IPA Poetry Slam
The Iowa Poetry Association recognizes spoken word poetry continuing to establish itself as a powerful art form, and we are happy to provide spoken word opportunities for Iowa poets across the state.
Spoken word poetry is a real-time poetic conversation between a poet and audience. It is a powerful storytelling method that connects us in a human way. In the same way that page poets submit work to contests, spoken word poets have a poetry slam. Simply put, a poetry slam is competitive spoken word poetry.
What is the IPA Poetry Slam?
Each year, IPA hosts a series of poetry slams across the state in the search for our Iowa champion. The winner of the IPA Poetry Slam will receive a sponsored spot to compete in the annual BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam to be held in partnership with the NFSPS National Convention.
The winner of our slam will be named the 2025 Iowa Poetry Slam Champion, receive a cash prize, one year's membership to IPA, publication in Lyrical Iowa, and an IPA-sponsored spot in the 2025 BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam. This year's national slam will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico on July 23-27, 2025.
The second- and third-place poets from finals will receive cash prizes, one year's membership to IPA, and publication in Lyrical Iowa.
Read the Official IPA Poetry Slam Rules and Structure document below for full details.
Who can compete?
Competing poets must have an Iowa address and be at least 18-years old by July 23, 2025. You can compete in our slam if you are 17 years old, so long as you will be 18 by the start of the BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam.
2025 IPA Poetry Slam Schedule
2/6
CRANDIC Qualifier
Porchlight Literary Arts Center
1019 E. Washington St., Iowa City
7-9 p.m.
2/11
Cedar Falls Qualifier
Interp Theater (UNI's Lang Hall)
2401 Wisconsin St., Cedar Falls
7-9 p.m.
4/5
State Finals at Poetry Palooza
Grand View Viking Theater
2811 E. 14th St., Des Moines
7-9 p.m.
2/10
DSM Qualifier
The Slow Down Coffee Co.
3613 6th Ave., Des Moines
6-8 p.m.
2/28
Ames Qualifier
Ames Writers Collective
612 5th St., Ames
7-9 p.m.
Prizes for State Finals
1st Place
$100
1-Year membership to IPA
Publication in Lyrical Iowa
Scholarship to the Okoboji Writers Retreat
Registration to BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam
2nd Place
$50
1-Year membership to IPA
Publication in Lyrical Iowa
3rd Place
$25
1-Year membership to IPA
Publication in Lyrical Iowa
Past Winners & Finalists
2025 Finalists
Sabur "C?ue" Muhammad (1st), Lyrical Ley (2nd), Saaliyah (3rd), Vincent Ali, Lilo B., Kira Bryant, Joshua Borgmann, Sarah Carr, Tony, Taryn Poland, Dylan Schilling, Dallas Whitefield
2024 Finalists
Sabur "C?ue" Muhammad (1st), Aminah Nalani (2nd), Willette Ansong (3rd), Arsema Berhane, Siri Boateng, Barb Edler, Jaleesa Epps, Abby Jacobson, Julie Matta, Alta Medea, Tony Miller, Dylan Shilling, Esther Windt
2023 Finalists
Samm Yu (1st), Hannah/Charlie Hall (2nd), Yabsira Tekle (3rd), Barb Edler, Josh Borgmann, Prince Harrison Jr., Summer Awad, Aanika Pfister, Aminah Nalani, Tameliyah "Saaliyah" Singleton, Miguel Ramirez, Megan Sennikof