CENTRAL West Libraries is calling all poets, hip-hop artists and other outspoken wordsmiths to polish their rhymes and lyrics for the Australian Poetry Slam 08, an annual slam contest offering more than $10,000 in cash and prizes.
At 6.30pm on Thursday, September 18, Orange City Library will host one of 10 regional heats in NSW. Two finalists from each heat are selected to battle it out spoken word style in the state final in Sydney on November 21, with flights and accommodation sponsored by the Orange Regional Arts Foundation.
Poets can sign up from 6pm.
All heat contestants are given a mike, a live audience and just two minutes to impress the judges (selected at random from the audience) with their spoken word, poetry, hip-hop, monologues and stories.
Spoken word artist Miles Merrill will host the Orange City Library heat and entertain the crowd with his own original word artistry.
“Writers and performers can speak, scream, howl, sing, even whisper their words at one of the dozens of raucous heats held in libraries, theatre spaces, cafes and pubs across the country,” the Slam co-creator said.
“We’re aiming to unearth the best spoken word talent the Central West has to offer and pit them against the nation’s top performers at the grand final in Sydney on December 4.”
The national competition follows on from the highly successful inaugural Australian Poetry Slam 07 where more than 600 poets participated in the historic battle of the spoken word, which was won by Victorian poet Marc Testart.
For more information, heat details and slam rules, go to the Central West Writers’ Centre website www.wordsoutwest.com.au.