DOORS 6PM // KITCHEN OPENS 6PM // SHOW STARTS 7PM
Slama acknowledges that our slam takes place in Naarm, on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded, no treaty was signed and it always was and always will be Aboriginal land.
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*This venue has gender neutral toilets
Since 2011, Slama has been a space where spoken word Poets celebrate intersectional community and encourage each other to bring their absolute best work to the stage.
It’s our final event of 2025! Bring on a new season of Slama which starts in January 2026.
On November 18th we return to our 3 round Poetry Slam and get treated to a musical and poetic feature set by YARU.
These last two slams of the season are about attuning with who we are as a community TODAY and preparing ourselves for the coming season.
In 2026, we will do what we do all over again and seek a NEW team.
We also plan to launch new programming and create new partnerships, because it’s time to challenge where and how our community can grow.
So, PULL UP Poet and come with us!
How to Register?
We will be returning to our random draw for 12 spots in our riveting, fast paced 3 round poetry slam.
We invite as many Poets as possible to register at our trybooking link. Poet’s please make sure to read the rules of the slam below.
See registration details below.
The vibe and spirit of Slama is such that the points are not the point - the point is our poetry. The point is community, deep listening, equity over ego. The point is inspiring each other to be better on stage and off stage in our arts practice. The point is our voices and joy as resistance to oppressive systems. The point is maintaining a sustainable living thread of spoken word poetry growth in so called Melbourne.
WHO IS YARU?
Arash Salavatian (aka Yaru) is an Iranian-Australian multidisciplinary artist and design specialist based in Melbourne (Naarm).
Having migrated to Australia in 2012, Yaru's art and activism are intrigued by cultural diversity and challenges of diaspora. He has been an active member of Feminista Melbourne, a collective of Iranian artists actively involved with the Women, Life, Freedom movement focusing on women's rights in Iran as well as human rights concerns in the Middle East.
In addition to his daytime architectural practice, Yaru is also a poet and a musician, currently producing his debut solo album scheduled for launch towards the end of 2025.
RULES OF THE 3-ROUND POETRY SLAM
- No props, music or costume.
- Poems must be 3 minutes.
- Must be original work.
- ONE PIECE ONLY (per round)
POET REGISTRATION: (Mark Your Calendars!)
Want a coveted slam spot? Ready to share your work and compete in the poetry slam?
$10 for poets to register. Poets must have 3 pieces ready.
SIGN UP HERE:
http://www.trybooking.com/DHCXZ
12 spots only.
Online registration OPENS at 12 noon, Saturday November 1st 2025 and CLOSES at 12pm on Saturday November 15th 2025.
Out of the pool of Poets who have registered, 12 Poets will be drawn on Instagram Live on Sunday November 16th 2025 at 2pm.
Poets, please make sure to follow the registration process closely:
1. Go to the trybooking link and pay your $10 fee at the trybooking link.
2. Review the rules.
3. Practice. Memorize (if you want to, it’s not mandatory) Embody.
STRICTLY 12 SLOTS ONLY.
See our IG page: @slamalamaslam for more info about accessibility, how we run our events and competitions fairly, aiming for equity and restorative justice at the core of our ethos.
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2025
THE BRUNSWICK BALLROOM
UPSTAIRS
314 SYDNEY ROAD, BRUNSWICK
TICKETS:
$24 waged
$20 unwaged
Free entry for First Nations
Free entry for Palestinians
Tickets available at brunswickballroom.com.au
Limited tickets available on the door.
DOORS: 6 PM POET’S PRE-SHOW GATHERING IN THE GREENROOM: 6:15 PM SHOW STARTS: 7 PM SHOW FINISH: 9:45 PM (for all you 9-5 folk)
SLAMALAMA WHAT!!!?????
SLAMALAMADINGDONG!!!!!!
OPEN DOOR POLICY:
We will never turn anyone away. Selling tickets allows us to pay our producers, venue and artists appropriately. It also helps us make a small profit margin so we can continue to thrive and grow as a small, grassroots arts organization. We donate 2% of our income to Pay the Rent.
This being said, if you are struggling financially and feel the need to participate, please advocate for yourself and send us a message so we can find a way to make sure you can participate in all the Slama goodness.
COST: $23 / $27 / Free entry for First Nations folk
https://m.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/slamalamadingdong/185339
ACCESSBILITY: Chairlift available for entry, guests will need to transfer out of wheelchair to use chairlift. Accessible toilets available.
https://brunswickballroom.com.au/frequently-asked-questions/