Poetry Slam featuring RIVES

The University of Auckland is proud to support The Writers and Readers Festival, and pleased to announce that we have secured festival star Rives as the MC and guest performer for our inaugural Poetry Slam. University of Auckland Associate Professor Lisa Samuels will also make a guest appearance.

About the poetry slam

Poetry slam is the literary equivalent of American Idol. Poets are judged on the quality of both their writing and their delivery. The University of Auckland poetry slam will put ten student and staff poets head to head in the battle for the ultimate champion. The event will be filmed and the top poems will make it to YouTube. The slam is free and all students and staff are welcome to attend (and eligible to enter).

Excel Café in the Business School will be open late so people can purchase beverages prior to the event.

About Rives

Performance poet and slam poetry champion Rives offers audiences unique entertainment. Described as “the first 2.0 poet”, Rives is clever, creative and hilariously funny. The regular TED contributor and Edinburgh Fringe performer is described as having “jaw-dropping skills”, and even Al Gore calls him a “star”. You can find more information on Rives here, and if you’re interested in checking him out in action, take a look at his ‘Def Jam’ YouTube clip.

More information and entry

You can find more information and register your interest to perform or attend at www.auckland.ac.nz/poetryslam. 

All University of Auckland staff, students and alumni are welcome to attend.