Upcoming poetry events
Upcoming poetry events
Check out poetry events happening near you!
Welcome to Uplift’s monthly free events newsletter, featuring poetry events in Meanjin (Brisbane), Queensland, and Australia-wide.
Don’t see your fave event listed? Leave us a comment below or send us an email (upliftpoetry@gmail.com), and we’ll include your event in our next newsletter and/or feature it on our social media.
Queensland
23 Oct, 8pm at Can You Keep a Secret?, Woolloongabba - We’re telling spooky stories
23 Oct, 6pm at Cheshire Cat Motel, Palm Beach - The Cat Speaks II - poetry open mic
30 Oct, 6.30pm at Lefty’s Music Hall - Ruckus Slam - MELT Edition
31 Oct, 6.30pm at Books@Stones - Poets@Stones feat. Phil Brown, Nathan Shepherson & Damen O'Brien
2 Nov, 4pm at West End Uniting Church - Casual Poetry Workshop with Boy Renaissance
10 Nov, 2pm at Indooroopilly Library and online - Intro to spoken word with Angela Peita
14 Nov, 6pm at Avid Reader - Launch: Griffith Review 86 - Leaps of Faith
15 Nov, 6pm at Avid Reader - Launch: Jacaranda Journal 11.2 Cutting Edge
22 Nov, 6.30pm at Zamia Theatre, Tamborine Mountain - POETS@ZAMIA - Guest Poet: Nathan Shepherdson
28 Nov, 6pm at Wynnum Library - Poets up late
30 Nov, 3.30pm - Book launch: soft meteorites by Nathan Sheperdson in conversation with Pascalle Burton
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Alternator Poetry - last Thursday of the month at Dust Temple
Avid Reader - book launches and events throughout the year
Black Ink - Meanjin based open mic for BIPOC artists
The Braddyton - poetry and writing events throughout the year
Carindale’s Creative Writers group - at Carindale Library
Calanthe Poetry - regular poetry events at Tamborine Mountain
Captain Snips Collage Creations - monthly collage event at Netherworld
Echoes from the Cave open mic - first Tuesday of the month at the Cave Inn
Ekphrastic Writing Club - first Saturday of the month at Museum of Brisbane
Liquid Lyrics - spoken word poetry events in Coolum
North Pine Bush Poets and Bribie Island Bush Poets - various dates throughout the month
Poets@Stones - last Thursday of the month at Books@Stones, Stones Corner
Poets Up Late - third Thursday of the month at Wynnum Library
Poetry Writers Queensland - third Thursday of the month via Zoom - Contact Mike Gilmour, Coordinator - mgilmour92@gmail.com
Poetry & Coffee Gold Coast - Every Friday night from 6PM
QUT Galleries + Museums - Texta book club and other events
QUT Literary Salon - salon reading events every month
Queensland Writers Centre - writing events throughout the year
Red Light Poetry - Prince Poetry Beat every month at the Gold Coast
Ruckus Poetry Slam - last Wednesday of the month at Lefty’s Music Hall
Scribblers on Sunday - second Sunday of the month at Carindale Library
Wham! Bam! Cabaret Slam! - second Tuesday of the month at The Bearded Lady
Writers of Manly - third Tuesday of the month at Wynnum Library
Yaysayers Poetry - regular Poems in the Park events
Online & Australia-Wide
30 Oct, 6pm at Society City, Wollongong and online - Synaesthetic Poetry Workshop with Sean West
1 Nov - 6-week poetry feedback workshops with Cath Drake
5 - 26 Nov - Poetry & Mindfulness Uplift – 4 sessions
10 Nov, 2pm at Indooroopilly Library and online - Intro to spoken word with Angela Peita
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Events on The Verandah with Cath Drake - events throughout the year via Zoom
Girls On Key Poetry - events throughout the year via Zoom
Haiku Feedback Workshops - last Sunday of the month on Zoom
Perth Poetry Club - events throughout the year on Zoom
Poetry+ Events Online - Facebook group for online poetry events
Poetry Writers Queensland - third Thursday of the month via Zoom - Contact Mike Gilmour, Coordinator - mgilmour92@gmail.com
Red Room Poetry - online and in-person events throughout the year
