Ōtautahi - Christchurch Poetry Slam - THE RULES - 2026

 

Ōtautahi Poetry Slam - THE RULES - update 2026

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

 

Please note: to be in the Grand Slam, poets must enter the Preliminary round and make it into the top 10.

Update to The Rules: Please note the additional rule governing the use of material generated by artificial intelligence.

 

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. This means written by YOU, not generative artificial intelligence or other people.

• The use of poems generated either in part, or wholly by A.I. is grounds for disqualification of that poem. Monitoring will be used.

• 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 the remaining 3 scores is the total.

• If a Poet goes over the grace period, the MC or Timekeeper will 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 NZ Poetry Slam.
  …

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

 

Ōtautahi Poetry Slam 2026 - Get Ready!

 

In association with WORD Christchurch, Catalyst presents:

Ōtautahi Poetry Slam 2026

It's nearly Slam season again and this year the Preliminary Slam takes place on Wednesday 26th August, 7pm at Space Academy, 371 St Asaph St. Door sales only $15.

Then the Grand Final takes the stage as part of WORD Christchurch 2026 festival on Thursday 3rd September, 7pm also at Space Academy. Door sales $15.

The prelim sees the open field go toe-to-toe to find the top 10 for the grand final. Then on the 3rd September, the top 10 will be throwing poems to find the 2026 Ōtautahi Poetry Slam champion and the right to represent the city at the NZ Poetry Slam later this year. 

Who will lift the mightiest pen? 

Sign-up for the prelim is strictly first come, first served on the night. Or join the audience and be part of the judging. Proceeds go towards travel for the NZ Poetry Slam and Catalyst literary arts journal.

Rules of participation can be found here. Please note the update this year - we explicitly prohibit the use of material generated using generative artificial intelligence. This will be monitored. Why not sharpen your mind and your pencil instead.

Catalyst launches in Australia! Poetry Sydney hosts first trans-Tasman launch event

Divine Embrace by Jason Bezas as featured on the cover of Catalyst 23

We are excited to have three launch events for Catalyst 23 this year:

Firstly, at our home in Christchurch, Wednesday 3 June, 7pm at the Space Academy, Christchurch. We kicked off the celebrations with readings from featured poets and an open mic.

Secondly in Sydney, Saturday 11 July, 3-5pm, ellipsis Gallery, Level 1, 41 Crown Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. Featuring readings by contributors.

Finally, our international launch will be held at the 45 World Congress of Poets in Pristina, Kosovo, 25 – 30 September.

Join us to launch the new volume of Catalyst, and celebrate these themes of hope as a discipline, as we wrap our readers in a ‘Divine Embrace’. Poetry Sydney hosts the launch on 11th July at ellipsis Gallery. See the Facebook event page here.

The afternoon will feature poets in the collection: Linda Adair / Doc Drumheller / Kate Lumley / David Musgrave / Mark Roberts / Angela Stretch (Host) / Les Wicks

Venue: ellipsis gallery is an artist-run initiative (ARI) by Mark Wotherspoon, a glass artist and previous president of ESP Gallery Marrickville. Providing a blank canvas and a voice for artists to exhibit their remarkable works. A multi-disciplinary exhibition space situated in the heart of Woolloomooloo, Sydney.

Image: Divine Embrace by Jason Bezas.

Fuego volume 4 deadline: 1st July

 

 Fuego - The World Congress of Poets Literary Journal

 

A reminder that the annual deadline for Fuego (volume 4) is 1st July 2026. 

 

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Please read carefully - submissions that do not follow the guidelines below will not be considered.

·        Email submissions only.

·        Submissions must be previously unpublished and not submitted elsewhere for publication.

·        Submissions must be your own original work. We do not accept writing entirely 'created' by generative artificial intelligence, AI.

·        Please send no more than five poems in English and a short BIO to: fuego.wcpjournal.submissions@gmail.com

·        Please keep your BIO to no more than 100 words, otherwise we reserve the right to edit.

·        Please also include in the subject line: Your Name and Submission e.g: 'Doc Drumheller, WCP Journal Submission'.

·        Submissions that do not follow this guideline will not be opened. Please help us avoid spam!

·        Send work attached as a Word document. Send all your poems and BIO in one attachment please and include your email and postal address.

·        Use Times New Roman 12pt font, single spaced, with no header, footers or any other formatting.

·        We reserve the right to make minor edits, and changes to layout for publication.

·        The deadline for submissions is 1 July 2026.

·        All successful contributors will receive a free copy of the journal and be invited to read their work at the launch event on Friday 28 August, 5.30pm.

 

Waimakariri Libraries invite you to celebrate National Poetry Day with the launch of Fuego, the World Congress of Poets Literary Journal. Enjoy rangatahi voices, live readings from local poets, and stunning artwork from Waimakariri artists - featured alongside leading voices from Aotearoa and across the globe.

 

Rangiora Town Hall, Small Theatre (Cinema 3), Friday 28 August, 5.30pm.

Bookings via Humanitix.

Catalyst volume 23 - 'Divine Embrace' launching June 2026

 

Catalyst Volume 23, ‘Divine Embrace’, features talent from our thriving poetry community in Christchurch alongside international voices, including a special feature of poetry from Iran, and Trans-Tasman connections from Australia, and incredible artwork by Jason Bezas.

The featured poet is Sahar Tavakoli, poet, translator, publisher, and multidisciplinary artist who was born in Tehran, Iran. She has published numerous books and translated various English-language authors into Persian, including Edna O’Brien, the Irish writer, and Swiss authors like Zoe Jenny and Daniele Pantano. She has experienced constraints that authoritarian systems maintain and became a target of the Iranian regime due to her political and cultural activities in 2023 and fled to Switzerland. 

Catalyst 23 features outstanding artwork by Jason Bezas, a multidisciplinary London based artist from Greece. After going through the process of studying and practicing architecture for the first 4 years of being in the UK, he felt a nudge towards something less constraining and more introspective. A series of life changing events forced him to take a step back and rethink his life. This took him on a journey of drawing, reading, and writing, one that shifted his trajectory from a certain but stressful future, to a life of searching for the optimal way to find peace through art. 

We are excited to be hosting three launch events for Catalyst 23 this year:

Firstly, at our home in Christchurch, Wednesday 3 June, 7pm at the Space Academy, Christchurch. Celebrate the launch with readings by contributors, followed by an open mic.

Secondly in Sydney, Saturday 11 July, 3-5pm, ellipsis Gallery, Level 1, 41 Crown Street, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011. Featuring readings by contributors.

Finally, our international launch will be held at the 45 World Congress of Poets in Pristina, Kosovo, 25 – 30 September.

Join us to launch the new volume of Catalyst, and celebrate these themes of hope as a discipline, as we wrap our readers in a ‘Divine Embrace’.