Poëziecentrum

Poëziecentrum vzw is a non-profit knowledge and expertise centre for Dutch-language poetry, based in the Belgian city of Ghent. According to its own website, it is the reference centre in Flanders and the Netherlands for Dutch-language poetry, foreign poetry in Dutch translation, Dutch-language poetry translated into other languages, and South African poetry. Its mission is to introduce as many people as possible to poetry in an accessible way, by confronting them as often as possible with poems and poets. The organisation grew out of Poëziekrant, a poetry magazine that first appeared in 1976 and was initially conceived as an actual newspaper before evolving into a magazine published eight times a year. Poëziecentrum itself was founded in 1980 by Willy Tiberghien. In its first two years it operated entirely with volunteers, initially housed on the Sint-Kwintensberg in Ghent. In 1985 it moved to premises in the Hoornstraat for reasons of space, and since 2003 it has been housed in 'het Toreken' on the Vrijdagmarkt in Ghent. A negative fire-safety report issued in 2023 means the centre will eventually have to relocate. Poëziecentrum combines several functions. It runs a documentation centre that collects, preserves and makes accessible material on Dutch-language poetry and poetry in Dutch translation, including roughly 40,000 volumes of primary sources, a periodicals archive with 200 current subscriptions and 20,000 magazine volumes, some 5,000 volumes of secondary literature, a clipping archive of more than 7,500 folders, and non-book materials such as audio and video recordings. It also holds a substantial collection of South African poetry, thanks in part to a donation by the South African poet Prof. Ernst van Heerden and contacts with the universities of Stellenbosch and Potchefstroom. The documentation centre is a reference library: works can be consulted on site only, in open stacks, and the collection is catalogued online using the UNESCO-developed open-source software Winisis. As a publisher, Poëziecentrum continued Flanders' oldest poetry series, De Bladen voor de Poëzie (1939), and has issued individual collections by poets such as Stefan Hertmans, Frederik Lucien De Laere, Roger M.J. de Neef, Dimitri Casteleyn, Mark Insingel and Michel Bartosik, as well as thematic and literary-historical anthologies. Notable publications include the 752-page anthology Hotel New Flanders (December 2008), covering sixty years of Flemish poetry (1945–2005), compiled by Dirk van Bastelaere, Erwin Jans and Patrick Peeters. The centre also publishes Poëziekrant and organises literary activities, festivals and projects such as Paukeslag, a multimedia platform for 'living poetry heritage' launched in 2014 with partners from the literary and heritage sectors, and the Ghent poetry route developed for the Keizer Karel year in 2000. From 2012 to 2023 the centre was led by Carl De Strycker, who was succeeded in that year by Dave Van Robays. Poëziecentrum remains active, publishing new collections, running a webshop, organising events and campaigning around initiatives such as Poëzieweek.

