Mlade Rime Poetry Festival

Performance

Mladé Rime Poetry Festival, Menza pri koritu, Metelkova, Ljubljana, Slovenia. 28-29 June 2012.

Description

“Mladé Rime” means “young rhymes”, and this festival in Ljubljana has a vital energy that I have not encountered elsewhere. Some of it no doubt seeps in from the setting in Metelkova, which is an artist squat in the centre of the city. And some of it is due to the organisers, Dejan Koban and Veronika Dintjana, who are unstoppable.

Each evening combines a fairly long series of readings with live music, performance art, loads of cheap drink, and whatever else is on hand. It’s intense and dedicated entirely to art.

On this occasion I read in English with translation into Slovenian (by Veronika) read after each poem (by Dejan). It was so successful I was invited back for the following night. An encore performance in poetry? I have never heard of such a thing!

The photo is of punk group Pigs Parliament (performing on the 29th) who were fantastic.

The official website is in Slovenian. There is also an information page in English.