About this Event
The Lavender Mic Poetry Slam is a monthly reoccurring poetry slam held at Town Hall Collaborative, where 10 poets will compete for a $100 cash prize. The Lavender Mic aims to highlight queer and marginalized voices, and bring the community together for a night of creativity, joy and inspiration.
**Portion of ticket sales go towards:
- The winning poet
- The support of Town Hall Collaborative
- Feature performers
- 10% to a local charity (determined each month based on need)
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SLAM RULES:
- Check-in & Draw Time: 7:00 PM at Townhall Collaborative
- Poets who do not attend the draw will be taking the #1 spot! So get there on time poets!
- Slam Format & Rules:
- The competition will be conducted in 3 rounds.
- Rounds 1 and 2 are cumulative—scores from both rounds will be added together to determine which poets advance.
- Round 3 is a clean slate—finalists will start fresh with no previous scores carrying over.
- The round cuts will be
- Round 1: All 10 poets
- Round 2: Top 5 poets
- Round 3: Top 3 poets
- Poets will randomly draw their performance order at check-in.
- Time Limit: Each poem must be 3 minutes or less, with a 10-second grace period. After 3:10, time penalties will apply:
- 3:10-3:20 = 0.5-point deduction
- 3:20-3:30 = 1-point deduction
- 3:30+ = Disqualification for the round
- Your time starts as soon as you speak into the mic or engage with the audience.
- No props, costumes, or musical accompaniment—the power is in your words and performance.
- Each poem must be original and written by the performing poet.
- Random Judges will be selected in the audience. Judges will score poets on content, performance, and overall impact on a scale of 0.0 to 10.0 (highest and lowest scores dropped, middle three averaged).
- If there is a tie for the final round, a 1 minute sudden-death round may be implemented.
FAQ:
- Q: How many poets will be allowed to compete?
- A: There will be a total of 10 poets. First come, first serve basis.
- Q: How much is the cash prize for the winning poet?
- A: $100 cash prize for the winning poet
- Q: How many poems should poets have prepared?
- A: Poets should have 3 poems under 3 minutes prepared as well as one 1 minute poem.
- Q: Is a slam the same thing as an open mic?
- A: No, a slam is a competition with judges.
- Q: How can I sign up to compete?
- A: Arrive at 7pm (30 minutes early to sign up for one of 10 competing poet spots. First come, first serve. must have general admission ticket purchased.
- Q: Will we always donate to the same charity?
- A: Charities will change quarterly! we are always open to suggestions as well!
FEATURE INFO:
Ollie Schminkey (they/them) has spent the past decade coaching, mentoring, teaching classes, and running workshops for poets. They’ve performed poems in 21 states, and their work has been published everywhere from the trails of Silverwood Park to Poets.org. They are the author of two full-length collections through Button Poetry, Where I Dry the Flowers and Dead Dad Jokes, as well as the comprehensive prompt book, Don’t Be Afraid to be Bad. They are the founder and director of the slam poetry tournament Midwest Poetry Mash-Up, and their work has been supported by the Minnesota Regional Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board. You can also find them making pottery or playing with their cat Pete, who is always trying to eat things he shouldn’t.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Town Hall Collaborative, 525 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, United States
USD 23.18
