Ballina Library to host Statewide event
Ballina Public Library is calling all poets, hip-hop artists and other outspoken wordsmiths to polish their rhymes and lyrics for Australia’s first ever national poetry slam, with over $10,000 in cash and prizes on offer.
On Wednesday 25th July 2007 at 6pm Ballina Public Library will host one of eight slam heats planned across the State, with two finalists from each heat battling it out spoken-word style in the New South Wales Final in Sydney.
The New South Wales winner and runner-up will take home $500 and $100 in prizemoney, respectively, and travel to Sydney in December to compete for the Australian Poetry Slam 07 title.
All contestants are given a mic, a live audience and just two minutes to impress the judges (selected at random at each heat) with their spoken word, poetry, hip hop, monologues and stories.
“Contestants can speak, sing, scream, rap, howl or even whisper their words,” says Nicole Eldridge from Richmond Tweed Regional Library.
Talented spoken-word artist Miles Merrill will host each heat and entertain the crowd with his own original word artistry.
“Poetry slams have existed in the US for 20 years, and these competitions are now gaining momentum in Australia,” says Miles Merrill.
The national competition follows on from the State Library’s highly successful NSW Poetry Slam 06 where over 200 poetry enthusiasts and students participated in workshops, regional and city poetry heats and the grand final.
Public libraries from Armidale, Katoomba, Kempsey, Orange, Wagga Wagga, Illawarra and Albury will be participating in the NSW leg of the Australian Poetry Slam 07.
The Australian Poetry Slam 07 is an initiative of the State Library of NSW, and is supported by state, territory and public libraries and festivals across the country.
NOTE: Contestants are encouraged to arrive at Ballina Public Library at 5.45pm to register for the competition.
