Poets Out Loud Youth Program

A new initiative to empower young voices.

Want to enter the Youth Poetry Slam?

We want to hear from you! Slam poetry is all about expressing what matters to you, in your own words. If you can rap, that’s poetry. If you can rant, that’s poetry. If you can tell us what you think in 2 minutes with nothing but your voice and a microphone, you need to enter the Youth Poetry Slam!

You’ll be sharing your work with a super-supportive, fun crowd, and the winner takes home $400 cash – that could be you or your team!

You need:

• 1 original poem, up to 3mins for a team, or 2mins for an individual
• To be aged 12-24 years old at the time of the competition
• To arrive at the venue by 5:30pm on Friday 3rd April
• To return your entry form by Friday 27th March
• A team is up to 4 people aged 12-24, and every person needs to speak at least once in your performance.

FAQ

Q: I don’t think what I write is slam poetry. Can I enter?

A: YES! A slam poem is anything you choose to do in a slam – whisper, rap, sing, act, tell a story, shout nonsense words if you like. As long as you wrote it and it fits the time limit, you can do it in the slam.

Q: Can I enter as an individual if I’m already part of a team?

A: YES! You can enter as an individual and as part of a team, or more than one team. However we’ll ask you to limit your individual entry to one piece.

Q: How will the winner be decided?

A: There will be a panel of judges made up of professional writers, slam poets, and writing teachers. They will give each poem a score based on writing, performance, and audience response. If your performance goes over the time limit they will deduct points.

Q: Do I have to memorise my poem?

A: No, it’s fine to read your poem from a piece of paper or your phone. But you will probably be more confident and be able to engage with the audience more if you memorise. Even if you’ve memorised your poem, it’s not a bad idea to bring a copy on stage just in case.

Q: What if I am too nervous to perform?

A: This is a totally normal feeling, and the Poets Out Loud team will be there to support you it – believe me, we’ve all been there before. There will be a supportive crowd cheering you on and we’ll give you some tricks for overcoming stage fright. If you really don’t want to go ahead and perform on the night, no one will force you to. But we think you’ll end up having a great time on that stage – we want to hear your words!