Budding poets looking for their big break need look no further than the Word Festival Poetry Slam! which is being held in Aberdeen on Sunday, May 15, as a rousing finale to Word 05 – University of Aberdeen Writers Festival.
The SLAM! will give performance poets, both professional and amateur, the chance to show off their talent in front of a capacity crowd of around 250. Some 25 poets will be taking part aged between 16 and 80 and coming from all over
Scotland and beyond.
Slams! are now a regular feature of the Scottish scene and this event, hosted by local performance poets and Slam!
finalists, Simon Spoor from Aboyne and George K from Ellon, is expected to be a hugely popular part of this year's Word
Festival (12-15 May).
With extremely varied styles, Slammers can range from the experienced old hands to first-timers. Each Slammer is given two minutes in a free, fair and tightly-run contest to show just what they can do with words. Though there is no telling who will walk away with the prizes, as experience doesn't guarantee a place in the final.
Simon Spoor compère and organiser of this year's Slam! said: "We're delighted to be running this Slam! event during Word 05. The atmosphere at a Slam! is fast paced and very exciting for both the audience and for the participants.
“With time the only limit, the poets need to give everything they have got with an extremely polished performance if they are to be crowned 'Slam! Finalist' and win one of the fantastic cash prizes.
“As we already have slammers signing up from all over Scotland and beyond, it promises to be the hottest Slam! yet. We hope that this year will be a huge
success for the Word Festival's 5th Birthday year."
Elly Rothnie, Word Festival Producer said: "The Slam! is a hugely popular element of the Word Festival and we are looking forward to another exciting night to bring the curtain down on this year's packed festival programme"
Chosen by the audience the winner will receive £150 prize money kindly donated by Café Drummond's and the Word Festival, with runners up winning cash prizes of £100, £75 and £50.
Admission for spectators is £5 or £3 concession on the door and the event gets underway at 7.30pm.
There are still places available to perform in the Slam! competition and find out 'If your word is good for the money!' To enter the Slam!, telephone Simon Spoor on 07967 684 354 or apply online at www.spiritofthemoment.net