3rd Annual Stand Up Poetry SLAM - Live Stream Edition goes nationwide!

MEDIA RELEASE from Action Education:

Action Education is proud to present the 3rd Annual Stand Up Poetry Slam - Live Stream Addition!

As a way to meet the needs of our community and to ensure the safety of all involved, Action Education has decided to move our 2020 SUP Slam online and to the world.

SUP Slam is open to any poet within Aotearoa between the ages of 13-18. More than a competition, SUP Slam is a celebration of youth voice and a chance to hear from some of New Zealand’s most powerful young visionaries, leaders, and artists.

The slam will be live streamed at 6PM on Wednesday the 20th of May from the Action Education Facebook page.

The winner of the slam will receive a $200 Cash Prize and will be crowned the 2020 SUP Slam Champion!

RULES:

Poets must be between the ages of 13-18.
Poem must be original.
Slam will be one round.
Poets will be scored by a panel of Guest Judges (TBA).
Poems must be between 2-3 minutes in length.
We will believe in free expression so the slam will be uncensored. Stand Up Poetry is an inclusive community, so hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated.

TO ENTER:

Send a video of you performing your poem along with your full name, age, and an email to the Action Education Facebook Page by MONDAY MAY 18TH @6PM. If you have any questions with regards to this process please feel free to message us or send an email to info@actioneducation.co.nz.

The List of Competitors will be announced on Tuesday May 19th.
Poets can only enter one poem.

THERE IS LIMITED SPACE so please make sure to enter your poem before the due date.

For more info or for a more detailed description of the rules please send an email to - info@actioneducation.co.nz

CREATIVITY IS NECESSARY.

2020: The Year We Made Compost

NZ Poetry Slam national final once again in Ōtautahi/Christchurch

Featuring the 2019 regional champs from around Aotearoa New Zealand including Ōtautahi's own multiple champ, Ray Shipley and 2019 runner-up Melanie McKerchar.

Saturday 23rd November, doors open 7pm
Papa Hou, YMCA
12 Hereford St, Christchurch Central
Tickets: $20 / $15

Catalyst volume 16 - Wireless Compassion

Catalyst volume 16 - cover featuring artwork by Bayartsengel Bum-Erdene

Today we're proud to be launching Catalyst Volume 16 Wireless Compassion.

The culmination of another year of reading, traveling and selecting poetry from around the world and Aotearoa New Zealand. The sub-title Wireless Compassion reflects a number of synergies for both Catalyst's home city of Ōtautahi Christchurch and Editor-in-Chief Doc Drumheller.

2019 saw a horrific act of terrorism visited on Christchurch that, far from achieving division, actually united and mobilised the compassion of the people of Christchurch. Following events of that day, the regular poetry open mics hosted by Catalyst provided a thoughtful, safe and welcoming space for many of the poets and writers of Christchurch to spread love and compassion through their words.

Later in the year Doc travelled to India for the 39th World Congress of Poets for which the theme 'Compassion through poetry' particularly resonated.

With suites of featured poetry from India, Mongolia and the Word Congress of Poets as well as individual poets from Aotearoa New Zealand and the world, Volume 16 Wireless Compassion represents hope, kindness, compassion and peace while still asking questions, seeking after answers and celebrating the written (and printed) word.

Thank you to all our supporters, subscribers, submitters and readers who have journeyed with us for part or all of sixteen years. We quite like being teenagers.

Read on.

Christchurch Poetry Slam 2019 - the results!

Pleased as punch to announce the results of the Christchurch Poetry Slam 2019!
 
1st - Ray Shipley
2nd - Melanie McKerchar
3rd - Barrett Robb
 
What a night - with our first ever slam-off for runner-up! Congrats to long-standing Catalyst regular, Mel McKerchar who drew first up in the first round for the THIRD year in a row, edging out fellow Catalyst regular Barrett to the runner-up slot in a nail-biting finish to the night. And of course, ka mau te wehi to multiple ChCh Slam Champ, Ray Shipley for making it back to back Slams. Look out nationals!

Christchurch Poetry Slam 2019 - The Rules

Here are the official rules of the Christchurch Poetry Slam as per the NZ Poetry Slam.

Sign-up is on the night only - places are limited to 12 participants so get there early.

Rules for NZ Poetry Slam

• 3 minutes or less with no minimum time (10 second grace period before points deduction)

• Time starts when poet speaks, however while poets can have time to settle and adjust microphone etc, this time is not limitless; ideally a poet should start before 10 seconds.

• Original (i.e. your own) poems only

• No props no music no costumes (i.e. clothing related to the content of your poem)

• In the case of a tie a slam-off will be required

• Random draw, for performance order.

 
Judging and scoring:

• 5 Audience Judges (chosen by MC and/or organiser) display score cards 0-10 (Decimal points allowed)

• Top and bottom scores drop off and total of remaining 3 scores is the total

• If Poet goes over grace period MC or Timekeeper to ask scorer to mark down points after the judges score… (Half a point penalty for every 10 seconds over time)

• After 4 minutes the MC can shut down the poet

• 'Sacrificial Poet' (non-competing) to start the night, to help calibrate scores.

• Slams are equally about writing, performance and audience response.

• Slammers should have at least 3 poems, as there will be three rounds for the Regionals and NZ Slam
  …

As always, remember: the point is the poetry not the points!

Catalyst volume 16 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS deadline 1st April!

We're pleased to announce that Catalyst is accepting submissions for our next volume, number 16.

The deadline is 1st April and we encourage all submitters to read our submission guidelines. Submissions that do not follow the guidelines will not be considered.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all our subscribers and submitters for supporting the journal over its first fifteen years in print. Here's to fifteen more (and if you haven't yet subscribed maybe head on over to our subscriptions page to find out more - might make a great gift too! 😉)