Salena Godden
is an icon of the British spoken-word scene, a beloved English poet and performer, a social and political activist, and a radio producer. In the early nineties she began publishing CDs and DVDs of her poetry readings and live performances; she continuously expands this series, such as with 2020's The Lockdown E.P. Her poems, essays and short stories have been included in dozens of anthologies. Since 2011 she has published the poetry collections Under the Pier and Fishing In The Aftermath - Poems 1994-2014, and the youth memoir Springfield Road. Pessimism is for Lightweights - 13 pieces of courage and resistance (2018) was inspired by protests and demonstrations about issues such as women's rights, justice, sexism, racism, immigration and identity. Her debut novel Mrs Death Misses Death was published in January 2021.
Past events
Saturday Night Wintercafé: Spot on Young Poets
Students of The Hague's high schools read their own poetry, the result of workshops given by members of The Hague Poet's Guild. The poets Salena Godden and Maarten van der Graaff appear with them.
Friday Night Wintercafé: Spot on Young Poets
High-school students from the Hague region reading their own poetry, the result of workshops led by members of the Hague Poets' Guild. Professional poets Salena Godden and Marieke Rijneveld accompany the up-and-comers.
My Secret City
The festival asked seven authors to write about their own "secret" cities. Not the city that they see when they walk out the door but the city that they occasionally and unexpectedly come across. They read in their own language, with English and Dutch translations projected simultaneously.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
We tell one another fairy tales: about how the world appears, but also about how we ourselves appear. On Facebook, Instagram and vlogs we show our best side.
In the Mirror of Refugees
The image that refugees have of Europe does not match the reality they experience upon arrival. Europe is a fiction.
