo, Kai Nieminen & Kai Nieminen and Hannibal & Black Motor.
2013 performers
Anne Waldman, often called the youngest of the Beat poets, has been one of the most prominent figures in American poetry for decades. A pioneer of modern performance poetry, she has published almost 50 works of poetry and several audio records. For Waldman, who performs actively around the world, this is the first visit to Finland. Waldman has worked with Gregory Corso, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan, among others. Read more!
Kido Shuri, awarded with several significant literary prizes, is one of the leading contemporary poets of Japan. He has published nine poetry collections since 1986. The Finnish translation of Kido's work of poetry will be published at Annikki Poetry Festival during his first visit to Finland. Read more!
Habiba is a singer-songwriter and a harpist virtuoso living in Amsterdam. He sings in English and accompanies himself on the harp, and his songs are unashamedly feminine, influenced by both folk and jazz music. Habiba's debut album is due to be released this spring. Read more!
Kaj Chydenius is a musician and composer, who has made a unique career in Finland. Chydenius is the composer of many songs that have become classics. In his work, poetry, politics and popular music come together in a way that's unmatched in Finland. At Annikki Poetry Festival Chydenius performs with singer Taru Nyman.
Kai Nieminen has made a life's work in the front line of Finnish poetry. He is also known for his translations of Japanese literature into Finnish. His knowledge of Japanese culture has affected his own poetry as well. He has become one the most loved lyric poets in Finland with his lucid poetic expression that aims at reaching the core of existence. At Annikki Poetry Festival, he will perform with guitarist Kai Nieminen.
Eira Stenberg is a poet, author and translator with a long career. In addition to her seven poetry books, she has published five novels, plays and children's books, for example. Her early experimental works of poetry tried the limits of Finnish language. In her later works she has often contemplated the mysteries of the relationship between men and women.
Niillas Holmberg is a young northern Sami poet and singer-songwriter. The Sami language and culture have an important role in his creative work. Holmberg performs with multi-instrumentalist Roope Mäenpää at Annikki Poetry Festival. Their music has been characterized as arctic folk music.
Veera Antsalo is a poet from Helsinki. Her collection of poetry was published last year, and it is among the most praised first works of recent years. The collection has been commended on its controlled style, freshness, and beauty dressed in mundane clothes.
Hannibal is a lyricist, composer, and rap artist living in Nekala, Tampere. He is one of the forces behind the hip hop culture in Finland, having made a long, diverse career in the relatively young Finnish rap culture, and as the founder of Joku Roti Records. Hannibal performs with Black Motor, one of the top groups of Finnish jazz music.
Martin Enckell is one of the most prominent figures of contemporary Finland-Swedish poetry. Not only is he a poet, but also an author, translator, and an artist. Enckell has had an interest in eastern religions and philosophies for a long time, and it shows in his poetry, too.
Anni Sinnemäki is a Helsinki-based poet, writer and politician. She has published two collections of poetry and she has also served as Minister of Labour. Sinnemäki is well known as a song lyricist because of her work for the popular band Ultra Bra.
Archie Ahola published his first work of poetry last year. The book received positive attention, and it is the first Finnish openly homoerotic love poem collection.
Take a Prose Break!
This year, some prosaists that support the theme of the festival were also invited to perform alongside the main program. Thus, in between the poetry performances, it is possible to take a prose break. The prose break performers are Hassan Blasim, Aki Ollikainen, Johanna Sinisalo and Jarno Mällinen.
Poetry Festival Artist
In recent years, we have invited one title artist to the festival every year – Outi Heiskanen and Sasha Huber to name a couple. The Poetry Festival Artist this year is Rosa Liksom, whose Finlandia Trilogy, comprised of her video works and photographs, will have its Finnish premiere at Annikki Poetry Festival.
Festival OFF
In 2012, for the first time Annikki Poetry festival featured its own off-programme of three days – the Annikki OFF. The programme consists of dozens of cultural events, put together by independent event organisers. In 2012 the Annikki OFF events gathered around 2000 visitors. In 2013 Annikki OFF events take place from 5th to 7th of June. Read more (in Finnish only).
Poetry contest on Facebook
We have also played our part in creating a contemporary poetry culture in Finland by organizing a widely popular, first in Finland, writing competition on Facebook last year. The theme was eroticism. The name of the contest was Kiima – eroottisen runon kirjoituskilpailu (In Heat – Contest of Erotic Poetry). Read more!
