Spoken word artist Mahat Arab is touring The Hague neighbourhood Laak! He will be performing at Laakkwartier Library, Vadercentrum Adam and the Laaktheater, where you can hear some of his own poems. Immediately afterwards, he will give a short workshop entitled Write a poem in 10 minutes! Everyone can participate and you don't need to prepare anything. All you need is a pen and paper! The performances and workshops are free of charge and suitable for everyone aged 7 and above.

Here you see Mahat on 22 January 2026:
11.30-12.00: Bibliotheek Laakkwartier, Linnaeusstraat 2
13.15-13.45: Vadercentrum Adam, Jonckbloetplein 24
14.15-14.45: Laaktheater, Ferrandweg 4T

Mahat Arab (The Netherlands, 1996) is a spoken word artist, writer and organizer of books and poetry events. Many of his lyrics are about identity, awkwardness but also the humour we can encounter in discomfort.

His work has appeared in De Revisor and Het Parool, and he has performed in De Nacht van De Poëzie, Brainwash Festival, Lowlands, Down The Rabbit Hole, Zwarte Cross and theatres throughout the Netherlands and Belgium, among others. Furthermore, Mahat is a literary programme maker at Poetry Circle, Mensen Zeggen Dingen and Brainwash Festival. He is also a team member of Club Lees, VPRO's online reading club. He played his self-written performance Een poëtisch rommeltje on several stages, including Oerol 2025.

In addition to Laak, you could also meet Mahat at the festival on Saturday afternoon, 24 January, at Theater aan het Spui, where he spoke alongside two other VPRO Club Lees members in the programme Liefde, lezen & lust- YOUNG!, which also featured writer Hanna Bervoets and poet Lies Kelder. On Saturday evening, 24 January, Mahat was the interviewer in Boek van mijn leven (Book of My Life): 20 minute-conversations in which authors speak about their favourite book, during the grand festival evening Saturday Night Unlimited at Theater aan het Spui and Filmhuis Den Haag.

From 22 to 25 January 2026, Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague was to be found in theatres, libraries and schools throughout the city: from Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, GR8 to Theater Dakota, Curaçaohuis, the Laakkwartier, Nieuw Waldeck, Schilderswijk and Ypenburg libraries, the Institute of Social Studies and De Haagse Hogeschool. With over 100 writers, poets, spoken-word artists and musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. With readings, prose, poetry, storytelling, spoken word, author interviews, topical talks, films and music.