The Longest Night

• Date: 19 December
• Time: 19:00 - 22:30
• Location: Centrale Bibliotheek

This is a Dutch-spoken event.

Come to The Longest Night on December 19 at the Central Library! Together, we celebrate the return of light with an evening full of poetry, stories, music, and performances.

For the third year in a row, the Central Library invites poets, writers, storytellers, and musical artists to explore words and sounds that leave a sparkle in the night. We shine a light on stories that offer comfort and hope. Traditionally, the longest night has been a time to celebrate the gradually lengthening days—a celebration of light during the darkest time of the year. An evening to come together, reflect, recharge, and look ahead.

Program highlights:

• Listen to a conversation with writer Teddy Tops about the importance of passing down stories from previous generations and rewriting history during Boekenclub XL – Feminist Library Edition.

• Travel across cultures and experience midwinter through storytelling and music at the MULATU Listening Bar.

• Hear poetry about being queer in the night at Queer Notes.

• Turn your resolutions into words—design and print your own poster at Print Night Out.

• Discover what the future holds with an Oliebol Reading by Wildcard.

• Receive personalized comfort in the form of a poem-on-prescription at the Poetry Pharmacy.

The program:

Boekenclub XL with Teddy Tops: Feminist Stories
What can we learn from stories of the past, and which new stories can we create ourselves? Join writer and program maker Teddy Tops for a conversation during Boekenclub XL – Feminist Library Edition. In her debut novel Egelskop, she rewrites the history of her grandmothers and explores alternative storylines.

The Longest Night Across Cultures
Join a midwinter journey during the listening session of the MULATU Listening Bar, in collaboration with philosopher and music curator Marieke McKenna. We explore the longest night of the year, the winter solstice, through music and stories from various cultures, including Scandinavian, Germanic, Celtic, Arab, and Persian traditions. Marieke combines her DJ skills with storytelling in a unique performance.

Queer Notes Poetry: Queer in the Night
During Queer Notes Poetry, three word artists take you into their world, reflecting on what it means to be queer in the night. Performing poets are James Yuca, Hasan Gök, and Vlinder Verouden. Expect three stories, each offering a unique perspective on—and meaning of—the night.

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