Hawke's Bay Te Matau-a-Māui Poetry Slam 2024

Back for our SIXTH year, the Hawke’s Bay Te Matau-a-Māui Poetry Slam 2024 is happening this October, as part of the Readers and Writers Festival. This is poetry at its most vital – live, loud, and irresistibly individual. Our bravest local poets will compete to pull on your heartstrings, tickle funny your bones, and ultimately claim the title of Hawke’s Bay Slam Champ 2024.

Slams are competitive events where poets perform short original poems, aiming for the highest scores from five random audience judges. It’s a chance to celebrate the power of performance, of the spoken word, and of creative expression, all with the added spice of competition – together, it makes for one unforgettable night out.

Could you be a competing poet? If you’re based in the Hawke’s Bay and have three original poems to share of less than three minutes length each, then we’d love you to lend us your voice – and maybe win a chance at competing at the National Slam. You can learn more about the growing world slam in Aotearoa over on motifpoetry.co.nzThis will be our first time staging the Hawke’s Bay Slam at the Hastings Community Arts Centre. Limited audience tickets will be available from Eventfinda.If you think you’d like to compete as a poet, get in touch by emailing Ricky at hbpoetryslam@gmail.com for more info.