POETICS

Past Events

Reykjavík Poetics is a community-oriented organisation that runs two literary event series: the monthly open mic nights, Reykjavík Open, and our curated events. Supported by Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature and Mengi, Reykjavík Poetics encourages multi-lingual participation from local and international writers. We invite readers of all levels and languages to come to our events and share their work. We believe in making literature accessible and inclusive for everyone. Our goal is to foster a vibrant literary community where diverse voices and stories can be heard, creating a dynamic cultural exchange that enriches the literary scene of Reykjavík.

For current events, please view our Facebook or Instagram.

Featured
Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #5
Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #5

Featuring: Michael Richardt, Tomasz Racjan, Michelle Spinei, Matthías Pétursson, Friðrik Valur Hákonarson, Eva Yuki Mik, Christopher Brocklebank, Cale Galbraith & Jonathan Swerdlow.

Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #4
Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #4

Featuring: Friðrik Valur Hákonarson, Jakub Kiliszek, Nadia Terranova, Dan Roh, Biswamit Dwibedy, Valur Gunnarsson, Oliver Paglia, Ægir Þór Jahnke and more!

Reykjavík Poetics #14: Mad as a Hatter
Reykjavík Poetics #14: Mad as a Hatter

Reykjavík Poetics #14: Mad as a Hatter

Featuring: Rachel Corvo, Momo Hayashi, Einar Valur Másson, Miriam Petra Ómarsdóttir Awad, Zachary Melton, Bergrún Anna Hallsteinsdóttir and more!

Writers O’Clock at Menningarnótt
Writers O’Clock at Menningarnótt

Writers O’Clock at Menningarnótt

Featuring: Biswamit Dwibedy, Gabe Dunsmith, Dan Roh, Margrét Ann Thors, and Michelle Spinei.

Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #3
Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #3

Orðið er Frjálst / Reykjavík Open #3

Featuring: Anna Valdís Kro, Biswamit Dwibedy, Pungur Silungs, Daníel Daníelsson, Steinunn Ýr Einarsdottir, Oliver Paglia and more!

Reykjavík Poetics #13: Skynsegja – Neurodivergent Words
Reykjavík Poetics #13: Skynsegja – Neurodivergent Words

Reykjavík Poetics #13: Skynsegja – Neurodivergend Words.

Featuring: Kathy D’Arcy, Ragnheiður Guðmundsdóttir, Elias Knörr, Brynhildur Magnúsdóttir, Guðjón Þór Lárusson, and more!

Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #2
Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #2

Reykjavík Open #2

Featuring: Emily Pitt, Oliver Paglia, Hannah Rós Sigurðardóttir Tobin, Ari Allansson, Andie Sophia Fontaine, Ingiriður Halldórsdóttir, Friðrik Hákonarsson, Ada Christine and more.

Reykjavík Poetics #12: Til Hamingju!
Reykjavík Poetics #12: Til Hamingju!

Reykjavík Poetics #12: Til Hamingju!

Featuring: Anton Helgi Jónsson, April Dobbins, Hildegard Hansen, Karólina Rós, Kristín Svava Margrét Ann Thors, Marion Poilvez, & Sara Manceras

Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #1
Orðið er Frjálst Reykjavík Open #1

Reykjavík Open #1

Featuring: Sparkle [Sindri Freyr], Néfur, Christopher Marcatili, Andie Sophia Fontaine, Grayson Del Faro, Maria Guinness, Kay Cook, Tóti, Rut Ríkey, Chris Murphy, Bryndís Bjarna and Ewa Marcinek.

Writers O’Clock
Writers O’Clock

Writers O’Clock

Featuring: Ann Eriksson, Gary Geddes, Leslie Schwartz, Martyna Daniel, and Miku Sophie Kühmel.

Reykjavík Poetics #11 / Open Mic
Reykjavík Poetics #11 / Open Mic

Reykjavík Poetics #11 / Open Mic

Featuring: Dan Roh, Miku Sophie Kühmel, Friðrik Valur Hákonarson, Anna Valdís Kro, Martyna Daniel, Arnaldur Ingi Jónsson, Mao Alheimsdóttir and more.

Reykjavík Poetics #10 / Að Jökla
Reykjavík Poetics #10 / Að Jökla

Reykjavík Poetics #10: Að Jökla

Featuring: angela rawlings, Andervel, Galadriel González Romero, Guðbjörg R. Jóhannesdóttir, Juan Camilo, jöklakór, Khairkhan, Martyna Daniel, and Néfur.

Reykjavík Poetics #9 / Open Mic
Reykjavík Poetics #9 / Open Mic

Reykjavík Poetics #9 / Open Mic

Featuring: Kathy D’Arcy, Atli Viðar Þorsteinsson, Sindri Freyr Bjarnason, Halldóra Mogensen, April d'Afrofuturist, and more.

