Penrith Poetry Slam

It’s loud. It’s raw. It’s poetry like you’ve never seen it before. Join us for a night of electric energy, bold voices, and unfiltered expression as 8 poets take the stage to battle it out for glory — and your cheers.

Five randomly selected audience members become the judges. The rest of you? Get loud. Get wild. Your energy fuels the night — and might just sway the scores.

Do you want to perform??? We welcome all poets to share their stuff! Whether you're a seasoned word smith or a first timer, we'd love to have you!
Register by emailing us a [email protected]

What to expect

This isn’t your quiet, dimly lit, corner-of-the-room poetry night. Expect foot-stomping energy, gut-busting laughs, and raucous applause. Get loud, get involved, and let the judges know exactly how you feel!

Feature Poet - Phil Wilcox

Philip Wilcox is an awarded and published full-time poet, touring nationally and internationally. He is an Australian Poetry Slam champion and two-time New South Wales Poetry Slam champion. He is a regular on the writers’ festival circuit, has been published in multiple journals, and recently was awarded a residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity where he completed his first manuscript, a collection of poems called Beetle Prayer.

DJ - Kat xo

Kat xo spins funk so filthy it makes poets blush. She’s famous for dropping grooves that hijack your hips before your brain even catches up. At the Penrith Poetry Slam, she’s here to funk up your metaphors and make your rhymes sweat.

Meet Your Hosts:

Brendan Reed and Stuart!

These life-long best mates from the Blue Mountains have 2 decades of trying to make each other laugh. This will be their first time hosting an event togther - so get ready to watch them bicker, embarrass, and air their dirty laundry.

Stuart is a scientist with a fondness for board games & blacksmithing. No stranger to performance, he takes any and all opportunity to hop on the mic and and make his audiences squirm in a combination of delight and stunned confusion.

Brendan is a new addition to Penrith. After running the Cairns Poetry Slam for over a year, he has decided to see if Penrith has what it takes to out-do those second rate, FNQ hicks. He has a big heart and an even bigger head, we're lucky that Stuart is here to keep him in check.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Mr Watkins Bar, 467 High Street, Penrith, Australia