Slam poetry is both a reflection of society and an intimate expression.

In mid-December, the European Championship in Slam Poetry took place in Košice. Over two competition nights, thirty-two participants competed for the title. However, the championship was far from just about competition. It was also about bringing together a diverse community of people united by poetry in this unique form, about opening both social and intimate topics, and about collectively experiencing a full range of emotions — from laughter to tears— conveyed through the performances of the competitor

The contestants are judged by both a panel of judges and a live audience

Slam poetry is a form of performative poetry presented live before an audience. Poets, known as slam poets, usually compete in multiple rounds, judged either by the audience or a panel of experts. In the European Championship, the jury consisted of three audience members and a four-member professional panel, including Robert “Bob” Hýsek from the Czech Republic, Lenka Šafránová from Slovakia, Péter Molnár from Hungary, and special guest Sean Patrick Mullroy from the USA. 

Each judge could award between 0 and 10 points, with the total score determining the winner or, in the semifinal round, the ten finalists advancing to the final night. 

The competition follows several key rules. Judges assess the overall performance, evaluating its form, emotional impact, and the poet’s ability to connect with the audience. Slam poets are not allowed to use props or costumes; they perform solely with their bodies and in the clothing they arrived in. 

Another essential rule is that participants must perform only their original work, making slam poetry a deeply authentic expression of personal stories, life experiences, and unique perspectives on the world. The final fundamental rule is time limitation: for the European Championship finals, performances were limited to four minutes, with a penalty of one point deducted for every five seconds over the limit. 

Slam poetry brings people together from all across Europe 

While the competition and its rules are essential, they are only a surface-level aspect of what slam poetry means to both poets and audiences. As jury member Robert Bob Hýsek from the Czech Republic puts it: “It’s great when someone enters slam poetry with passion, engagement, and the motivation to win. We saw that at this championship, where there were energetic debates about some scores. But it’s also important to know how to lose and critically reflect on where we can improve — especially in such strong competition. These moments were not easy for us as judges, but I liked that we ultimately sat down together, discussed our role as a jury, and clarified the extent to which it’s appropriate to pressure the judges. Because, in the end, is slam really about competition? Sure, it has a competitive format, but ultimately, it’s about something else. The beauty of this championship is that it brings people together from all over Europe and builds bridges between them. So why should we hate each other over a few numbers?” 

He adds: “At the same time, if there were no scores, no competitive structure, something would be missing. It’s a way to keep the audience engaged, to motivate performers to be their best and push their limits. In the Czech Republic, we tried organizing slam poetry events without scoring, but that quickly faded away.” 

This year’s winner, Theresa Sperling from Germany, describes the essence of slam poetry as follows: “For me, slam poetry is a very compact, concise way to bring the author’s message to the audience. It can be incredibly moving and immersive. What matters most to me is the intensity of the experience, but also the community that forms around it.”  

For the main organizer of the European Championship in Košice, Tomáš Straka, slam poetry represents: “Freedom, tolerance, and boundlessness — both in expression and in the performers themselves.” 

How the European Championship in Slam Poetry Came to Košice

Phillip Meersman, the current director of the World Poetry Slam Organization (WPSO), shared the story of the European Championship’s origins during a panel discussion at Kino Úsmev. As an organizer of slam poetry events in Belgium, he participated in an international youth program meeting in Berlin in 2009, where an informal network began to form, connecting slam poetry communities across different countries. 

Through discussions, the idea of organizing a European Championship emerged, but funding was only secured in 2012, allowing the first championship to be held in Antwerp. The Košice championship marked the event’s 11th edition. 

Meersman explained why the European Championship moves from city to city: “From the beginning, it was very important to me that the European Championship not take place in the same location every year. Maybe it would be easier financially and logistically, but already in 2009, we realized that styles, rules, themes, and ideas vary by country and region, which I find incredibly interesting and valuable. Today, we are at the 11th edition, and I’m proud that Košice is the first host city to secure all funding locally — a milestone that hasn’t happened before.” 

Preparations for the championship in Košice took two years, though the idea of bringing this format to Slovakia had been developing long before that. Tomáš Straka describes the decision to take on the responsibility of organizing such a significant event:  “I attended my first European Championship in 2017 in Brussels, accompanying Slovakia’s first national champion, Martin Helcman. It was an endless source of motivation because I began to see slam as a pan-European movement. This feeling grew even stronger in 2018 when I met Marc Smith, the founder of the genre, at the European Championship in Budapest. The final decision came in 2022 in Rome, made by my fiancée and co-organizer of the European Championship in Košice, Katarína Sabolová, who said: ‘We can do this too.’ And we did.” 

In Košice, we organized an event of European significance 

The organizing team prepared a series of events held at key cultural venues in Košice, including Tabačka Kulturfabrik, Kino Úsmev, and Kasárne Kulturpark. In addition to the semifinals and finals, audiences had the opportunity to explore the European slam poetry scene through discussions and roundtables. International slam poets also got to know the Slovak scene through the BEST OF: Slovak Showcase featuring guest performers from the Czech Republic. 

