End presentation Poetry Circle 010

Poetry Circle is the leading nationwide platform for spoken word in the Netherlands. Across the country, it offers development programs for emerging word artists, seasoned performers, and passionate enthusiasts looking to grow. Under the guidance of coaches from the literary field, participants are encouraged to find their voice and leave a fresh, innovative mark on the genre. 

In this program, the members of Poetry Circle 010 (Rotterdam) present their final performance: a poetic and theatrical culmination of the work they've created over the past season: raw, personal, and never seen before. 

© (foto) Sebastian Koudijzer 

Lotte 

Lotte is a multidisciplinary artist working in visual art, performance, and spoken word. She studies Transformation Design at the Willem de Kooning Academy. Her work is deeply personal, often drawing inspiration from themes such as identity, adoption, and, more recently, mental health. 

Quinn 

Quinn is a visual artist who prefers working with her hands. Still, sometimes she turns to words to express what she truly means. She’s been writing for years, but this is the first time she shares her work with others. Right now, she’s doing her best to write a poem that, just this once, isn’t about the end of the world. 

Halima 

Halima (20) is a spoken word artist, student, daughter, and fellow human. In a short time, she has performed on respected stages such as the Poetry International Festival, Mensen Zeggen Dingen, We The People, Tell 'Em, and soon the Arab Film Festival. Her work is often fiery, though she sometimes feels like a seed just barely sprouting in a burning forest. In her pieces, she is searching—seeking meaning, self, and healing. 

Vere 

Vere graduated from the MBO Theatre School in 2022. Born in The Hague and now based in Rotterdam, she writes about the things she experiences and notices in the world around her. She's a model, works with children, and loves being on stage. Her work is personal, often layered with humor and self-mockery. She calls herself a sparkling mess of words and feeling. 

Mirte 

Mirte Bautmans tends to arrive late rather than never, fell in love with water first, and her favorite word is cacophony. She finds inspiration in everyday conversations, turning scattered words into sentences, odes to the people and places that shape her world. Now, in search of a rush of adrenaline, she’s stepping on stage for the first time. Enthusiastic, curious, and unapologetically herself. Trigger warning: she speaks Flemish. 

Timothy 

Timothy Muhawe Toto (20) is a student at Erasmus University and chair of the Association of Students of African Heritage (ASAH), a community-driven student organization focused on connecting the African diaspora and anyone interested in African cultures. With Ugandan and Rwandan roots, born and raised in the Netherlands, Timothy uses poetry and spoken word to express feelings that are often hard to name, something he’s eager to share with an audience. 

Ju 

Ju writes raw, fiery spoken word, constantly searching for the right words and rhythms to capture and share feeling. Once a singer-songwriter, Ju’s texts still dance to a beat that longs to resonate and sometimes strike a chord. 

Coryse 

Coryse is a Rotterdam-based writer with Cape Verdean roots. Her love for language began at home and grew from devouring books to crafting stories. Inspired by classical Roman, English, and Dutch poets she encountered in high school, she eventually found her voice in poetry. For her, writing is a vital outlet for emotion. 

Selin 

Selin is a spoken word artist and a second-year member of Poetry Circle 010. She found her voice early in life through writing, and ever since, she has been using words to build bridges between worlds, languages, and identities. She shares this ongoing journey on stages and platforms across the country, most recently with the warm audience at Poetry International Festival x Museumnacht.

Chayenne 

Chayenne should really be a positivity guru, but she’s working her way toward becoming a spoken word artist. That’s why she’s participating in Poetry Circle for the second time this year. In her work, she channels her raw emotions and opens various themes, but especially emotions, up for discussion.