Once a niche underground movement born in the jazz clubs of Chicago, poetry slam has transformed into a popular culture in Germany, which has been assigned as an immaterial UNESCO heritage. Poetry slams are events where different artistes perform their own written poems on stage. The performance is judged by the audience, who will select the winner of the selection. Especially Berlin is a hub for the slam scene in Germany and Europe. What makes the scene in Berlin so unique?

Impressions of the Poetry Slam at the BHT in Berlin

In the first round judges in the audience are deciding about the score of the performance. In the final of the competition the whole audience selects the winner through the volume of their applause. Maria Caetano Vilalobos won the second prize.