poetry on the road — International Literature Festival

Poetry from Around the World in Bremen

When international poetic voices conquer Bremen's stages, it's poetry on the road. The International Literature Festival has been one of the most important poetry festivals in the German-speaking world since 2000. It presents the full diversity of contemporary poetry: different poetic approaches, themes, languages, and forms, from sophisticated poetry to poetry slam and rap, to spoken word.

Over 750 Voices from More Than 60 Nations

Since its first edition in 2000 — which featured Dutch Dada poet Jaap Blonk as a special guest — around 750 renowned and internationally acclaimed authors from more than 60 nations have read in the Hanseatic city, including greats of the poetry scene such as Nobel Prize laureate Herta Müller. The festival is supported by Hochschule Bremen and Radio Bremen.

More Than Just a Classic Reading

poetry on the road consciously goes beyond the classic reading. For over two decades, the festival has relied on a mix of traditional and experimental poetry, classic readings, performances, and the interplay of poetry, music, art, video, and film. The program includes slam poetry, audiovisual projects, and visual sound poetry, as well as a translation collective that translates foreign-language texts live on stage. The festival leaves the large venues and goes into the city's districts — for example, with events in a Sparkasse branch in the Ostertorviertel or in the club of Theater Bremen.

Hanseatic Open-mindedness in Verse

Bremen sees itself as a cosmopolitan literary city, and poetry on the road embodies this claim particularly impressively: a festival that brings the whole world to Bremen and makes the Hanseatic city in the state of Bremen an international stage for poetry. For over two decades, it has brought voices from all continents to the Weser city, thus nurturing the city's cosmopolitan, literary tradition.