The Trenčín 2026 project has brought carols to the streets of the city, and now it introduces poetry and the sounds of nature. All of this is made possible by the Trenčín Koledomat, which has now transformed into the Trenčín Poesiomat. This unique installation, resembling a submarine periscope, operates with a crank. Initially, turning the crank played carols from various European Union countries, but now it offers works by Trenčín artists from both the past and present, along with natural sounds associated with its location.
Since 2015, the Czech association Piána na ulici, founded by Ondřej Kobza, has been placing Poesiomats in urban spaces. “Originally, they were primarily poetry jukeboxes, but over time, the concept evolved into its current form, where the Poesiomat seeks to capture the symbolism of a place – acting as an amplifier of its genius loci,” explained Ondřej Kobza. “The magic of a place can take various forms. That’s why, in addition to poetry, listeners of the Poesiomat may also hear a fairy tale or the sounds of nature,” he added.
“The Koledomat, which we installed at Trenčín’s Štúr Square at the beginning of December, has recorded 45,000 activations to date, making it the most frequently used of the more than 80 Poesiomats in the Czech Republic and Slovakia,” said project manager Martin Šeda.
The idea of this unconventional sound installation intrigued the organizers of the European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026 in the fall of last year. “The Poesiomat fits well into the concept of the European Capital of Culture Trenčín 2026. It is one of many projects aimed at revitalizing the city and bringing culture directly to the streets. Thanks to it, ordinary squares and public spaces become venues for encounters with art and poetry. It brings a new dimension to urban space and proves that culture does not have to be confined to theaters or galleries but can be accessible to everyone, anytime, anywhere,” said Ján Sudzina, director of the Trenčín 2026 project.
“I am grateful for this fantastic idea. The Poesiomat will offer the works of Trenčín artists in a completely new way in the heart of our city, and I believe it will be a pleasant addition for both Trenčín residents and visitors. We also have something to offer Europe and Europeans. I am very excited about this. I will definitely try the Poesiomat myself,” said Trenčín Mayor Richard Rybníček.
Štúr, Földvári, Trenčín Underground, and Contemporary Authors
From the end of February, listeners of the Trenčín Poesiomat at Štúr Square can hear Ľudovít Štúr’s poetic song Matúš z Trenčína, songs by Trenčín bands Bez ladu a skladu and Chór vážských muzikantov, poems by Rudolf Dobiáš, humorous feuilletons by Kornel Földvári, the fairy tale The Water Sprite Valentin by Vlado Kulíšek, musical pieces by young Trenčín musicians Nina Kohout and Jerguš Oravec, and much more.
The voices of the Poesiomat were provided by actors from the Trenčín-based Divadlo Normálka and actor-mime Pavol Seriš.
With the installation of the Poesiomat, Trenčín joins more than eighty cities across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and other European and global locations. These poetic tubes engage passersby in cities such as Brno, Prague, as well as Paris, Dublin, and Buffalo, USA.
