Coventry Welcomes Dresden Poet for New Writers Exchange
As part of the newly launched Coventry-Dresden Writers Exchange, poet and artist Christian Maans will be visiting the city from 4th April 2023.
Christian Maans (photo credit Anne Maans)
Dresden and Coventry were twinned in 1959, after both cities experienced the devastating effect of heavy bombing during the Second World War. Dresden has a rich and fascinating history – including a king with an incredible passion for porcelain, the creation of milk chocolate, and a long association with the arts.
There is an existing long-standing arts exchange between the two cities, which was started by Coventry artist John Yeadon many years ago, and a number of Coventry writers have visited Dresden over the years, including Antony Owen, Roze Navab and Coventry’s current Poet Laureate, Emilie Lauren Jones. However, there has never been an official exchange for writers of Coventry and Dresden, until now. (HCE readers might be reminded of an existing annual exchange scheme, between poets of Coventry and Cork.)
Nikolai Press, one of the Coventry-Dresden organisers, stated: ‘We are delighted that the Coventry Dresden Writers Exchange has now added a residency programme and that Dresden poet and artist Christian Mannss will be the first Dresden poet in residence, staying in Coventry in April 2023. This is another milestone in the exchange between our twin cities and testament to our desire for reconciliation and friendship between Coventry and Dresden, Britain and Germany.’
Christian Manss is a German poet and contemporary artist who was born in Eisenach in 1978. He studied in Leipzig, Germany, lived in Zurich until 2010 and then moved to Dresden, where he currently resides. Manss has received numerous grants and awards throughout his career, including travel scholarships that have taken him to countries such as Sweden, France, South Korea, Montenegro, Austria and the United States. He has also been the recipient of various project and studio residencies. His latest project, TWENTY, includes poems, self portraits and a theatre-concert.
Christian’s new project ‘TWENTY’
While in Coventry, Christian will be attending an interview with Hillz FM, speaking to students at Coventry University and meeting members of Coventry’s German Circle, as well as performing at Fire&Dust (our regular open mic poetry night). This will be the first time that some of Christian’s poems have been translated into English. This month’s Fire&Dust is taking place at Café Morso at 7:30pm on Thursday 6th April. No ticket is needed to attend; please visit this page for more information.
There will also be time for Christian to explore the city, including a tour of the cathedrals, a visit to an artist’s studio and more.
Monika Campbell, another organiser and member of CAIF (Coventry Association for International Friendship) said: ‘The Coventry Dresden Writers Exchange is a further link in the relationship between our cities, drawing in a new set of friends, with a mutual interest in poetry. It will be exciting to see/hear how Christian’s German poetry “translates” into Coventry’s spoken word scene.’
The project is supported by CAIF (Coventry Association for International Friendship), Dresden City Council, Coventry’s Lord Mayor and many organisations and individuals in Dresden and Coventry.
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