Words Can … in Gelsenkirchen: Reading with Performative Power

When Language Becomes Action: "Words Can …" in Gelsenkirchen

In irgendDorf on Bochumer Straße, literature meets performative openness: In "Words Can …", Elke Holland and Norbert Stenkamp transform anecdotes, stories, narratives, novellas, and poems into word-actions. The reading on September 15, 2026, at 7:00 PM takes place in the heart of the Ruhr area and is free of charge according to the organizer. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/veranstaltungskalender/96429-worte-koennen))

Literary Language as a Living Space

This event does not rely on mere text recitation but on its condensation in the moment. From prose fragments, poems, and speech texts, an atmosphere of reading is created that allows the audience not only to listen but to think along literarily. This fits with the open, interdisciplinary profile of irgendDorf, which serves as a space for artistic research and projects in Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/veranstaltungskalender/96429-worte-koennen))

A Place for Proximity, Discourse, and Cultural Curiosity

Das irgendDorf sees itself as a creative playground and open place for collaboration, language, and experimentation. The address Bochumer Straße 108 makes the evening particularly tangible: Here, literature, art, and community meet in an environment focused on exchange and new forms of coming together. ([irgenddorf.de](https://www.irgenddorf.de/?utm_source=openai))

Presentation from the Ruhr Area

The reading is carried by two locals, who give the format a local anchoring. It is this proximity that lends authority and authenticity to the evening: no distant podium, but rather an author encounter in a broad sense, where language, voice, and presence set the tone. The event start is clearly set, with additional dates in the series following on October 20, 2026, and November 17, 2026. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/veranstaltungskalender/96429-worte-koennen))

Conclusion

"Words Can …" promises an evening where literature does not stand still but is set in motion. Those who appreciate poetic texts, performative readings, and an intimate cultural atmosphere will experience a free literary event with a local touch. A visit is especially worthwhile live. ([gelsenkirchen.de](https://www.gelsenkirchen.de/de/_meta/veranstaltungskalender/96429-worte-koennen))

Official Channels of Elke Holland and Norbert Stenkamp:

• Instagram: no official profile found
• Facebook: no official profile found
• Website: https://www.irgenddorf.de/
• Publishing House: no official profile found

Sources:

• City of Gelsenkirchen – Words Can …
• irgendDorf – About Us
• irgendDorf – Homepage
• City of Gelsenkirchen – Creative Quarter Ückendorf