WestWords - in-person and online poetry events throughout the year, including workshops, open mics and WestWords Academy
Victoria
22 Oct, 7.30pm, Brunswick - Spoken Word @ Bar Oussou
24 Oct, 6pm at The MC Showroom, Prahran - SpeakUP Showcase
26 Oct, 1.30pm at Bluestone Church Arts Space - Spark! Liquid Amber Poetry Festival
27 Oct, 3pm at Wesley Anne, Northcote - Melbourne Poets Union 30th Annual International Poetry Competition Opening
31 Oct, 6pm at The Alderman - Book Launch: OTOPOS by Dominique Hecq
14 Nov, 6:30 pm Medusa Bar, Geelong - Lowercase Poetry presents: Timekeeper
17 Nov, 3.30pm at Palling Bros Brewery, Heathcote - Pizzabox Poetry Open Mic
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Assorted Sporks - queer friendly poetry and performance night - last Thursday of the month at Mamma Chen's
Ballarat Spoken Word - events throughout the year
Chamber Poets - spoken word, second Saturday of the month in Woodend
Cherry Poets - events throughout the year
Crockpot Poetry - monthly poetry and spoken word night hosted at Unassigned Gallery
La Mama Poetica - poetry events throughout the year
Last Outpost of Poetry - weekly poetry and spoken word open mic in St Kilda
lowercase poetry - monthly poetry nights in Geelong
Melbourne Morphemes - community poetry in Naarm
Melbourne Poetry - comprehensive calendar for poetry events in Melbourne
Mother Tongue - events throughout the year
No Place Poetry - events throughout the year
Pizza Box Poetry - monthly open mic at Palling Bros Brewery
Poetryspective - monthly poetry in Footscray
PoetiCas - fourth Saturday of the month at the Northern Arts Hotel
Radio Laria Poetry - women’s poetry, first Wednesday of the month
Radio Talk: Poetry Open Mic - every fortnight in Fitzroy
Roundtable Readings - events and submissions open throughout the year
Sip & Share Speakeasy - spoken word events on the Mornington Peninsula
Slamalamadingdong - monthly poetry slams at Brunswick Ballroom
Spoken Word at Bar Oussou - every Tuesday
Thin Red Lines - quarterly poetry events
To the Ends of the 'Verse - third Tuesday of the month in Northcote
Words Out Loud - poetry and spoken word events throughout the year
Writing Days - poetry events throughout the year
ACT
21 Oct, 7pm at Smith's Alternative - That Poetry Thing: Recent Work Poets
28 Oct, 7pm at Smith's Alternative - Mother Tongue Multilingual Poetry
29 Oct, 7pm at Smith's Alternative - The Queer Variety Show
30 Oct, 6.30pm at Verity Lane Market, 'Loui Loui' event space - Canberra Poetry Slam Ft. Vaughn Upward Garcia
4 Nov, 7pm at Smith's Alternative - Geoff's Poetry at Smith's
22-23 Nov, 12.30pm at University of Canberra - Poetry on Prescription: Healing with the Arts
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Canberra Poetry Slam - monthly poetry slam events
Poetic City Canberra - poetry festival, events, performances and workshops
That Poetry Thing - weekly Monday night poetry at Smith’s Alternative
NSW
23 Oct, 6pm at Society City, Wollongong - Word for Word: Open Mic Poetry feat. Michael Aiken
29 Oct, 6pm at State Library of NSW - Screening: Robert Adamson, The Ultimate Commitment
30 Oct, 6pm at Society City, Wollongong and online - Synaesthetic Poetry Workshop with Sean West
9 Nov, 3pm at Thirroul Community Centre - Book Launch: Steep Curve by Robyn Rowland
12 Nov, 6.30pm at Sappho Books - The Poetry Night feat. Debbie Lim, Amy Crutchfield, Sarah Temporal and Brendon IJ McLeod
13 Nov, 10am at WestWords Centre for Writing, Parramatta - Go Beyond: Poetry Masterclass with Sarah Temporal
15 Nov at Guyra, NSW - Poetry Workshop Series
17 Nov, 6pm at Society City, Wollongong - PAPER JAM! Wollongong
19 Nov, 6.30pm at WestWords Centre for Writing, Parramatta - Illuminated Ink Showcase
19 Dec, 7pm at M|Arts Precinct, Murwillumbah - Poets Out Loud
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Bankstown Poetry Slam - spoken word poetry at Bankstown Arts Centre
Bread and Butter Poetry Slam - last Thursday of the month in Camperdown