Reykjavík Poetics #8 / Francesca Cricelli & Friends
Reykjavík Poetics #8 / Francesca Cricelli & Friends

Reykjavík Poetics #8 / Francesca Cricelli & Friends

Featuring: Rossana Silvia, Sigurbjörg Þrastardóttir, Pedro Gunnlaugur Garcia, Isadora Alves, Deepa R. Iyengar, Gabe Dunsmith and more.

Reykjavík Poetics #7 / Open Mic
Reykjavík Poetics #7 / Open Mic

Reyjavík Poetics #7 / Open Mic

Featuring: Veronique Favero, Einar Steinn Valgarðsson, Francesca Cricelli, Björn Halldórsson, Helen Cova, Sigrún Björnsdóttir and more.

Reykjavík Poetics #6 / A Tribute to angela rawlings
Reykjavík Poetics #6 / A Tribute to angela rawlings

Reykjavík Poetics #6 / A Tribute to angela rawlings

Featuring: Ewa Marcinek, John Rogers, Elías Knörr, Bergþóra Ægisdóttir, Eiríkur Örn Norðdahl, Ós Pressan and more.

Reykjavík Poetics #5 / Open Mic
Reykjavík Poetics #5 / Open Mic

RVK Poetics #5 / Open Mic

Featuring: Brynja Hjálmsdóttir, José Luis Anderson, Juan Camilo Roman Estrada, Leslie Schwartz, Margrét Ann Thors, and Véronique Favéro.

Reykjavík Poetics #4 / Mazeen Marouf & Joachim B. Schmidt
Reykjavík Poetics #4 / Mazeen Marouf & Joachim B. Schmidt

Reykjavík Poetics #4: Maazen Marouf & Joachim B. Schmidt

Featuring: Maazen Marouf and Joachim B. Schmidt.

Reykjavík Poetics #3
Reykjavík Poetics #3

Reykjavík Poetics #3

Featuring: Rachel Britton, Martyna Daniel, Elías Knörr, Jakub Kiliszek, and Jakub Stachowiak.

Reykjavík Poetics #2
Reykjavík Poetics #2

Reykjavík Poetics #2

Featuring: Björk Þorgrímsdóttir, Karólína Rós Ólafsdóttir, Maria Guindess, Meg Matich, Natasha S., and York Underwood.

Instagram

As soon as September starts, you can find Hannah @norprosin in her cupboards looking for the spider candles, witch tablecloths and ghost teddybears. Halloween season is when Hannah was born and (possibly) when she will meet her maker. Hannah sometimes tells stories, other times she does psychology research or plays music. This Halloween she will share her theories on a mysterious event from the middle ages which has never been solved, a theory closely related to ghosts and music. Join us for RVK Poetics #15: Ghost Stories this Wednesday at Mengi. @mengi_iceland @bokmenntaborgin
Febrúar @februarmusic is a singer-songwriter from Reykjavik. She combines cinematic, score-like piano compositions, lyrical honesty and rich, heartfelt vocals in her music. Her ghost stories are a little like her favorite time of year - melancholic and dark. Join us for RVK Poetics #15: Ghost Stories the 30th of October at Mengi.
Maria Guindess @egelska_is is a dreamer and a storyteller, journeying through the threshold spaces where reality blurs into imagination. In these worlds, emotions flutter like blue butterflies, their mint-cold wings stirring an air of mystery. The faint tinkling of tiny bells invites you to tread carefully along hidden paths, where every step holds the promise of magic just beyond reach.
Ewa Marcinek @ewaewamarcinek grew up hearing voices, whispering from the shadows of her Catholic childhood. Back then, she was sure it was Satan. Now, the voices come mostly in the mornings, soft but insistent, murmuring full passages for her stories, essays, and poems. Join us for RVK Poetics #15: Ghost Stories, on the 30th October at Mengi.
Dan Roh @trodcastdan is a Korean-American writer and stand-up comedian who lives in Iceland with his wife and children. He explores themes of belonging and the joys and difficulties of a life defined by different cultures. During RVK Poetics #15: Ghost Stories, Dan will read about how his wife’s Icelandic grandmother taught him to face his fear of darkness. Join us on October 30th at 19:30 in Mengi. The event is organised in collaboration with Reykjavík Bókmenntaborg UNESCO @bokmenntaborgin
Half-man, half-crab. Pedro Gunnlaugur Garcia @pedrogunnlaugur is not “all there” mentally. He also has fleas. When he says he writes, you have to understand that it is mostly pornography and that it is very bad and confusing pornography because he doesn’t seem to know where all the organs are, who has what bits, and what goes where; it’s really sad, actually. He lives in some lake, probably. Join us for RVK Poetics #15: Ghost Stories on the 30th of October at Mengi @mengi_iceland Pedró Garcia Gunnlaugsson er í raun Fríða Ísberg með álímt gerviskegg, takið bara eftir því. Einu sinni komst næstum því upp um þetta glens og það fór allt í háaloft hjá Rithöfundasambandinu vegna þess að: hver þorir að kippa gerviskegginu af?? Enginn þorir því.