Slam 2027
Overview
Kinsman Quarterly is conducting a global competition in search of unique, contemporary poetry for the upcoming collection, SLAM 2027! Poetry slams are traditionally live competitions, featuring poets who perform works that are created on the spot, and we hope to receive submissions with that sense of spontaneity. Winners receive up to $500 in cash prizes and publication in next year's collection: SLAM 2027. Poets may submit up to 3 poems (no more than 6 single-spaced pages). We seek poetry with captivating rhythm and form that explores vulnerable or hard-hitting themes of culture, resilience, love, and justice. Poets are encouraged to move beyond predictable rhyme schemes, embracing free verse, inventive language, and bold experimentation with sound, structure, and voice. Entry fee is $10. Priority Members Enter KQ Contests Free Here. For more information on Priority Membership, see details here. Selected finalists will be featured in the Kinsman Quarterly magazine, its social media sites, printed promotions, and the SLAM 2027 collection. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, however submissions should be withdrawn if accepted elsewhere. To ensure that we are able to register the unpublished work, winning contestants and finalists are asked to wait a full year after winning announcements before they republish the work themselves or with another organization. Copyrights of the individual submissions remain with the authors and artists, and copyrights for the SLAM 2027 collection as a whole are reserved to Kinsman Avenue Publishing, Inc. Those Eligible individuals 18 years or older poets of underrepresented communities prioritized; BIPOC, LGBTQ, disabled, retired, etc. individuals must be able to receive cash gifts via PayPal, Wise, Payoneer, Venmo, or Zelle By submitting an original, unpublished work, contestants authorize work to be published in the Kinsman Quarterly, its annual SLAM 2027 anthology, within its promotional announcements, and social media outlets. Contest Guidelines Each entry should be an original, unpublished work by the submitting author, which does not infringe upon the copyrights of another individual or entity. If a work is found to be plagiarized or infringes on the rights of copyrighted material, the contestant may be liable for all costs related to the plagiarism, including legal liabilities and the return of any winnings. Poetry showing high detection of AI usage will be disqualified. Employees and directors of Kinsman Quarterly and Kinsman Avenue Publishing are ineligible to enter Kinsman Quarterly contests. Submissions must be received by the extended date October 30th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Submissions can include up to 3 poems (no more than 6 single-spaced pages) and should fit comfortably within 1 of 4 themes; culture, resilience, love, or justice. Poets are encouraged to deviate from predictable patterns of rhyme and to explore free verse and playfulness with form and language. Participants may submit more than one entry. IMPORTANT! Changes to the competition entry cannot be made once a work is submitted. Your submission is reviewed, scored, and accepted as a whole poetry series, not as individual poems. You may withdraw the full submitted collection at any point. Formatting Guidelines All text entries must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, SINGLE-spaced. Do not attach graphic images or use fancy fonts Text files should be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .pdf formats. (NOT a .txt file). Be sure to remove all track changes from edited text. Entries that do not adhere to guidelines, unfortunately, will not be considered. Available Prizes Grand Prize = $500 cash prize and publication in the SLAM 2027 collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 1st Runner-Up = $200 cash prize and publication in the SLAM 2027 collection and within Kinsman Quarterly 2nd Runner-Up = $100 cash prize and publication in the SLAM 2027 collection and within Kinsman Quarterly Top 6 Finalists receive a $25 Amazon gift card and publication in the SLAM 2027 collection and within Kinsman Quarterly Note that cash prizes will be received within 30-60 days of winning announcements, contingent on the author's completed licensing with the publication. Kinsman Quarterly reserves the right to extend the competition deadline (and the announcements and prize distribution) by 45 days.