Australian Poetry Slam Heat at Rosny Library

Poets Run Rosny!

Want to change the world with your words?

It’s time to rip scrawled leaves of passion from your notebook and ignite them on stage.

Every year since 2007, the not-for-profit organisation Word Travels runs Australian Poetry Slam (APS) heats and wordshops in over 60 locations across the Asia-Pacific.

APS is the cupped hand amplifying the shouts of over 2000 new and emerging writers annually.

Share your words for two minutes on the mic. By throwing your ideas into the slam-storm, you could be chosen as the 2026 Australian Poetry Slam-bassador and offered an international writers’ festival tour worth about $20K.

Use your poems to spark new dreams, clear out cobweb memes or offer listeners a sturdy eucalypt branch with a better view. This is your call.

Get up. Gather at your local slam. Share with your community.

Jump on the mic or listen, cheer and hold-up scorecards as part of the audience in this international celebration of spoken-wordsmiths. Electrify us. Show the world how POETS RUN THIS!

This APS Heat audience will send two writers to represent Rosny in a performance at the Tasmania Final on Saturday 19 September. The top 16 in the country make it to the National Final at Sydney Opera House on Sunday 25 October.

Want to get inspired with a slam wordshop led by a professional spoken word artist? Check out the Rosny 2026 APS Workshop: APS Workshop Rosny.

Feeling inspired by all moments poetic and spoken word? There is an expanded program of workshops, heats and Tasmania APS 2026 events to experience! APS 2026

Hosted by Tasha Jean

Featuring: Ava Leary

Ava Leary is a Hobart-based poet, performer, creative producer and founder of Poetica Collective. Through spoken word, music and storytelling, her work explores vulnerability, identity and community. Since founding Poetica in 2025, Ava has grown it into a thriving grassroots arts platform, producing multiple sold-out events that celebrate emerging poets, musicians and artists. She has performed across Tasmania and nationally, including at the Australian Poetry Slam National Final at the Sydney Opera House. Passionate about creating safe, inclusive spaces for self-expression, Ava uses poetry to foster connection, confidence, creativity and authentic storytelling through her workshops and performances.

Tasha Jean is a First Nations emerging artist, poet and lover of sound. She started writing poetry as a teenager, as a way to privately process life. You can expect themes of overcoming hardship and some whimsy philosophical metaphors to interpret in her writing. After winning the Tasmanian 2025 Poetry Slam, Tasha is on a quest to continue sharing stories through poetry, in good spirit.

Doors open/poet sign-up at: 5:30 pm

Slam starts at: 6:00 pm

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

See www.australianpoetryslam.com for full 2026 details.

Head to www.wordtravels.info to find out more about how you can get involved with the not-for-profit organisation presenting the annual APS.

Australian Poetry Slam is presented by Word Travels. This project is supported by the Libraries Tasmania. Also supported by NSW Government through Create NSW, Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, Singapore Writers Festival and Byron Writers Festival.

APS 2026 artwork design: Rachel Stone Designs and DEFNE. Concept: Miles Merrill and the Word Travels team. Poem excerpt in design: APS Champion 2025 – Arantza Garcia Ferrand.

#LibrariesTasmania #AustralianPoetrySlam