“The greatest compliment came when the director of the World Poetry Slam Organization, Phillip Meersman, said during a discussion at Kino Úsmev that this was the best-organized European Championship to date, setting a precedent for future editions. I believe that what we — Katarína Sabolová, Mária Ševčíková, Ján Gavura, and Ľudka Žoldáková – achieved will leave a lasting mark on the European slam scene,” says Straka. 

Challenges of Organizing a European Event 

Bringing together 32 top slam poets from different countries came with challenges. According to Straka, the biggest obstacles were: “Funding, funding, funding. The European Championship was a massive event. Fortunately, in 2023, when we applied for support, Slovakia’s cultural sector was still functioning freely, allowing us to become the first championship funded entirely by local sources. A huge thanks goes to the city of Košice, which provided half of our funding. Another challenge was media support. If you choose to live and create outside of Bratislava, you are still considered a second-class citizen in the media landscape. Art is poorly covered in Slovakia, despite its undeniable value to society. Fortunately, we eventually found strong media partners, which I am very happy about.” 

A Celebration of Freedom and Democracy 

Slam poetry serves as a platform for free expression. In times of social and political challenges, its role in voicing concerns about democracy, freedom, war, and historical repetition becomes even more significant. The European dimension of the event reinforced this sense of solidarity:  “One of the most powerful moments was the five-minute standing ovation after we read Open Culture’s statement at the semifinals, with artists and cultural organizers from 32 countries assuring us that they would stand by us if we ever faced state repression. Of course, the final night was also unforgettable—when we, alongside former Minister of Culture Silvia Hroncová, announced the European Champion, Theresa Sperling, and the poets lifted her into the air. Every moment of the semifinals was a celebration of freedom and democracy,” says Tomáš

Straka on the Social Role of Slam Poetry and the Unique Openness of the Genre: “Many people have minimal exposure to literature and poetry as consumers, and at the same time, very few Slovaks can imagine themselves in the role of an artist or performer. Slam poetry breaks down these stereotypes, and by operating even in places like Michalovce, Humenné, or Brezno, we open the door to slamming for a wide range of people. Slam also has a presence at protests, with a variety of themes. I believe its democratic nature—embracing a spectrum of viewpoints—helps bring society in Slovakia together and teaches us to accept different or unfamiliar ideas and perspectives. Across Europe, slam poetry functions as a pan-continental movement that fosters deeper artistic and social dialogue, not only within the EU. For example, it’s entirely natural to welcome Syrian or Ukrainian slam poets into national scenes.”

Intimate expressions resonate with the everyday lives of the audience

This year’s winner, Theresa Sperling, says: “Slam poetry is a mirror of what is currently happening in society. We react very strongly to what we see, observe, and feel. Whenever you want to know what is going on in society, what the current atmosphere is, what worries people, or what their concerns are, go to a slam poetry event. You will find out, along with the intense emotions that reach you through the performers. I always hope that our texts don’t just end after the performance, but that people take them home, that they keep working within them for a while so that we can find a way to better understand and deal with one another.” 

Of course, a good slam is not defined by the level of activism or the effort to change the world. However, even in an intimate testimony by a performer, there is often a strong theme that touches on everyday life or resonates with the emotions of many in the audience. One of the most powerful poems of the final night was performed by Sven Stears. His poem about a difficult relationship with his father carried a deep emotional charge — one that might not be stereotypically expected from a man in a jersey and a cap. Yet, by the end of his performance, part of the audience was in sincere tears. 

Slam poet Freya, who represented Slovakia in the championships and made it to the final top ten, says: “What fascinates me about slam poetry is that it brings people together. These are simple poems by ordinary people, and I love how they can deeply impact an ordinary audience. It’s an accessible form of art, even for those who may never have read a poem beyond their required school reading, and yet they can still be profoundly moved by it.” 

She adds: “I see the role of slam poetry as the same as the role of any written word—to give people a voice. To offer them a platform to express their emotions. For me, it is also a form of therapy. At the same time, what I value the most is when I have a feeling, I manage to put it into words, perform it before an audience, and then people come up to me afterward and say that they felt something they wouldn’t have been able to express themselves. And that, to me, is exactly the role of slam poetry—to give everyone a voice so that we can connect through emotions.” 

At the 11th European Slam Poetry Championships, which took place in mid-December in Košice, three poets received awards. The winner was the aforementioned Theresa Sperling from Germany, who, in addition to the title, received a special statue by artist Helmut Bistika. The top three also included English poet Sven Stears, who took second place, and Scottish representative Gordon Powrie, who finished third. The special jury prize was awarded to Ukrainian slam poet Hera, while the audience prize, voted by the online community, went to Portuguese author Maria Caetano Vilalobos. However, the true main prize was undoubtedly the sense of a united European artistic community, which the organizing team and championship participants successfully extended to the audience. Large halls in Tabačka Kulturfabrik and Kasárne/Kulturpark were filled with spectators throughout the long competition nights, making the event a memorable celebration of slam poetry.