Multilingual Writing LAB
On 2–3 September 2025 at the creative co-working community Hafnar.haus in Reykjavík, the Multilingual Writing LAB Training, co-organised by two multilingual writing collectives and networks Ós Pressan and Red Door, brought together over 30 participants from Iceland and Denmark for two days of dialogue, creativity, and exploration of multilingual expression.
Day 1 opened with introductions from Ós Pressan (Ewa Marcinek) and Red Door (Elizabeth Torres), followed by insights from the in-progress report Multilingual Writing in Denmark & Iceland, which outlined challenges, opportunities, and institutional support for the multilingual writing scene. A long-table conversation with Nina Sokol, Pablo Saborío, and Anna Valdís Kro invited open exchange on lived experiences and research findings. The evening featured Visual Vernacular & Creative Writing in Sign Language, with inspiring exercises led by Anna Valdís Kro and Elsa G. Björnsdóttir, bridging spoken English and Icelandic Sign Language (ÍTM). The evening concluded in a communal dinner and meet and greet with all attendees.
Day 2 featured Pablo Saborío’s session The Writer as Philosopher, blending the absurd and the creative through writing prompts. Participants were introduced to the project of NoMuLAB, an upcoming online platform offering free multilingual writing courses. A screening of The Poetic Phonotheque showcased poetic videos from Red Door’s archive. The programme continued with Helen Cova’s workshop Split Heart: On Linguistic Honesty, which combined author reading with creative writing exercises. The LAB concluded with a dinner and an open mic featuring participants and guests, reinforcing connections across languages and practices.
The training underscored community, inclusivity, and the role of multilingualism in reshaping creative practices. It also celebrated the new partnership between Ós Pressan and Red Door—two sister-like organisations, writing collectives, networks, publishers, and art curators based in Reykjavík and Copenhagen.
The training was part of the Multilingual Writing LAB, an Erasmus+ partnership project developed by Red Door and Ós Pressan. The project is supported by Reykjavík UNESCO City of Literature and Hafnar.haus.
Photos: Patrik Ontkovic
