Bay Area Poetry Slam (formerly Slam Poetry at Berkeley)
Music·Publications
The Berkeley Slam is the longest-running slam on the West Coast, running every Wednesday at The Starry Plough pub in Berkeley since 1998. Each week starts with an open writing workshop at 7pm, followed by a competitive slam open to poets, rappers, singers, and any word artist with original work. You don't need experience to compete. Members can also volunteer backstage, photograph shows, or work toward a competitive team that represents Berkeley at regional and national events.
1
Show per week
7pm
Workshop start time
$10
Regular show admission cost
25
Years active, since 1998 (more than 25 years and counting)
14
Poet competitor slots per night
3:10
Poem time limit (min:sec)
Events They Host
Weekly Wednesday Slam
Every Wednesday at The Starry Plough, 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley. Writing workshop at 7:00pm, sign-ups at 7:30pm, show at 8:00pm. $10 admission most nights.
National Poetry Slam
Annual national competition. Berkeley has fielded teams dating back to at least 1999, with a 3rd place finish in 2015.
Bigfoot Regional Slam
Regional competition. Berkeley team placed 3rd in 2023.
Member Experiences
Poetry Workshops
Craft-focused workshops for members to develop their writing and performance skills.