Criminal Sign Poetry — 9th Night of Sign Poetry

Can poetry hold in suspense like a good crime novel? Can it tell of mystery, crime, guilt and human passions, while at the same time prompting reflection on the nature of good and evil?

During the ninth edition of the Night of Sign Poetry, we will look at the presence of criminal motifs in poetry. The inspiration will be the works of Polish and foreign artists, including Adam Mickiewicz and Edgar Allan Poe. Selected texts will be presented in Polish and translated into Polish sign language.

Watch the invitation to the 9th Night of Sign Poetry “Criminal Sign Poetry” prepared in Polish sign language, with subtitles in Polish.

Watch the invitation in PJM on Facebook

The first part of the meeting will be a short lecture on poetry using elements of horror, mystery and crime. Participants will learn about selected examples from Polish and world literature as well as translations of works into Polish sign language prepared especially for the needs of the event.

Then there will be workshops on sign poetry and Visual Vernacular — a visual form of storytelling that uses movement, facial expressions, space and body expression. The workshops are designed for deaf and hard of hearing as well as hearing people. Their theme will be mystery, suspense and criminal narrative.

The culmination of the evening will be a show of sign poetry, Visual Vernacular and interpretations of selected works prepared in Polish sign language. Also presented will be the author's video works by Adam Stoyanov and Edyta Kozub, created specifically for the event and inspired by criminal themes. The program will also include works by poets selected on the basis of previous entries.

During the break we will invite participants for a small snack and a conversation.

The Night of Sign Poetry will be a bilingual event. All parts of the programme will be translated into Polish Sign Language (PJM) and Polish Phonic Language. Live subtitles will also be provided and the texts presented will be displayed on the screen. Each participant will be able to choose the most comfortable way of receiving content.

The event will be accompanied by a one-day photography exhibition “Night of Sign Poetry”. It will present poetic images of movement, space and body language, as well as works inspired by sign poetry and its visual character.

The Night of Sign Poetry has been creating a meeting space for Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people for nine years. It popularizes the culture of the Deaf, promotes sign poetry as a full-fledged form of artistic creation and shows that literature can cross communication barriers and connect people who speak different languages.

The event is part of a project implemented by the Podgórza Culture Centre in cooperation with the Grupa Migawki Foundation as part of the 16th edition of Poetry Night 2026.