Literature at eight
The literature at eight event emerged from the first weekly “poetry hour” in Café Storch, which dates back to the 1980s.
history
Founded in November 2001 by Gerd Buurmann , Viktoria Burkert and Georg Lota Ponitka . As the centerpiece of the former “Solana Theater eV”, it is a forum for new texts of all genres ( poetry , prose , stage texts , foreign-language literature, conceptual and experimental) presented by writers themselves . Musical contributions and other small stage performances are also part of the program in the evenings, which are led by changing moderation.
In contrast to many other stages, the focus of “Literatur um eight” is on the educational mandate and a serious discussion of the possibilities and tasks of contemporary writing. With this claim, a group of discussants , planners and project planners comes together here, conveying the character of a salon .
In 2004, the van Aaken Verlag was formed in the group of “Literatur um eight” , which started a series of anthologies with the authors representing them, which published “fair copies” and individual books.
After Gerd Buurmann, the previous director and moderator, withdrew from the project in November 2008, it was transformed into an author collective ("A reading stage of authors for writers and listening guests"). The “Literature at eight” has taken place more than 400 times so far. She has been a member of the "Free Cooperative Art and Design TriebArt" since 2008.
In 2010 the group published its own magazine “Texts on Literature at eight”.
The monthly events have been organized and moderated by Tristan Valentin Katzenellenbogen and Mischi Steinbrück since 2013. Since then there has also been a "literature at eight special" every two months with special guests in the first part of the evening.
Since 2015 the Café Central, at the corner of Lindenstr./Jülicher Str. 50672 Cologne, has been the new home of “Literature at eight”.