Perth Poetry Festival 2025: The Dorothy Hewett Award from a Poet’s Perspective
Date: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Venue: State Library of Western Australia
Great Southern Room, Level 4
25 Francis St, Perth WA 6000
What does a major literary prize mean to the poets who engage with it. Whether as recipients, judges or hopefuls?
Presented by UWA Publishing in collaboration with WA Poets Inc, this event marks the tenth anniversary of the Dorothy Hewett Award, one of Australia’s most significant prizes for an unpublished manuscript.
Free event, register here
Perth Poetry Festival 2025: Rattle the Cage – Slam Poetry Showcase
📅 Event Details
- Date: Saturday, 23 August 2025
- Time: 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm (Doors open 7:00 pm)
- Location: Rooftop Terrace Bar @Universal Bar, Northbridge
- Tickets: $25 General / $20 WA Poets Inc. Members
✨ About the Event
Step into the noise, rhythm, and raw energy of Rattle the Cage — a high-voltage slam poetry showcase hosted by the powerhouse Manveen Kohli, who also takes the mic as a featured performer.
Twelve fierce voices bring the fire, the fury, and the feels in a night that’s all punchlines and truth bombs 💥. Expect sharp edges, tender moments, and performances that won’t ask for your permission.
Perth Poetry Festival 2025: OUT of Line – Queer Poetry Night
OUT of Line is where poetry gets loud, weird, and wonderfully unruly
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Showcasing a diverse line-up of bold and boundary breaking voices from the LGBTQIA+ community, OUT of Line is the rebellious pulse of Perth Poetry Festival. Hosted by local poetess, passionate advocate, and baby bi Caitlin Kotula, OUT of Line is a celebration of voices that queer the mic and bite back.
This year’s event will be our largest yet! Held in the heart of Perth CBD at the gorgeous Art Deco jewel Lawson Flats, we invite you join us for a safe and inclusive night of community, pride, and poetic rebellion.
Date: Wednesday August 27th , 2025
Time: 06:30pm – 08:30pm AWST
Location: Lawson Flats 4 Sherwood Ct, Perth, WA 6000.
PAST EVENTS
Thursday 24 April 2025, Rabble Books & Games 6pm for a 6:30 start
Join us for the parallel launch party of Kaya Ortiz’s Dorothy Hewett Award-winning debut poetry collection, Past & Parallel Lives!
Past & Parallel Lives is a rippling reflection on being alien, queer and other – and this launch is a celebration embracing it all.
MCed by Scott-Patrick Mitchell and featuring readings and performances from Ange Yang, Vuma Phiri, Javier Bateman, and the musical stylings of Tone Deft Choir. And of course, a super special poetry performance from the poet of the night, Kaya Ortiz.
Feel all the feels, from angst to queer yearning, grief to joy. This is a queer pride poetry night for anyone who has ever felt like an alien in this world. All your past and parallel lives are welcome here ❤
Come for the vibes, stay for the poetry, book signing, snacks and giveaways – and Kaya’s very cool (and not at all sad lesbian yearning) playlist.
Sunday 6 April 2025 at UWA Arts Building
This is a one day festival highlighting the voices of an inclusive writing community here in Boorloo (Perth). There will be workshops, poetry, panels, readings, conversations and book launches throughout the day, including the launch of PAST & PARALLEL LIVES by Kaya Ortiz, winner of the 2024 Dorothy Hewett Award.
Music, poetry and coffee at the Hybrid Warehouse in Fremantle.
Sunday 1 December at 10.30 am. Tickets here!
Panellist at APWT Heart Water: Writing the West and featured poet. 22-24 November in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
PIVOT: Creatives Connected is a one-day masterclass presented by Propel and returns to Perth in 2024! Taking place at The Platform, Pivot welcomes young people and emerging arts practitioners for an insightful day of keynote talks, panel discussions and workshops that serve to mentor and inspire.
Saturday 16 November at The Platform, Perth.
Other Worlds panel at the Festival of Fiction, Saturday 19 October.
Donna Mazza, Madeline Te Whiu, Juliet Marillier and Tamara Moss are joined by moderator Kaya Ortiz to discuss the magical worlds of fantasy and speculative fiction.
Perth Poetry Club has wonderful poet Kaya Ortiz plus open-mike this Saturday 31st August, 2pm-4pm at The Moon Café and on ZOOM.
Saturday, 31st August 2024, 2pm to 4pm Perth Aus WST (GMT+8hrs).
Kaya Ortiz plus open-mike at The Moon Café, 323 William Street, Northbridge and on ZOOM.
AUG 13, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM at the Centre for Stories, Northbridge.
This special event is presented as part of the Perth Poetry Festival 2024 and brought to you as a collaboration between Centre for Stories and WA Poets Inc.
Please join us to celebrate poetry this Saturday, 8th June 2024, 2pm to 4pm Perth Aus WST (GMT+8hrs). At The Moon Café, 323 William Street, Northbridge and on ZOOM.
First Half:
Love to Read Local 2024 with Tim Kinsella,interviewed by Scott-Partrick Mitchell.
Second Half:
Scott-Partrick Mitchell & Kaya Ortiz reading their Blake Poetry Prize poems
Poetry Workshop at Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival
Formal Play: Mapping New Meanings by Kaya Ortiz
Saturday 18 May 2024 – 9.00am – 11.00am
Writers Workshop Room
KAYA ORTIZ 