Slamtidote, a northside poetry collective, is bringing All Poets Are Misfits to Footscray's Misfits Bar for an evening of open mic poetry and live performances.
Running since 2025, Slamtidote focuses on creating space for marginalised poets through open mic events that prioritise voices often left out of traditional poetry scenes. Putting the lit in ethnic, queer and femme literature (and allies), the collective has built a reputation for centring perspectives that deserve more airtime in Naarm’s spoken word scene. All Poets Are Misfits marks a return to Footscray for the collective, which will celebrate turning one year old in 2026.
The night features live performances from singer-songwriters Pia Nesvara and Shesoblu, alongside open mic slots running throughout the evening. Whether you’re a regular on the poetry circuit or just keen to hear some words, the event is designed to be welcoming and community-focused, with plenty of opportunity to participate or just soak up the atmosphere.
All Poets Are Misfits – Footscray
- Where: Misfits, 30 Chambers Street, Footscray
- When: Thursday, 29 January, 6pm to 11pm
- RSVP to enter raffle here
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Open mic poetry nights have long been a way for emerging and established poets to share work in a supportive environment, and Slamtidote’s approach centres on making sure marginalised voices aren’t just included but actively highlighted. This means the collective creates events where poets from diverse backgrounds feel genuinely welcome to take the mic and share their perspectives.
Pia Nesvara and Shesoblu will both be performing live sets during the night, bringing a musical element to the poetry-focused evening. Both artists blend songwriting with storytelling, making them a natural fit for an event that celebrates the spoken and sung word in equal measure.
Misfits in Footscray provides an intimate setting for the event, with the venue’s relaxed vibe suited to the kind of night where you might arrive solo and leave with a handful of new connections. Slamtidote encourages people to bring friends or come alone, emphasising the communal aspect of the night over any pressure to perform or participate in a particular way.
For poets looking to take the mic, open slots will be available throughout the evening, giving plenty of room for spontaneous contributions alongside the scheduled live performances. Whether you’ve got a piece ready to share or just want to listen, All Poets Are Misfits offers a laid-back entry point into Naarm’s poetry scene.
As Slamtidote approaches its first birthday in 2026, events like this show the collective’s commitment to building accessible, inclusive spaces for poetry and performance in Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
For more information, head here.