The name of the poetry competition, held in connection with Annikki Poetry Festival 2013 and related to its theme, is Maalaisrunokilpailu (Contest of Rural Poetry). The competition will run on Facebook from February 15th until May 15th, 2013. The jury of the competition consists of the poets Heli Laaksonen and Jouni Tossavainen and literature student Aino Suonio. The winners will be rewarded with cash prizes and a chance to perform at Annikki Poetry Festival. Read more!
Meet us in social media
Annikki Poetry Festival on YouTube
Annikki Poetry Festival on Flickr
Last year's festival
2012 Annikki Poetry Festival was organized on 9th June 2012 in Väinö Linna Square in Tampere Finland. The theme of the festival was "Love for Poetry". About 1400 people attended the festival last summer.
2012 program included Nikky Finney (Usa), Paul Polansky (Serbia/Usa), Heli Laaksonen, Risto Rasa & Patrick Vena, Tomi Kontio, Anja Snellman & Jukka Orma, Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila, Mikko Mankinen, Yari, Silene Lehto, Outi Mäenpää and Kuhnafar-I with special quests: Markku Into, J.K Ihalainen, Seppo "The Priest" Pietikäinen, Rauhatäti, Yrjänä Sauros and Ginihattu.
ANNE WALDMAN,
often called the youngest of the Beat poets, has been one of the most prominent figures in American poetry for decades. A pioneer of modern performance poetry, she has published almost 50 works of poetry and several audio records. For Waldman, who performs actively around the world, this is the first visit to Finland. Waldman has worked with Gregory Corso, William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan, among others.
SHURI KIDO,
awarded with several significant literary prizes, is one of the leading contemporary poets of Japan. He has published nine poetry collections since 1986. The Finnish translation of Kido's work of poetry will be published at the Annikki Poetry Festival during his first visit to Finland.
HABIBA
is a singer-songwriter and a harpist virtuoso living in Amsterdam. He sings in English and accompanies himself on the harp, and his songs are unashamedly feminine, influenced by both folk and jazz music. Habiba's debut album is due to be released this spring.
KAJ CHYDENIUS
is a musician and composer, who has made a unique career in Finland. Chydenius is the composer of many songs that have become classics. In his work, poetry, politics and popular music come together in a way that's unmatched in Finland. At Annikki Poetry Festival Chydenius performs with singer Taru Nyman.
KAI NIEMINEN
has made a life's work in the front line of Finnish poetry. He is also known for his translations of Japanese literature into Finnish. His knowledge of Japanese culture has affected his own poetry as well. He has become one the most loved lyric poets in Finland with his lucid poetic expression that aims at reaching the core of existence. At Annikki Poetry Festival, he will perform with guitarist Kai Nieminen.
EIRA STENBERG
is a poet, author and translator with a long career. In addition to her six poetry books, she has published five novels, plays and children's books, for example. Her early experimental works of poetry tried the limits of Finnish language. In her later works she has often contemplated the mysteries of the relationship between men and women.
NIILLAS HOLMBERG
is a young northern Sami poet and singer-songwriter. The Sami language and culture have an important role in his creative work. Holmberg performs with multi-instrumentalist Roope Mäenpää at Annikki Poetry Festival. Their music has been characterized as arctic folk music.
VEERA ANTSALO
is a poet from Helsinki. Her collection of poetry was published last year, and it is among the most praised first works of recent years. The collection has been commended on its controlled style, freshness, and beauty dressed in mundane clothes.
HANNIBAL
is a lyricist, composer, and rap artist living in Nekala, Tampere. He is one of the forces behind the hip hop culture in Finland, having made a long, diverse career in the relatively young Finnish rap culture, and as the founder of Joku Roti Records. Hannibal performs with Black Motor, one of the top groups of Finnish jazz music.
ANNI SINNEMÄKI
is a Helsinki-based poet, writer and politician. She has published two collections of poetry and she has also served as Minister of Labour. Sinnemäki is well known as a song lyricist because of her work for the popular band Ultra Bra.
MARTIN ENCKELL
is one of the most prominent figures of contemporary Finland-Swedish poetry. Not only is he a poet, but also an author, translator, and an artist. Enckell has had an interest in eastern religions and philosophies for a long time, and it shows in his poetry, too.
ARCHIE AHOLA
published his first work of poetry last year. The book received positive attention, and it is the first Finnish openly homoerotic love poem collection.
