Australian Poetry Slam

Australian Poetry Slam is an international performing writers’ program focused on empowering people to get their stories to the world.

Australian Poetry Slam is a live literary performance program where the audience decides the champion. With a nationwide round of 60 heats, the best slammers will perform for the chance to win the Australian Poetry Slam National Final at Sydney Opera House as part of Story-Fest. The ultimate prize? An all expenses paid international tour, performing at Byron Writers Festival, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Singapore Writers Festival, Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Banff Arts Centre and Blue Metropolis Festival.

Australian Poetry Slam began in 2005 and has since grown into an internationally renowned poetry slam. APS has presented over 1000 spoken word artists, bringing their words from all corners of the globe to an audience of over 20, 000 within the Asia-Pacific region. As one of the largest initiatives of Word Travels, the International Performing Writers' Centre, APS touches rural and urban communities in Australia, China, Indonesia and New Zealand, inspiring a love of poetry and catapulting spoken word artists onto an international stage.

As well as APS, Word Travels delivers spoken word events throughout the year including: Story-Fest, Multilingual Poetry Slam, Australian Poetry Slam Youth and bespoke events and workshops for schools, companies and organisations.

Last year, Melanie Mununggurr-Williams was crowned the first ever indigenous Australian Poetry Slam Champion at the National Final at Sydney Opera House, the closing event of Story-Fest '18.

Catch the raw and witty, vulnerable and downright gritty voices of the world's best wordsmiths, live at Australian Poetry Slam.