Poëziecentrum originated from Poëziekrant, a poetry magazine that first appeared in 1976. Initially shaped like a real newspaper, Poëziekrant evolved over the years into a magazine published eight times a year, containing poems by established poets and debutants alongside reviews, essays, interviews, reports and current affairs. In 1980 Willy Tiberghien founded Poëziecentrum, which grew out of the seeds of that magazine. The centre was first housed on the Sint-Kwintensberg in Ghent, and for its first two years its operations depended entirely on volunteers. In 1985, due to lack of space, it moved to premises in the Hoornstraat. Since 2003 it has been housed in 'het Toreken' on the Vrijdagmarkt in Ghent, though a negative fire-safety report issued in 2023 means it will eventually have to move again. In its early years the centre continued Flanders' oldest poetry series, De Bladen voor de Poëzie (1939). Its publishing arm went on to issue many individual poetry collections (by Stefan Hertmans, Frederik Lucien De Laere, Roger M.J. de Neef, Dimitri Casteleyn, Mark Insingel, Michel Bartosik, among others), thematic anthologies (on love, the seasons, women's poetry) and literary-historical anthologies. It also produced occasional publications, including De Taal vervoert de Dichter heel ver weg for Europalia Russia and SMS poetry collections for the Festival of Flanders. Its own collection was documented in the exhibition catalogue Vaarwel wat lelijk is. In 2007 it published individual collections such as Genade met wijnvlek by Paul Cox, It was a boring conversation anyway by Jess De Gruyter, Omdat by Roger M.J. de Neef, Oblomow in Handzame by Joris Denoo, Iets, 21 liefdesgedichten by Mark Insingel, Terug naar de toekomst. Gedichten 1967–2007 by Willie Verhegge, and Vagant by Jan van der Hoeven. In December 2008 it released Hotel New Flanders, a 752-page anthology of sixty years of Flemish poetry (1945–2005), commissioned from Dirk van Bastelaere, Erwin Jans and Patrick Peeters. For the thirtieth anniversary of Poëziekrant, an extensive themed issue appeared, Dertig jaar poëzie in Vlaanderen en Nederland. In 2005, in cooperation with CANON Cultuurcel, a themed issue on poetry and education was published. In 2000, for the Keizer Karel year, Poëziecentrum and Motte Claus initiated a permanent poetry route for the Ghent city centre, currently consisting of eighteen poems and incorporating six poetic-plastic concepts by the Honest Art Movement. In 2014, together with various partners from the literary field and the heritage sector, the centre introduced Paukeslag, a multimedia platform for 'living poetry heritage', named after the poem Boem Paukeslag from Paul van Ostaijen's collection Bezette stad. Its aim is to keep visual and audio material of Dutch-language poetry alive. One component, Poemtata, organises poetry events for adults and children, including the Poëziedriedaagse during the Ghent Festivities, the annual Poemtata poetry competition, and the PoëzieKijkdozenKabinet that travels to art festivals, libraries and bookshops. The centre also organises activities such as Zaoum, a festival for 'young' Flemish poetry including stand-up poetry, classical and experimental forms, whose first two editions were held in 2005 and 2006. From 2012 to 2023 the centre was led by Carl De Strycker, who was succeeded in that year by Dave Van Robays. The documentation centre holds roughly 40,000 volumes of primary sources, a periodicals archive with 200 current subscriptions and 20,000 magazine volumes, about 5,000 volumes of secondary literature, a clipping archive of more than 7,500 folders, and non-book materials. A donation by the South African poet Prof. Ernst van Heerden and good contacts with the universities of Stellenbosch and Potchefstroom gave it a significant collection of South African poetry. The collection is catalogued online with the UNESCO-developed open-source software Winisis.

• 2023

  Negative fire-safety report issued; Dave Van Robays succeeds Carl De Strycker as director.

• 2014

  Paukeslag multimedia platform for 'living poetry heritage' introduced with partners.

• 2012

  Carl De Strycker becomes director.

• 2008

  Hotel New Flanders anthology (752 pages, 60 years of Flemish poetry) published in December.

• 2006

  Second Zaoum festival edition.

• 2005

  Themed issue on poetry and education published with CANON Cultuurcel; first Zaoum festival edition.

• 2003

  Moves into 'het Toreken' on the Vrijdagmarkt in Ghent.

• 2000

  Poetry route for the Ghent city centre initiated for the Keizer Karel year.

• 1985

  Moves to premises in the Hoornstraat due to lack of space.

• 1980

  Poëziecentrum founded by Willy Tiberghien, growing out of Poëziekrant.

• 1976

  Poëziekrant magazine first appears, initially in newspaper form.

Non-profit knowledge and expertise centre for Dutch-language poetry in Flanders and the Netherlands, combining documentation, publishing, events and heritage projects.

• Poëziekrant

  Poetry magazine published eight times a year, with poems, reviews, essays, interviews and reports.

• De Bladen voor de Poëzie

  Flanders' oldest poetry series (1939), continued by Poëziecentrum.

• Hotel New Flanders

  752-page anthology of sixty years of Flemish poetry (1945–2005), published December 2008.

• Paukeslag

  Multimedia platform for 'living poetry heritage', launched 2014.

• Poemtata

  Component of Paukeslag organising poetry events, competitions and travelling cabinets.

• Ghent poetry route

  Permanent route of eighteen poems in the Ghent city centre, initiated in 2000.

• Poëzieweek
• Paukeslag
• Zaoum

1. 1homepagina Poëziecentrum | Poëziecentrumpoeziecentrum.be
2. 2Poëziecentrum – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Poëziecentrum – Wikipedia (Dutch)nl.wikipedia.org