Hammer & Tongue Hackney July — 2026 Slam Final! 🎤🏆

The curtain comes down on the Hammer & Tongue Hackney comeback season in style, as the third and final slam of 2026 throws open its doors to poets and spoken word artists of every style and background. 🌟

Sign-ups operate on a first-come-first-served basis, with performers assessed by randomly selected judging panels in a warm, celebratory, and competitive atmosphere.

🥊 The Grand Slam Final

The highest-scoring poet from the evening's slam will then go head-to-head with the two winners from earlier in the season, battling it out for the ultimate prize:

• 👑 H&T Hackney Slam Champion 2026 title
• 🎟️ A guest weekend ticket to the sold-out festival, WeOutHere

🌟 Featured Artist: Samatar Elmi

The night also showcases a special feature set from Samatar Elmi — award-winning poet, musician, and educator.

Samatar's debut pamphlet Portrait of Colossus (flipped eye press, 2021) was a PBS Pamphlet Choice, and his debut collection The Epic of Cader Idris (Bloomsbury, 2024) contains the 2021 Geoffrey Dearmer Prize-winning poem. His work has appeared in publications including Poetry, Prairie Schooner, Poetry Review, Poetry Wales, Magma, and Iota, and has been anthologised in More Fiya, Filigree, After Plath, and The Echoing Gallery. He is an Obsidian Fellow, associate poetry editor at flipped eye press, and poetry editor at Scarf Magazine.

As Knomad Spock, his debut album Winter of Discontent received critical acclaim from Clash Magazine, Afropunk, GoldFlakePaint, and Equate Magazine, as well as airplay on BBC 6 Music, BBC Wales, Amazing Radio, and Radio X. His more recent albums A Darker Light and Through the Walls are available on Bandcamp.

🎧 Music

Dance and vibe between sets with music from DJ CloseUpThings.

📋 Slam Rules

• ✅ Open to poets of any style
• ⏱️ Maximum time: 3.5 minutes
• 🚫 No props, no music
• 🎟️ All slammers must purchase a ticket to the show
• Slots are limited — first-come-first-served

📧 To book a slot in advance, email: samberkson@gmail.com
Or simply sign up on the night (subject to availability)!