Bankstown Poetry Slam

Welcome to Australia's largest regular poetry slam!

Something is in the air this month. The flowers smell sweeter. Our fireplaces are more restless. A rock is in flight. Why? It's Poetry Month! We're partnering with Red Room Poetry to welcome our feature artist, Hasib Hourani!

Hasib Hourani is a writer and editor living on unceded Gadigal Country. His debut book, rock flight, won the NSWLA Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry and was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Award for Poetry. He is Poetry Editor of Loom Literary Journal.

Anyone can also sign up to perform on the night — this is your chance to win a spot in the 2027 Grand Slam (held at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall this year). Sign up time is 6:15pm! Your free ticket gets you access to the slam, fresh watermelon, world class poetry and some Bankstown-class dad jokes, courtesy of MC Bilal Hafda.

Regular slam rules apply: no age restrictions, strict 3-minute time limit, no props or music, poetry must be original work. The top 4 scoring artists will be granted a spot at the Grand Slam. Signing up does not guarantee a performance spot — a lottery system is used given high sign-up numbers.

Bankstown Poetry Slam is a not-for-profit charitable organisation; donations help support the artists.