Australian Poetry Slam 08
Who will be the next Australian Poetry Slam champion?
The search is on for NSW's best talent!
Speak, scream, howl, whisper or sing your original poem at the Australian Poetry Slam — NSW heats — in an electric live event where the audience is the judge!
All contestants are given a mic, a live audience and just two minutes to impress the judges (selected at random at each heat) with their spoken word, poetry, hip hop, monologues and stories.
This year there are 10 regional and metro heats in NSW. Heat winners will compete in the State Final at the State Library of NSW on 21 November. NSW's top two slam poets will battle against state and territory winners for the coveted Australian Poetry Slam 08 title and $5,000 cash, at the National Final in Sydney on 4 December.
For more information about the Australian Poetry Slam 08, please visit the official website: www.australianpoetryslam.org
or contact:
Vanessa Bond, Slam co-organiser, State Library of NSW
(02) 9273 1566 or vbond@sl.nsw.gov.au
NSW heats
HEAT ONE: Tamworth
Saturday 6 September, 2pm
Tamworth Central Library, 466 Peel St
MC: Miles Merrill
HEAT TWO: Dubbo
Saturday 13 September, 2.30pm
Macquarie Regional Library, cnr Macquare & Talbragar Sts
MC: Miles Merrill
HEAT THREE: Orange
Thursday 18 September, 6.30pm
Orange City Library, Civic Square, Byng St
MC: Miles Merrill
HEAT FOUR: Wagga Wagga
Saturday 20 September 3 pm
Wagga Wagga City Library, ncr Baylis & Morrow Sts
MC: Tug Dumbly
HEAT FIVE: Kempsey
Thursday 23 October, 5pm
Kempsey Library, cnr Elbow St & Harold Walker Ave, West Kempsey
MC: Miles Merrill
HEAT SIX: Lismore
Saturday 25 October, 2.30pm
Lismore City Library, Magellan Street
MC: Miles Merrill
HEAT SEVEN: Wollongong
Friday 31 October, 7pm
Headlands Hotel, 1 Headlands Ave, Austinmer
MC: Lachlan Williams
HEAT EIGHT: Newcastle
Friday 31 October, 6pm
Newcastle Region Library, Laman St
MC: Tug Dumbly
HEAT NINE: Parramatta
Friday 31 October, 8pm
Mars Hills Café, 331 Church St
MC: Jess Cook
$5 entry fee for contestants
HEAT TEN: Sydney
Tuesday 4 November, 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
The Friend in Hand, 58 Cowper St, Glebe
MC: Miles Merrill
$10 donation ($5 conc) at the door; not compulsory
For more information about the NSW heats, please contact:
Miles Merrill, Slam co-organiser
0439 481 395 or milesmerrill@bigpond.com
NB. Slam sign-up is 30 minutes before each heat — limit of 20 contestants per heat.
State Final
Friday 21 November, 6.30pm
State Library of NSW, Macquarie St entrance foyer
Macquarie St, Sydney
$15 Bookings
National Grand Final
Thursday 4 December, 7pm
Sydney Opera House, The Studio
$20 Bookings (02) 9250 7777 or bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com
Australian Poetry Slam 08 Heat Rules
- Maximum of 20 contestants per heat.
- Contestants must reside in the state in which they are competing.
- Random draw for performance order.
- ABSOLUTE two minute limit. Time starts at your first word or when the timekeeper feels when your performance has begun (no additional time for introductions). Points will be deducted from the final score for exceeding the time limit - one point for every 30 seconds over time.
- Five judges chosen at random from the audience.
- Judges hold up score cards using a 1 – 10 scale, with 10 being the highest. Of the five scores for each poet, only the middle three scores are counted.
- Poem must be the original work of the performer written within the last 12 months
- No musical accompaniment. No Props.
- Two performers with the highest scores in each heat will proceed to the state final.
- Employees of libraries or venues that are hosting heats may not enter.
- You may enter more than one heat in your state.
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