The Blunt Space Incorporated and GrowHouse Tampa
Present:
Blauthenticity Poetry Slam!
What is The Blauthenticity Poetry Slam?
Our annual Blauthenticity Poetry Slam is a competition and creative outlet for spoken word poets from underserved backgrounds from all over Florida to express themselves for the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to an international poetry slam. Its name is a combination of the two words Blunt and Authentic! This year’s competition will take place March 5th, 2023 from 6pm-10pm at The Studio@620 located at 620 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Traditionally, international poetry slam competitions are expensive to get to and this has caused a huge inequity that skews towards only those who can afford to go. Poets that come from marginalized backgrounds tend to be the ones most disproportionately affected by this. This qualifier slam came into existence to combat that and grant individuals a chance to get to an international tournament by removing that financial barrier. 12 poets battle it out for a chance to win cash prizes, trophies, and a one of a kind all expenses paid trip to an international poetry slam!
Register or Buy Tickets Below!
Event Details
Early Poet Registration: $30.00
Poet Registration: $50.00
Spectator General Admission: $10.00 (Online)
Spectator General Admission: $15.00 (At Door)
Spectator VIP Front View Table: $45.00
Spectator VIP Side View Table: $35.00
Prizes:
1st Place- An all expenses paid trip to Southern Fried Poetry Slam in Knoxville, Tennessee! We will cover your flight, lodging and registration into the competition. 1st place winner will also receive a custom Blauthenticity Poetry Slam Plaque.
2nd Place- A money prize of $250.00 + A custom Blauthenticity Poetry Slam Plaque
3rd Place- A money prize of $150.00 + A custom Blauthenticity Poetry Slam Plaque
Registration and Waitlist Policy:
Registration will open Sunday, January 22nd 2023 at 12:00 AM and close Tuesday, February 28th 2023 at 11:59pm. After the registration date deadline passes, poets may sign up to be waitlisted. If a poet that registered does not show up on time by bout draw on slam day, their spot may be filled by a waitlisted poet that is present at the event. All are expected to pay the registration fee (wait-listers included). If all registrants show up and compete, those who have been waitlisted will be issued a refund for their registration fee. This is the only refund exception. No other refunds will be issued under any other circumstances.
Slam Requirements and Rules
Poems must not exceed 3 minutes with a 10 second grace period
Poems may be any subject and in any style and must be original works
No props- Generally, poets are allowed to use their given environment and the accouterments it offers microphones, mic stands, the stage itself, chairs on stage, a table or bar top, the aisle as long as these accouterments are available to other competitors as well. Poets who inadvertently use a prop (for example, a timely yet unwitting grab at a necklace) can be immediately penalized two points if the bout manager of the bout deems the effect of the violation to have been appreciable, but sufficiently lacking in specific intent. A formal protest need not be lodged before the bout manager can penalize a poet in this way, however, the decision of the bout manager can be appealed after the bout. Individuals whose use of props in a poem appears to be more calculated and the result of a specific intent to enhance, illustrate, underscore, or otherwise augment the words of the poem will be given a retroactive score for the poem equal to two points less than the lowest scoring poem in that bout. This deduction, which can only be applied after a formal protest has been lodged against the offending poet, will not be made by the MC, but by the Protest Committee.
No musical instruments or pre-recorded music
No costumes
All fully registered poets are required to show up on time for bout draw and briefing. If a registered poet does not show up on time for bout draw and briefing their spot may be given to a present waitlisted poet
All fully registered poets are required to fill out and sign a commitment to representation agreement, a code of conduct , and a consent to media release form. If these forms are not filled out and signed before the competition, the poet will forfeit their spot and it may go to a present waitlisted poet.
You must be 18 years or older to compete in this poetry slam competition.
Poets are allowed to talk casually with anyone in the crowd before the bout begins (except the judges, if they have already been chosen). They are not, however, allowed to give anything to the audience or have anyone do this for them. Furthermore, inside the venue (in the presence or within earshot of the audience) they must not act in any way that would make more of an impression than another competitor waiting for the competition to begin. Poets who violate this rule will be given one warning by the MC, Bout Manager, or house manager. Further violation will result in a two-point penalty for that poet’s score.
Blauthenticity is an individual competition. Any less than genuine effort to elicit a response from the audience performed by anyone other than the performer may result in the poet’s disqualification. Poets are cautioned to warn their entourage to make no attempt to sway audience or judges on their behalf.
In the event of a tie in the finals, each of the tied poets will perform a 1 minute poem. The judges will then adjudicate each piece and break the tie.
Have Fun!
What is a Poetry Slam and Performance Poetry? A Brief History Lesson
Slam poetry, a form of performance poetry that combines the elements of performance, writing, competition, and audience participation. It is performed at events called poetry slams, or simply slams. The name slam came from how the audience has the power to praise or, sometimes, destroy a poem and from the high-energy performance style of the poets. The concept of slam poetry originated in the 1980s in Chicago, Illinois, when a local poet and construction worker, Marc Kelly Smith, feeling that poetry readings and poetry in general had lost their true passion, had an idea to bring poetry back to the people. He created a weekly poetry event—the poetry slam—where anyone could participate. Poets would perform their work and then be judged by five random audience members on a scale of 0 to 10. Out of the five, the highest and lowest scores were dropped and the three remaining scores were added to give the poet an overall score. Whoever had the highest score at the end of the competition was deemed the winner.