1
All ages are welcome to enter Australian Poetry Slam, unless the event is announced as being specifically for
young people. People under 18 years of age should confirm with the venue for their heat if they will need to be
accompanied by a responsible adult.
2
Maximum of 20 writers performing in each heat.
3
Registration for in person and online events may be taken in advance. Some event venues have registration at the
door 30 minutes prior. Contact local heat organisers for more details.
4
Participants are encouraged to perform in the slam heat closest to where they live.
5
Random draw for performance order.
6
Two minute limit. Time starts at your first word or when the timekeeper feels 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 going over time and an extra point every 30 seconds beyond that. For example: at 2:01 minutes you
will lose a point; at 2:31 minutes you will lose another point.
7
Five judges chosen by the host at random from the audience.
8
Judges hold up score cards using a 1–10 scale to one decimal place, with 10 being the highest. Of the five
scores for each poet, only the middle three scores are counted.
9
Poems must be the original work of the performer.
10
No musical accompaniment. No props. No costumes. Personal poem transcripts permitted.
11
The performer(s) with the highest scores in each heat will proceed to their State, Territory or Regional Final.
12
Staff and volunteers of Word Travels, Australian Poetry Slam and venues/organisations that are hosting heats may
not compete.
13
Writers must perform a new piece at each progressive level/round starting from heats, to State/Territory Finals,
to the National Final.(Poems may be repeated in a slam off.)
14
2024 works can not have been performed in an Australian Poetry Slam event in a previous year.