Story Week 2025 returns this year from 16-26 October with the theme Grow Deeper. Across Sydney and the Blue Mountains, audiences will be invited into poetry slams, story dinners, and intimate conversations that put words and community at the centre of the experience.
Program highlights include:
Australian Poetry Slam National Final at the Sydney Opera House (26 Oct): a high-energy, electric night where 16 of the nation’s best spoken word artists battle it out for the crown. The audience becomes the judge, choosing one poet to take home a $20k prize package and the title of Slam-bassador. Expect roaring crowds, fierce performances, and unforgettable moments on stage.
Poet-Taster at Caption by Hyatt Central Sydney (21 & 24 Oct): step into Talk Shop café and discover poetry where you least expect it. Order a drink and a poet will arrive at your table, serving up verses fresh and personal, transforming an everyday coffee into a shared artistic encounter.
Multi-lingual Stories (24 Oct): an evening of storytelling in languages beyond English, where performers explore identity, culture, and difference as superpowers. Audiences are invited into a warm, celebratory circle where words flow across borders.
Speaking Fire & Chasing Change at Redfern Community Centre (25 & 26 Oct): two powerful community gatherings: Speaking Fire, curated by Gomeroi writer Rob Waters, brings First Nations voices to the forefront in a night of survival, resistance, and Blak brilliance; while Chasing Change, curated by Somali poet Hani Abdile, highlights migrant resilience through poetry, prose and song.
Event Details:
Dates: Thursday 16 October – Sunday 26 October
Suitable for: All ages
Location: Venues throughout Sydney and the Blue Mountains