Literary Speed Dating for Emerging Writers – Context Writers Festival

Saturday November 21st, 2026
from 5:00 PM

The Loft, Minor Works
22 Stamford Court, Adelaide, SA 5000

Free, but must submit EOI by 15 October 2026.
Click here to fill out the EOI form.

Calling all emerging writers (aged 18 to 26) to submit to this exclusive opportunity for a round of industry speed dating.

Literary Speed Dating

Literary Speed Dating is designed to give emerging and aspiring writers (aged 18 to 26 years old) a focused opportunity to speak with industry professionals, ask practical questions, and leave with clearer next steps. 

Each conversation should be purposeful, respectful, and concise … ... Read more ...

BE NATURAL Poetry Slam at 2026 Nature Festival

Saturday 10 October 2026
Sign-up from 2:00pm for 2:30 start

Arthur Art Bar
66 Currie St, Adelaide SA 5000

Tickets $15
Click here to book.

Now in its seventh year the Be Natural Poetry Slam is open to either compete or to simply watch and enjoy. Participants have the opportunity to stretch their creative limbs to think about what nature and the natural world means to them. The rules are simple – one poem, two minutes maximum, no props, no costumes, no music, just you and the power of your words.

Prizes for 1st and 2nd place poets.

Plus guest … ... Read more ...

SA Poetry Slam 2026 State Final tops off a fabulous series!

  • Winners!
  • Winner – Maha
  • Runner-up – Miles Falahey
  • Sarah Rowe
  • Ben Adams
  • Solar
  • Sahil Choujar
  • Chelsea Avard
  • Jas
  • Lauren Ann
  • Conor Brown
  • Sacrifice – Megan Ellis
  • Guest – Arantza Garcia Ferrand
  • MC – Tracy “Coogs” McNally
  • Timer / scorer – Carissa Fischer
  • Hats / rules – Matthew Pankhurst
  • Hats – Nadia Patterson
  • Pics – Jazz Fechner-Lante

After five stunning heats, the SA State Final of the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam took local spoken word performance to a new level. We saw ten brilliant competitive performances, a fabulous sacrificial poet, a world class guest, and previously unseen stagecraft from the SWSA … ... Read more ...

2026 SA Poetry Slam Final Line-up!

  • Heat 1 winner – Sarah Rowe
  • Heat 1 runner-up – Sahil Choujar
  • Heat 2 winner – Lauren Ann
  • Heat 2 runner-up – Conor Brown
  • Heat 3 winner – Solar
  • Heat 3 runner-up – Ben Adams
  • Heat 4 winner – Chelsea Avard
  • Heat 4 runner-up – Maha
  • Heat 5 winner – Jas
  • Heat 5 slam-off runner-up – Miles Falahey

Saturday 26 September 2026
7:30 – 10:00pm

Goodwood Theatre & Studios
166 Goodwood Road, Goodwood, SA 5034

Tickets $25
Click here to book.

After five sensational heats, we now have the line-up for the SA State Final fo the 2026 Australian Poetry … ... Read more ...

SA Poetry Slam 2026 – Heat 5 with the lot!

  • Heat 5 winners
  • Heat 5 winner – Jas
  • Heat 5 Runner-up – Tiffy
  • Heat 5 Slam-off Runner-up – Miles Falahey
  • Tiahna Ludkerns
  • Praise Mangena
  • Megan Ellis
  • Sami Dannaoui
  • Renade Millonig
  • Karissa de Leeuw
  • Gigi Rogers
  • Manu Guerrero
  • Raina Hunter
  • Erin Bell
  • Salah Dannaoui
  • Susan Brame
  • Anouk Vetu
  • Nadia Willison
  • Aaron Mitchell
  • Suzi Hall
  • Nikki Lovell
  • Guest – Nick Falkner
  • MC – Tracy McNally
  • The Ballot
  • The Hat
  • The Audience

SA Heat 5 of the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam completed the run to the finals with an extraordinary night of poetry! An enthusiastic packed house, an over-subscribed sign-up list, a slam-off, … ... Read more ...

2026 Australian Poetry Slam – SA Heat 5

Friday 4 September 2026
Doors open for sign-up at 6:30pm

Woodcroft Library
175 Bains Road, Morphett Vale, SA 5162

$15 to compete or listen
Click here to book.

Who will become our next Australian Poetry Slam Champion as audiences vote in events around the country? The prize? They tour Australasia sharing their creative thoughts and inspiring people everywhere to speak their own poetry.

Two poets chosen by the audience at each of our five South Australian heats will head to the SA Final. At the final, our winner and runner-up will be off to the Nationals at the Sydney Opera … ... Read more ...

SA Poetry Slam 2026 – Heat 4 Jives to the heights!

  • Heat 4 Winners
  • Heat 4 Winner – Chelsea Avard
  • Heat 4 Runner-Up – Maha
  • Megan Ellis
  • Bryan McQueen-Mason
  • Suzi Hall
  • Pradyumna
  • Avalanche
  • Brooklyn
  • Aaron Woolford
  • Jas
  • Amy
  • Aaron Mitchell
  • Tim O’Loughlin
  • Tabitha
  • John Willison
  • Lexis Vhi
  • Sacrifice – Carissa Fischer
  • Guest – Thermodynamics
  • MC Tracy McNally
  • Serving the hat
  • Volunteer of the Hat – Nadia Patterson

What a night that turned out to be! SA Heat 4 of the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam at Jive attracted 16 poets and a totally engaged audience who witnessed a fantastic sequence of performances; close scoring; the highly skilled Holder of The Hat, SWSA … ... Read more ...

SA Poetry Slam 2026 – Heat 3 cooks!

  • Heat 3 Winners
  • Heat 3 Winner – Solar
  • Heat 3 Runner-Up – Ben Adams
  • Maha
  • Athena
  • Luke Greaves
  • Suzi Hall
  • Jill Wherry
  • Jacqueline Collier
  • Avalanche
  • Eva Bialobrzeski
  • Nikki Lovell
  • Bryan McQueen-Mason
  • Kamala Watkins
  • Erin Bell
  • Pradyumna Kiran
  • Amy Schiller
  • John Willison
  • Chelsea Avard
  • Guest – Katherine Sortini
  • Sacrifice – Nadia Patterson
  • MC – Tracy McNally
  • Timer/scorer – Matthew Pankhurst
  • Heat 3 Audience – Campbelltown Library

SA Heat 3 of the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam at Campbelltown Library continued the amazing level of performances seen in Heats 1 and 2. Once again, we were treated to wide range of styles and … ... Read more ...