Poetry x Kleine Lettertjes - Poetry or not? (7+)

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What do a dancer, a songwriter and a visual artist have to do with each other? And what are they doing at a poetry festival? You will find out during the children's programme 'Poetry or not' on Sunday 9 June in LantarenVenster. Together with the audience and three special guests, presenter Tirsa With (known from Het Klokhuis) investigates what poetry actually is. When is something a poem, and when is something a song? Can you dance poetry? And can you make a poem with just shells or flowers?  

Poetry International, in cooperation with Kleine Lettertjes, presents a sparkling and interactive talk show for children aged 7 and up. With, among others, Tirsa With, Ted van Lieshout and Sjaan Flikweert. 

Ted van Lieshout 
Ted was born in Eindhoven on 21 December 1955. He is a poet, writer, visual artist and graphic designer, educated at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where he lives. 

In 2009, he received the state prize for children's literature, the Theo Thijssen Prize, which is awarded once every three years. He also received, among other awards, the German Youth Literature Prize and the Silver Zoen for his youth novel 'Gebr.', the Gouden Griffel for his poetry collection 'Begin a turret of nothing', the Nienke van Hichtum Prize for 'Very small love' and, in 2019, the Book Key for 'They're going to take your nose off.' In 2009, to mark his twenty-five years of poetry, his collected poems were published under the title 'Hou van mij' in a one-and-a-half-kilo book illustrated by himself, good for numerous Silver Griffels. 

For more than 20 years, Van Lieshout wrote for television programmes such as Sesame Street and Het Klokhuis; today, he lectures on a variety of topics, including children & art, illustration, poetry and reading promotion. 

In 2020, he was Doctor Mondo, who gives cultural tips in short films as part of the VPRO programme Mondo. 

Sjaan Flikweert
Sjaan Flikweert is an interdisciplinary performing artist. She makes spoken word poetry, music, dance, theatre and film. For her, stories have the magical power to connect people and depict something new or different. It takes us by the hand beyond the boundaries of our own limitations. 

She has been an active performing artist at home and abroad for over 14 years. She was featured in the anthology HARD OP and she has been published in Tirade. She is at the foundation of Poetry Circle and has worked for AYA, the Guests, Bühnenbiest, Rover company, Silbersee, Nanoek and Dox, among others. She has produced the audiovisual poetry collections somewhere at home and the space in between (Nomination Lonely Wolf Festival and NPF) and Reality doesn't need me (selected for NFF and NPF). She organises BYMEKAAR, a bi-monthly improvisation concert with music, spoken word and dance. 

Tirsa With (host) 
Tirsa With (1997) is known as an enthusiastic presenter of, among others, Het Klokhuis (NPO Zapp) and Jongstof (NPO Radio 1). Because of her bubbly personality and natural curiosity, you won't forget her after the first meeting. Tirsa With is always there for others, with genuine attention and a boundless ability to empathise. She connects effortlessly with people in any situation. She has a great passion for art, culture and innovation and intuitively senses what a meeting needs, from large hall to intimate conversation, from podcast-with-audience to a theatre full of yelling teenagers: Tirsa is there and she owns it!