2025 Australian Poetry Slam: Victoria State Final

Who will rise as the people’s poet? The answer is in your hands. 

After heats with the top spoken-wordsmiths from across Victoria, poets storm the State Library stage. We drop the mic into their open palms. Watch them strive for beauty, curiosity, respect and – yeah let’s go there – love. There will be tears and cheers as they electrify your imagination.    

Hosted by Melbourne’s 2015 Poetry Slam Champion, John Englezos, featuring spoken word artist, Nour Abouzeid, join the nation-wide search for the people’s poet, where you, the audience, will send two powerful writers to the National Final at Sydney Opera House. It is here where the Australian Poetry Slam will elect their new National Slambassador, who will leave with the ultimate prize of around $20,000 worth of gigs across Australia and Asia in 2026. 

Book now. 

Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian, or have prior parent or guardian consent 

Content Warning: Most Poetry Slams are for all ages, and some content may not be suitable for children. Performances may include strong language and/or adult themes.

Presented by Australian Poetry Slam in partnership with State Library Victoria. 

Supported by The Australian Government through Creative Australia and the NSW Government through Create NSW. Also supported by State Library Victoria, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Mumbai LitFest, Singapore Writers Festival and Byron Writers Festival.

About John Englezos 

John Englezos is a spoken word poet and Melbourne’s 2015 Poetry Slam Champion. His work has been described as “Pixar in poetry” with his book If The World Were Upside Down centering around notions of hope, identity and wonder. John was on the first team to represent Australia in 2017 at the National Poetry Slam Championships in Denver, Colorado USA. John has been a presenter, speaker coach and host for Tedx, runs workshops and one-on-one sessions around poetry, performance, and self-reflection, is an uncle to six amazing kids and a brother to many. 

About Nour Abouzeid

Nour Abouzeid is a poet, spoken word artist and creative curator based in Melbourne. A regular on the Melbourne slam scene, he has often been described as loud and outspoken, which he attributes to being a Millennial Arab-Australian Muslim with a lot to say. In 2010, he was the Victorian State Champion at the Australian Poetry Slam and again a state finalist in following years. In 2018, Nour qualified for the Melbourne Slam Team, the only team representing Australia at the National Poetry Slam in Chicago.