Open call for slam poets

Slam is back. After a year of absence in 2020 and a digital version in 2021, the International Poetry Slam Cyprus returns for its fifth edition. In person at ARTos House in Nicosia on March 14 and 15, the event now invites local slam poets to express their interest.

Three-minute-long performances, dramatised spoken word and local and international poets are to take the spotlight. Split into two competition evenings, one to declare the Cyprus National Champion and another to select the Poetry Slam Champion, the event aims to provoke and lead poetry to extremes, seeking new forms of expression, keeping in mind contemporary international poetry trends.

Since its very first event in 2017, the International Poetry Slam Cyprus has been the platform for emerging local voices to be heard and for award-winning international artists to inspire. With just under a month left before the 2022 event takes place, organisers Ideogramma invite Cyprus-based poets to register by March 1.

Cyprus-based poets will compete on the first evening, and six slammers will be selected to compete in Tuesday’s international competition. Those going through to the next round on March 15 will have to present a second poem. The National Poetry Slam Champion will also be selected and will have the chance to participate in other European and International Slam Competitions abroad.

Last year’s National Champion Argyris Loizou represented Cyprus in the EU Slam Competition that took place in Brussels in early December 2021, and finished in the top 10 so will participate in the World Championship 2022. This year, Argyris has been invited to perform as a guest slammer, out of competition. Slam poet Sergio Garau from Italy will also be travelling to Cyprus to perform at the event as an invited guest.

On March 15, local and guest slammers will take the mic and the floor to compete for the best spot. The first round of the competition will include 12 slammers, six from Cyprus and six invited from abroad. Then, a five-member jury will select six out of the 12 to compete for the top three places in the international competition. A day before the official events kick-off, the slammers involved in the event will gather at a bar in town, not yet confirmed, to perform out of competition in a relaxed atmosphere.

Poets from Italy, Austria, Spain, Ireland and Greece will join island-based slammers to share the passionate and lively form of spoken word that is slam poetry.

“Organising and staging such events,” says Ideogramma, “is important because it provides the platform on which young emerging as well as established poets, are free to express themselves ‘outside the box’ and the parameters of correctness usually imposed by their social surroundings.” Bring on the poetry slam!

5th Poetry Slam Cyprus 2022

Slam poetry competition with poets from abroad and the country. Organised by Ideogramma. March 14-15. ARTos House, Nicosia. 7pm. Facebook @poetryslamcyprus. To register: [email protected], [email protected].  Tel: 99-577006