Enough Said Poetry Slam - last Thursday of the month in Wollongong
Loose Leaf Literature - monthly events supporting local creatives
Poetry Sydney - poetry events throughout the year
Poets Out Loud - various slams and poetry courses throughout the year
Quiet Readers by licensed poetics - quiet reading events in Camperdown
Sappho Books, Cafe & Bar - poetry and open mic nights throughout the year in Glebe, including AVANT GAGA
Society City - monthly poetry, zine and other events in Wollongong
Sydney Poetry Lounge - third Wednesday of the month at the Glebe Hotel
WestWords - in-person and online poetry events throughout the year, including workshops, open mics and WestWords Academy
Northern Territory
27 Oct 1pm at Saltwater@Bundilla, Darwin - Wild Words
4 Nov, 7pm at Bojangles Saloon and Dining Room - Centre Verse, Desert Voice
25 May – 1 June 2025 - NT Writers Festival Retreat
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Centre Verse, Desert Voice - monthly poetry at Watertank Cafe, Mparntwe
The Dirty Word - poetic community in Mparntwe (Alice Springs)
Northern Territory Writers Centre - various events throughout the year
Red Dirt Poetry Festival - August 2026
Wild Words - open mic events on the last Sunday of the month in Darwin
South Australia
26 Oct, 5pm at Three Brothers Arms Hotel, Macclesfield - Spring Slam Series in the Hills - Heat 2
30 Oct, 6pm at Goodwood Books - Book Launch: The Natural World Somersaults by Shaine Melrose
2 Nov, 5pm at Adelaide Hills Wine Bar, Hahndorf - Spring Slam Series in the Hills - Final
14 Nov, 6pm at ARTHUR-Art Bar, Adelaide - Ellipsis Spoken Word Open Mic
9 Dec, 10am State Library of South Australia - Morsels of the Mind Poetry Workshop with Sally Newman
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Draw Your (S)words - spoken word events throughout the year
Effective Living Centre - Poets Corner and other various poetry and writing events throughout the year
Ellipsis Poetry - open mics held throughout the year
No Wave Poetry - Monthly poetry reading series at The Wheatsheaf Hotel
Spoken Words SA - various events throughout the year
Winter Words - poetry slams and events throughout May-August
Tasmania
23 Oct, 6.30pm at Shambles Brewery, Hobart - Nocturnal Temptations - Spoken Word Open Mic Night
1 Nov, 5.30pm at Fullers Bookshop - Hobart Silent Book Club
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Fullers Bookshop, Hobart - events throughout the year
Poet’s Corner at Hobart Library - events held monthly
Poets Corner at Rosny Library - events held monthly
Silver Words Poetry - monthly events at Shambles Brewery, Hobart
The Hobart Book Shop - events throughout the year
Western Australia
25 Oct, 10am at Kings Park Botanical Cafe - Spring Ginko Walk
1 Nov at Murdoch Guild Tavern - Lyric Lab: Poetry as Performance Showcase
2 Nov, 4pm at Centre for Stories - Slam Poetry Workshop with Manveen Kohli
23-24 Nov at Origins Centre Balingup - Sacred Poetry/Creative Writing Retreat
30 Nov, 5pm at Centre for Stories - Ink & Echo: Monthly Poetry Meetup
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Centre for Stories - poetry events throughout the year, including Ink & Echo: Monthly Poetry Meetup
Perth Poetry Club - every Saturday at The Moon, Northbridge & on Zoom
Perth Slam - monthly poetry slams at Rosemount Hotel
Poetry Lovers Perth - fortnightly workshops at Hillview Intercultural Community Centre
The Marritree, Witchcliffe - home to Witchy Words & Music, a monthly performance night, as well as book clubs, writers groups and workshops
Victoria Park Poetry Club - fourth Thursday of the month
WA Poets - various events and opportunities throughout the year
Writing WA - various events and opportunities throughout the year
Uplift is based on stolen lands in Meanjin, the lands of the Jagera and Turrbal people. Sovereignty was never ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal land.