Apply for the Roundhouse Poetry Slam 2025

Calling poets and spoken word artists aged 18-25! The Roundhouse Poetry Slam in partnership with Taylor Wessing is back this March/April and we’re looking for emerging artists nationwide to step up to the mic.

About Roundhouse Poetry Slam

Roundhouse Poetry Slam 2025 is not just a competition – it’s a celebration of the power of words and the artists who wield them.

One of the most respected poetry slams in the UK, the Roundhouse Slam is an opportunity to platform your work, connect with a community of fellow writers and meet some of the UK’s top contemporary poets.

Showcase your original work at one of our national heats across the country, with locations in London, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool and one online in March/April 2025.

Top ten poets from across the country will take part in the Slam Final at our iconic Main Space on Thursday 17 April, as part of Roundhouse Three Sixty Festival.

The winner will receive: a cash prize of £2,000, a professional performance or commission opportunity via the Roundhouse, professional development support from the Roundhouse and mentoring from an award-winning poet.

2nd and 3rd place poets and people’s vote winner will also received cash prizes.

Watch the 2024 slam final on our YouTube channel.

What you get

• Audience Exposure: Share your talent with live and online audiences.
• Networking: Connect with peers and professionals in the spoken word industry.
• Judges: Initial applications will be shortlisted by Travis Alabanza and Jacob Sam-La Rose. The slam heats and final will also be judged by a panel of esteemed writers and performers (to be announced).
• Cash Prizes: Compete for the top three spots or win the audience vote for a chance to take home a cash prize.
  • 1st place £2000
  • 2nd place £800
  • 3rd place £500
  • Audience winner £500
  • All other finalists £100

Professional Filming: Finalists’ performances will be expertly captured and showcased on the Roundhouse YouTube Channel with 16,000 subscribers. Past videos have garnered 5 million views and caught the eye of global publications.

About our shortlisters

Travis Alabanza
Travis Alabanza is an award-winning writer, performer and theatre maker from Bristol. Their debut show Burgerz won the Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, sold out at Southbank Centre and Traverse Theatre and toured internationally. Their subsequent plays Overflow and Sound of the Underground received critical acclaim and their debut book None of the Above was released in 2022, and was the winner of the Jhalak Literary Prize, Somerset Maugham Award and a Waterstones best seller.

Jacob Sam-La Rose
Jacob Sam-La Rose is a poet, performer, educator and editor who has performed and taught internationally. Jacob ran the first ever Roundhouse Poetry Slam and founded the Roundhouse Poetry Collective. His debut pamphlet collection, Communion (2006), was a Poetry Book Society Pamphlet Choice and his first full poetry collection, Breaking Silence (2012), was shortlisted for the Forward Poetry Prize. He is recognised nationally as one of the leading figures in supporting youth poetry in Britain.

How to Apply

• Apply online by Monday 3 February, 10am.
• W/c 17 Feb: shortlisted poets will be invited to perform at national heats.
• 6 March – Liverpool Heat (venue TBC) 6.30pm
• 7 March – Leeds Heat (Hyde Park Cafe) 6.30pm
• March date TBC – Bristol Heat (Bristol Beacon) 6.30pm
• 11, 12,13 March – London Heats (Roundhouse Studio Theatre) 6.30pm
• March date TBC – Online Heat 6.30pm arrival/7pm start
• Thu 17 April – 2025 Poetry Slam Final (Roundhouse Main Space)

Roundhouse Poetry Slam Prep Workshop

Thinking about applying for slam? We’re holding a free, online session on Monday 27 January, 6.30pm where we’ll share more about what happens at Slam, and give you tips and advice on writing poetry for performance. Get yourself ready for submitting your slam application! Book your free place on our website here.

Roundhouse Poetry Slam is in partnership with Taylor Wessing.