Apply for 2025 Poet in Residence at Adelaide City Library

We’re pleased to announce the 2025 Spoken Word SA Poet in Residence Program at the City Library, Rundle Place, Adelaide. 

The 16 hour residency will begin in the week starting from Monday 23 June 2025.

This paid opportunity provides the Poet in Residence with a dedicated studio space within the library to collaborate with the community on a creative project. The Residency culminates in a unique artistic outcome around the art of poetry, such as a performance, written work, or artwork. With access to the library’s collections, spaces and technology for inspiration, the Poet in Residence has a dynamic … ... Read more ...

Hot night, hot poetry for the 2025 Summer Slam!

  • Winner TJ and runner-up Murphy
  • Winner: TJ
  • Runner-up: Murphy
  • Round 2 poets
  • Kash
  • Paul Kohn
  • Ben Admas
  • Ed Moran
  • Helium Liu
  • Brooklyn Saliba
  • John Willison
  • Tim O’Loughlin
  • Poet Anet Swain
  • Aaron Woolford
  • Amy
  • Sacrifice: Matthew Pankhurst
  • Guest: Mei Szetu
  • Emcee: Sarah-Jane Justice

What a fabulous 2025 Summer Slam! Hot poetry, cool venue, 15 poets on the stage, top shelf guest performer, a large enthusiastic audience, great prizes, and we had a slam-off!!

After two rounds of high quality poetry, including a slam-off for the final spot in Round 2, congratulations to winner, TJ, and runner-up, Murphy.

Big thanks … ... Read more ...

Mika Friebel

We were shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death of Mika Friebel in the Northern Territory recently. She was a star of the Adelaide spoken word scene, having been an Australian Poetry Slam S.A. state finalist in 2017 and 2019, Summer Slam winner 2019 and finalist in 2018. So much talent lost.

A GoFundMe has been created to help assist family for costs involving her funeral and travel.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/mika-friebel

“Beautiful Mika, the sunshine on a cloudy day. The bright star who lit up the night sky. For those who had the pleasure of meeting Mika, you’d know just … ... Read more ...

Runner-up, SA Final of the 2024 Australian Poetry Slam – Matcho

Watch this fabulous performance by Matcho that was runner-up in the SA State Final of 2024 Australian Poetry Slam at Goodwood Theatre & Studios and sent him off to the Sydney Opera House to compete in the National Finals.

Congratulations to Matcho and all the other finalists.

Video recorded by Daniel Kennedy. Edit / titles & credits animations / original music by Ian Gibbins.

SWSA Summer Slam 2025!

Saturday 1 February 2025

State Library of South Australia
Hetzell Lecture Theatre
corner North Terrace and Kintore Avenue, Adelaide, SA 5000

Doors open for sign-up 6:30pm
Sign-ups close at 7:00pm with competition starting soon after that…

$15 entry fee for competitors and audience.
Click here for tickets at trybooking.

Summer Slam is always a hit and this year we are condensing all that fun into a one night extravaganza! 

Summer Slam is a low stakes – high fun poetry slam competition and everyone’s welcome! We encourage beginner slammers and our seasoned regulars to take to the mic and blow us … ... Read more ...

Winner of the SA Final, Australian Poetry Slam: Mei Szetu

Watch this fabulous performance by Mei Szetu that won the SA State Final of 2024 Australian Poetry Slam at Goodwood Theatre & Studios and sent her off to the Sydney Opera House to compete in the National Finals.

Congratulations to Mei and all the other finalists.

Video recorded by Daniel Kennedy. Edit / titles & credits animations / original music by Ian Gibbins.

AWEsome Be Natural Poetry Slam

  • Winners
  • Winner – Sanjana Raja
  • Runner-up – Pam Makin
  • Ben Adams
  • Kathryn Reese
  • Genie Papadopoulos
  • Christie Marks
  • Meg Bekiaris
  • Jill Wherry
  • David Cronin
  • Vicki-Jo Russell
  • Tom O’Loughlin
  • Isaac Nakone
  • Stella Damarjati
  • Avalanche
  • Nicholas Nakone
  • Masood Ahmed
  • Nikki Rawnsley
  • Conor Brown
  • Helium Liu
  • Phoebe Wood
  • Guest – Tracy Coogs McNally
  • MC & Sacrifice – Matthew Pankhurst
  • Audience

The Be Natural Poetry Slam, held at Dymocks Books as part of the 2024 Nature Festival, brought out a packed house with a full roster of poets and an enthusiastic appreciative audience. The poetry was uniformly excellent and we were delighted to see … ... Read more ...

Australian Poetry Slam 2024 – SA State Champions!

SA State Champion Mei Szetu and runner-up Matcho
  • Finalists
  • Winner – Mei Szetu
  • Runner-up – Matcho
  • Sacrifice – Katherine Sortini
  • Guest – Taiaha
  • Arantza Garcia
  • Ben Adams
  • John Willison
  • Zoe Koulakis
  • Kami
  • Avalanche
  • Susan Brame
  • John Legg
  • MC Sarah Jane Justice
  • Timekeeper Coogs McNally and MC Sarah Jane Justice pull names from the hat.
  • Announcement! Matthew Pankhurst & Sarah Jane Justice
  • Expectant audience at Goodwood.

What a night it was at the SA State Final of the Australian Poetry Slam at Goodwood Theatre & Studios! We were treated to an exceptional round of poetry from our finalists, a special … ... Read more ...