JAFA
Poetry Slam
What to expect from a poetry slam
We run a slam on the last Wednesday of every month from May - October, at Cityside Baptist Church.
You can see the details of our upcoming slams here.
A poetry slam is an event where poems are performed in front of an audience, and scored by random audience members.
In theory, any poem can be a "slam" poem, as long as it is performed as part of a slam competition.
The competition usually runs for about 2.5 hours across two or three elimination rounds. The highest scoring performances win.
The Performers
Performers usually sign up on the night.
If you are competing, there are some rules you have to follow:
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You have 3 minutes and 10 seconds to read your poem
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No props, costumes, or music
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Original work only
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You cannot repeat a poem from the first round to the second or third round
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Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT need to memorise your work to participate but it is encouraged
If you don't want to compete, we usually start the night with a short open mic. These poems are not scored, and do not have to follow the above rules.
The Audience
The audience plays an important role in the slam. A poem is a conversation between the audience and the poet, so audience members are encouraged to snap and vocalise in support. Don't worry, we'll show you how to do this on the night!
At every event we also need volunteer judges from the audience. udges can work in teams or judge on their own - assigning numbers to the poems in the slam and ultimately deciding the winner. All you need to be able to do is count to 10.
No heckling.
No hate speech.
Our safe space policy
We are currently in the process of refining our safe space policy. Once that document is complete, we'll upload it for you here.
FAQs
We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of common questions and answers about JAFA events. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, get in touch!
When does JAFA happen?
We run 6 - 8 events a year on the 4th Wednesday of the month. These events normally occur at Cityside Baptist Church in Mount Eden. Events typically start at 7pm and run around 2.5 hours.
Why is it held at a church? Are you a religious group?
We are not a religious event or organisation. Cityside Baptist Church has provided us with a safe, regular, affordable venue for a long time. The space, like JAFA itself, aims to be safe for anyone.
How much does it cost and why do you charge money?
It costs $5 for students or competing poets. $10 for general admission. You can either pay cash on the door or purchase a pre-sale ticket online.
We charge a cover because we believe poetry is worth paying for. Money raised from door sales goes towards the producing costs of running our events and sending our representatives to the National Poetry Slam.
How do I sign up? What are the rules?
All open mic readers sign up on the door before the event starts. For most of our slams, readers sign up on the door before the event starts. There are special events where you need to pre-register or qualify to compete (pre-registrations include all team or duo slams, like Super Duper Boom Boom Fight Night Slam). You can always email us to ask!
We follow standard poetry slam rules:
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You have 3 minutes and 10 seconds to read your poem
-
No props, costumes, or music
-
Original work only
-
You cannot repeat a poem from the first round to the second or third round
-
Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT need to memorise your work to participate but it is encouraged
What if I don't want to compete in the slam?
You can still share your work on our open mic if you don't want or aren't ready to compete in the slam. We have a short open mic at the start of our events. We also have a sacrificial poet at the start of each slam - this is a great chance to try out slamming without competing in the slam.
If you just want to watch, we also need judges for each slam to happen! Judges can work in teams or judge on their own - assigning numbers to the poems in the slam and ultimately deciding the winner.