Readings, Stand-Up & Discussions in Düsseldorf

Book readings, literature, poetry slam, lectures, stand-up comedy, talks and reports in Düsseldorf

Some cities talk a lot, but Düsseldorf really has something to say - on stages, in back rooms and in the time-honored birthplaces of famous poets. The spoken word scene is so lively here that you will certainly not go home untouched after an evening of poetry slam, spoken word or a reading. We promise. The first port of call for anyone who wants to discover slam poetry in Düsseldorf is the zakk, the Center for Action, Culture and Communication. The legendary Poesieschlachtpunktacht has been taking place here since 1997, one of the oldest monthly poetry slams in Germany, where poets from all over the German-speaking world come together and compete for the audience's favor with nothing but their voices and words. The audience is the jury, which makes every evening a unique, sometimes surprising, always rousing event. In addition to the slam, the zakk offers a broad program of literature, cabaret and social discourse in the area of word and stage, which is rarely found in this density and quality. For readings in a refined but never outdated setting, the Heine Haus is the place to go in Düsseldorf's old town. The Literaturhaus is located in the birthplace of Heinrich Heine himself, at Bolkerstraße 53, and hosts events once or twice a week where contemporary authors meet an open-minded audience. The fact that you can stroll between a bookshop and an event hall here has its own charm and makes it clear how close the written and spoken word are in Düsseldorf. If you want to delve even deeper into the literary scene in the city and the entire region, the Literaturbüro NRW has been an institution for over forty years, promoting readings, festivals, writing workshops and projects in public spaces and thus ensuring that literature does not just take place in event spaces, but in the heart of city life. The calendar of spoken word events in Düsseldorf is well-stocked throughout the year, from intimate spoken word evenings to large slam formats that show that language doesn't have to be academic or complicated to be moving. Cabaret, storytelling, poetry, rap as text - everything has its place here, and the audience decides for itself what moves it. You don't have to be a literary person to get your money's worth here. You just have to be curious enough to go. And then you sit there, listening to someone who hits more in ten words than some novels do in three hundred pages, and think: Why haven't I been here before?