Word Of Mouth

During the Listening Sessions, we always invite artists with a unique approach: they get to choose their own text to perform. This will hopefully lead to interesting conversations, with the poem itself being the topic of discussion. On Monday 4 November, we welcome Shareefa's Energy and Marc Kelly Smith

During the 'Word Of Mouth' festival, we will organise three sessions, each in a different language: in French, English and Dutch.

On the second day of the 'Word Of Mouth' festival, we dive deeper into the history and purpose of the festival, with an evening of fascinating conversations about the origins of spoken word in Belgium. How did spoken word find its way to our country? What was the tipping point, and who played a key role in this development? We will also compare the growth of spoken word in the US and the UK with its evolution in Belgium.

The evening begins with a brief review of the history of spoken word, after which we invite co-curator Samira Saleh, founder of Mama's Open Mic, to give a keynote based on her thesis. We will then delve deeper into our questions with founders of the movement and builders of the art form, hoping to find some answers. Marc Kelly Smith from the United States, founder of the global poetry slam movement, and Elten Kiene, spoken word artist, presenter, organiser, workshop teacher and co-founder of ‘Words Become Phrases’, a platform for word art in the broadest sense.

During the Listening Sessions, we always invite artists with a unique approach: they get to choose their own text to perform. This will hopefully lead to interesting conversations, with the poem itself being the topic of discussion. On Wednesday 6 November, we welcome Sofie Verraest and Luan Buleshkaj (NL).

During the 'Word Of Mouth' festival, we will organise three sessions, each in a different language: in French, English and Dutch.

On 7 November, we will screen Lisette Ma Neza's short film 'Branden'. A collective poem about burning homelands, about the fire and smoke of armed conflict. A conversation with five women about leaving and (never really) arriving. An ode to the rootless woman.

Furthermore, Lisette Ma Neza invites four guests who give light with language: poet Babs Gons, actress Marah Haj, singer Meral Polat and creative entrepreneur Ama van Dantzig to host the evening. They are all tasked with drawing inspiration from her film/collective poem ‘Branden’, which will be screened before they enter into conversation with each other. 

From the film, the creatives will engage with each other about the languages they live in and explore. The languages with which they break silences, the languages in which they literate, which they sing, name and criticise. It is also about how they do this individually in their own ways. During the conversation, they will bring artistic contributions: poems, songs and monologues. In this way, a second part of the film will emerge on the evening: ‘Branden’, on stage.  

During the Listening Sessions, we always invite artists with a unique approach: they get to choose their own text to perform. This will hopefully lead to interesting conversations, with the poem itself being the topic of discussion. On Saturday 9 November, we welcome Kabote~Poetry and Hady Salomé.

During the 'Word Of Mouth' festival, we will organise three sessions, each in a different language: in French, English and Dutch.

‘Battle of the Titans’ promises an epic evening of friendly battles between Belgian spoken word artists. We give a stage to both the big names of the genre and a new generation that is getting louder and sharper. 

With artists such as Esohe Weyden, Hind Eljadid, Bekvegter, Lisette Ma Neza, Samira Saleh, Soukaïna Bennani, Mon, Seckou Ouologem, Manu Moreau, Siebranding, Giovanni Baudonck, Droge P and Yannick Moyson, the most polished voices of the moment will be on stage.