L/OST Poetry Festival
International Spoken Word Festival in the Alte Segeltuchfabrik Cottbus
About L/OST Poetry
Alte Segeltuchfabrik Cottbus — A "lost place" as a stage
The Alte Segeltuchfabrik at Wilhelm-Külz-Straße 15 is a historic industrial building in the heart of Cottbus. Once a production site for canvas and technical fabrics until 1989, the factory now serves as a vibrant cultural venue for concerts, theater, exhibitions, and festivals. Its raw industrial atmosphere—concrete floors, soaring halls, exposed brick, and steel beams—is the festival's signature, providing the perfect backdrop for L/OST.
L/OST Poetry — An international spoken-word platform
The L/OST Poetry Festival acts as a bridge between the word-art scenes of Central and Eastern Europe. The stage will feature artists from:
- East Germany (Berlin, Leipzig, Saxony, Brandenburg)
- East Belgium (German-speaking community of Belgium)
- Poland
- Ukraine
- USA
- Czech Republic
The format blends spoken word, rap, readings, performance, and experimental music. "Strings and beats. Spoken word and rap. Readings and performance. Industry and word art"—that is how the organizers describe the concept.
Solidarity with the Ukrainian initiative Sklad Nr. 5
A central pillar of the festival is its collaboration with the Ukrainian initiative sklad5 / Sklad Nr. 5. The L/OST Festival sees itself as a "contribution to solidarity, cultural exchange, and democratic togetherness in times of political tension." A significant portion of the performances is dedicated to Ukrainian voices.
Free admission — Program July 16-18, 2026
The festival takes place from July 16 to 18, 2026. It is a non-profit event with free admission (reservations via Eventbrite). Each evening, multiple acts will perform on the main stage at the Alte Segeltuchfabrik. The full line-up will be announced in the weeks leading up to the festival on the website (www.lostpoetryfestival.com) and on Instagram (@lostpoetryfestival). The event is organized by the Spoken Word Akademie in Cottbus.
Brandenburg's poetry festival
L/OST is one of the few literary festivals in Brandenburg with an international focus and a strong performance component. For those seeking spoken word, contemporary poetry, and politically engaged word art, this is a unique platform in the region.
L/OST Poetry — edition 2026
The 2026 L/OST Poetry Festival takes place from July 16 to 18 at the Alte Segeltuchfabrik in Cottbus. Experience three days of spoken word, rap, readings, and performances featuring artists from East Germany, East Belgium, Poland, Ukraine, the USA, and the Czech Republic. The festival is hosted by the Spoken Word Akademie in partnership with the Ukrainian initiative sklad5 / Sklad Nr. 5. This is a non-profit event and admission is free.
In the heart of Lusatia, where brick walls tell stories, the Alte Segeltuchfabrik in Cottbus will transform into a vibrant home for poetry and sound from the East from July 16 to 18, 2026. The L/OST Poetry Festival brings international voices to Cottbus, turning South Brandenburg into a hub for exploring Eastern identities for three days.
Artists from East Germany, East Belgium, Poland, Ukraine, the USA, and the Czech Republic will gather to turn the Alte Segeltuchfabrik into a center for poetry: strings and beats, spoken word and rap, readings and performances, industry and word art.
Organized by the Spoken Word Akademie—which has been empowering young people and creating stages in unexpected places for years—the festival is a powerful statement of solidarity, cultural exchange, and democratic togetherness, developed in close collaboration with the Ukrainian initiative Sklad Nr. 5.
The festival is organized on a non-profit basis and admission is free. Please reserve your spot via Eventbrite.
Programme L/OST Poetry 2026
The full line-up will be announced in the weeks leading up to the festival on our website (www.lostpoetryfestival.com) and on Instagram (@lostpoetryfestival). We will update the program here as soon as it is officially released.
Highlights L/OST Poetry 2026
- 3 days of an international spoken word festival
- Artists from 6 countries (East Germany, East Belgium, Poland, Ukraine, USA, Czech Republic)
- Alte Segeltuchfabrik as a unique industrial backdrop
- Solidarity with Ukraine (sklad5 / Sklad Nr. 5)
- Spoken word, rap, readings, and performances
- Free admission – non-profit organization by the Spoken Word Akademie
Prices L/OST Poetry 2026
The festival is organized on a non-profit basis and admission is free. Please reserve your spot via Eventbrite.
Practical information — L/OST Poetry
Getting there
Train: Take the RE2 or RE10 from Berlin to Cottbus Central Station, then a 10-minute walk to Wilhelm-Külz-Straße.
Address: Alte Segeltuchfabrik, Wilhelm-Külz-Straße 15, 03046 Cottbus.
Admission
The festival is organized on a non-profit basis and admission is free. Reservations are required via Eventbrite. The full line-up will be published in advance on www.lostpoetryfestival.com and Instagram (@lostpoetryfestival).
Contact
Spoken Word Akademie, [email protected], spokenwordakademie.de.
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Where it takes place L/OST Poetry
Alte Segeltuchfabrik Cottbus
Wilhelm-Külz-Straße 15, 03046 Cottbus