"(Ge)Close to the Night": Local residents organise a poetry evening with

As dusk falls over Bocholt on Friday, 17 July 2026, the area around the Ottilie beach café on Lake Aasee will be transformed into an open-air stage for poetry. At the event "(Ge)Dicht an die Nacht%$, members of the Stadtensemble Münster will recite selected poems by the light of candles and torches. What makes this evening special is the active involvement of the people of Bocholt, who can help shape the programme in the run-up to the event.

With this format, the Stadtensemble Münster is bringing an interactive cultural experience to Bocholt. During the blue hour, between 8.30 pm and 10.30 pm, literary works centred on the theme of the night will be recited at various locations in the countryside. To build a bridge between the stage and the local community, the ensemble's organisers are calling on the public to get involved.

They are looking for both personal favourite poems and original poetry that relates to the night. Dutch entries may also be submitted, which will then be recited during the event by an actress from our neighbouring country. Submissions can be sent by email to info(at)stadtlandbuehne(dot)de by 10 July. The submitted texts will be reviewed by the ensemble and, with a bit of luck, incorporated into the evening's final programme, so that participants can experience their own suggestions or works live in an atmospheric setting.

"The blue hour offers a very special atmosphere for poetry. "With this event, we aim to transform the natural surroundings of the Ottilie beach café into a space for words and atmosphere," says Jule Wanders, Head of the Education and Culture Department at Bocholt City Council, who is already looking forward to the event and to receiving many entries.

The event is taking place as part of the city- and region-spanning project "Stadt.Land.Bühne%$. This network connects cultural practitioners and regions with one another. The organising Stadtensemble has existed since 2018 as a fluid artists' collective, in which over 130 artists now collaborate in ever-changing constellations. Further information on the programme and the project is available on the website at www.stadtlandbuehne.de.

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the LWL Textile Museum. Funding is provided by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the NRW Regional Cultural Programme, the LWL Cultural Foundation, the Werte-Stiftung-Münsterland and the Society for Friends of Music and Theatre.