Big Word Poetry

Big Word performance poetry slams are a unique way to spend a fun night out in Edinburgh. Funded by the Scottish Arts Council, and celebrating its fifth birthday in April, this poetry cabaret has set the pace for Scottish spoken word. In the years since its genesis, Big Word has brought to the capital a hitherto unimagined variety of performance poets from all over Scotland and further afield, and continues to hold some of the biggest and most diverse poetry slams in Britain. The shows are unique in that they bring together comic poets, theatrical poets, literary poets, art-poets, rappers and lyrical singers.

Events like Big Word are changing the way poetry is understood, and ushering it into the mainstream. In early 2006, the Arts Foundation in London is offering a £10,000 prize - the first ever award of its kind - to a performance poet. This not only celebrates the diversity and richness of performance poetry but signals the coming-of-age of this exciting art form. Big Word poetry slams may even take place as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival this year.

Following a big poetry slam competition down at The Bongo Club in January, there will be two Big Word nights in February featuring many excellent acts. The first on February 2nd includes multiple slam-winners Robin Cairns, Tim Turnbull and others. Interestingly, Tim Turnbull is one of the five contenders short listed for the £10,000 Art Foundation prize, as mentioned above. Hot talent this close to home is all the more reason to check out Big Word.