Ten fantastic poets compete to become our 2025 Slam Champ. Hosted by award-winning poet Rose Condo with a special performance by poet Chérie Taylor Battiste and guest spot from our 2024 Slam winner Christopher Bowles. Apply to participate or book tickets to spectate and cheer on the competitors.
First Prize: £50, and a guest spot at our 2026 Poetry Slam.
To apply: Send a video (max length 3 minutes, phone videos accepted) of you performing your work to [email protected] by Monday 14 April.
Access and Covid safety measures: if you have specific access needs or queries and/or prefer to be seated away from other audience members as a Covid safety measure, please contact our Admin at: [email protected] with your request.
Terms and Conditions
- To apply please Send a video (max length three minutes) of you performing your work to [email protected] (it’s fine to use a phone to record your video). See above for deadline.
- We will only view one application per person. Further applications will be ignored.
- We regret that we cannot view any applications received after the deadline.
- Successful artists should hear back from us by five working days after the deadline.
SLAM RULES
- Poetry must be your own original work
- No singing or props.
- There will be two rounds. The poets will draw numbers from a hat and perform in that order. In the second round the order will be reversed.
- Poets have 3 minutes to perform their poetry. The clock starts from the very first thing you say – including hello.
Points will be deducted for over-running as follows:
1-9 seconds minus 1 point
10-19 seconds minus 2 points
20-29 seconds minus 3 points
30 seconds minus 4 points, host will stop you, you’ll be judged on your incomplete poem.
- The poets will be scored out of 10 in two categories. Written content and quality of performance. The highest total score over both rounds wins £50. In the event of a tie there will be a final sudden death round.
- Judges’ decisions are final. Please remember the slam motto: “The points are not the point, the poetry is the point.”
Date: Saturday 17 May
Time: 7.30pm-10pm
Location: Cellar, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Queen Street, Huddersfield HD1 2SP
Tickets: £10 (£8 conc), free for essential carers accompanying a ticket holder
Age guidance: 16+
Access Guide: https://www.accessable.co.uk/huddersfield-literature-festival/access-guides/the-cellar
Please note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.