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
Sept-Oct - Australian Poetry Slam heats in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Logan, and Far North Qld
19 Sept, 6pm at Mint Art House, Burleigh - MINTOX Poetry Open Mic
21 Sept, 5pm at Some Friends Bar, West End - Brown Women Poetry: Brisbane Showcase
22 Sept, 2pm at Mt Tamborine - POETS@YUULONG feat. Madeleine Dale, Rachel Paxton-Hall, Nikita Kostaschuk [aka ink.eyta], Mike Russell, Sean West
23 Sept, 8pm at The Braddyton - late-night poetry tea party
25 Sept, 6.30pm at Lefty’s Music Hall - Ruckus Poetry Slam
26 Sept, 6.30pm at Books@Stones - Poets@Stones feat. Jarad Bruinstroop, Pym Schaare & Rose Lucas
29 Sept, 6pm at Avid Reader - Jazz Money - mark the dawn book launch
3 Oct, 6.30pm at Queensland Multicultural Centre - Australian Poetry Slam Qld State Final
19 Oct, 2pm at Indooroopilly Library and online - Learn to make a zine with Bianca Martin
19 Oct, 4pm at Orleigh Park - Poems at the Park
26 Oct, 10.30am at QWC - Poetry Feedback Clinic with Mindy Gill - (Note: applications close 4 October)
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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
Red Light Poetry - Gold Coast open mic events
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
19 Sept, 7.30pm on Zoom - Liquid Amber Zoom Poetry Reading with Nathan Curnow and Stephanie Powell
1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Oct, 6.30-8.30pm online - MAD Poetry Workshop series
2 Oct, 8.30am AEST - John Newlove Poetry Awards ceremony
5 & 12 Oct, 7pm AEST via Zoom - Making a Poetry Film
19 Oct, 2pm at in-person and online - Learn to make a zine with Bianca Martin
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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 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
16 Sept, 7pm at Red Betty, Brunswick - Be Fearless Poetry
19 Sept, 7.30pm on Zoom - Liquid Amber Zoom Poetry Reading with Nathan Curnow and Stephanie Powell
21 Sept, 2pm at Kafe on Hemmings - Andrew Brion featuring at Perc.U.Lations
21 Sept, 4pm at The Pride of our Footscray - Poetryspective #125 Alicia Sometimes & Zander Calvin
5 Oct, 6pm at narrm ngarrgu Library - Australian Poetry Slam VIC State Final
26 Oct, 1.30pm at Bluestone Church Arts Space - Spark! Liquid Amber Poetry Festival
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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
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 second Monday of the month
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
16 Sept, 6pm in Canberra - Australian Poetry Slam ACT Workshop
19 Sept, 6.30pm at The Street - Poetry Meets Physics - Rae Armantrout in-conversation with Ben Buchler
20 Sept, 6.30pm at Verity Lane Market, Canberra - Australian Poetry Slam ACT Heat & State Final
23 Sept, 7pm at Smith’s Alternative - That Poetry Thing feat. Jacqueline Collier & Yleia Mariano + open mic
26 Sept, 7pm at Manning Clark House - Poetry with Sandra Renew, Paul Hetherington & Rohan Buettel
9 Oct, 6:30 pm at Wesley Music Centre - Women’s Music & Poetry from Latin America
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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
Sept-Oct - Australian Poetry Slam heats in Blacktown/Mount Druitt, Camperdown, Central Coast and Sydney
17 Sept, 7pm at Sappho Books - AVANT GAGA #69 with Rae Armantrout (USA), Kate Lilley, a.j. carruthers, Liam Ferney and Roslyn Orlando
18 Sept, 6pm at Society City, Wollongong - Word for Word, open mic poetry feat. Nathaniel Newman
12 Oct, 6.30pm at State Library of NSW - Australian Poetry Slam NSW State Final
13 Oct, 7pm at Sydney Opera House - Australian Poetry Slam National Final
17 Oct, 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
29 Sept, 1pm at Saltwater@Bundilla - Wild Words
7 Oct, 6.30pm at Watertank Cafe - Centre Verse, Desert Voice
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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
21 Sept, 7.30pm at Goodwood Theatre - Australian Poetry Slam SA State Final
27 Sept, 6pm at the Queens Theatre - Draw Your (S)words- ft. Huda the Goddess
28 Sept, 10.30am at Cove Civic Centre - Draw Your (S)words Poetry Workshop
12 Oct, 6pm at Dymocks Adelaide - BE NATURAL Poetry Slam
13 Oct, 12.30pm at Coffee & Book Realm - Poetry On The Fleurieu Open Mic & Book Launch
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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
25 Sept, 6.30pm at Shambles Brewery, Hobart - Portmanteau Poems: Spoken Word Open Mic Night
7 Oct, 12pm in Hobart - Poetry for the soul: A poetry reading event
10-13 Oct, Launceston - Tasmanian Poetry Festival
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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
26 Sept, 5.45pm at Town of Victoria Park Library - Poetry Club
2 Oct, 2pm at Osborne Park - Poetry Writing Workshop for ages 10 - 14
9 & 17 Oct, 7pm at The Kardy, Kardinya - Poetry @ the Pub
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Perth Poetry Club - every Saturday at The Moon, Northbridge & on Zoom
Perth Slam - monthly poetry slams at Rosemount Hotel
Perth Poetry Festival - 1-31 August 2024
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.