This isn’t just a poetry slam.
This is Slam Cup.
A national, year-long competition where cities build teams, voices rise, and every word counts.
All season long, Slam Cup venues across the country host monthly qualifying slams—each one a battle, each one a step closer to the top. Poets show up, show out, and fight for their place on the roster.
At the end of the season, every city crowns its team.
And then—it all leads to Baltimore.
The Slam Cup Finals.
The best of the best. City vs. city. Poet vs. poet.
One stage. One trophy. One moment.
$100,000 on the line.
Legacy on the line.
Welcome to Slam Cup.
Where bars become battles—and poetry becomes sport.
SLAM CUP was founded in New York City in 2014.
The Goal of SLAM CUP is to constantly expand the reach of slam poetry.
Slam Cup is a competition amongst individual poets and spoken word artists to be recognized as the best poet in the NATION.
The competition is set up as series of local tournaments (preliminary bouts) culminating in the Slam Cup Finale taking place in Baltimore.
There are several important factors that distinguish Slam Cup from other poetry slams, however the most important distinguishing factor is the financial reward to winners. Regional Slam Cup winners will win $1000 each and the Slam Cup Finale winners will take home $50,000. Currently, the highest prize in any slam competition worldwide is $2,000. Slam Cup is breaking all the norms of slam poetry to recognize the artist as a professional and true master and to give them the financial opportunity to continue in their craft.