History

What's a Poetry Slam?
Poetry slams are mock competitions designed to engage audiences with the art of poetry. Poets perform work and are judged by audience members in a fun and enlightening forum that enhances an appreciation for the art form. Slams strip away the boring parts of poetry and allow people to engage the work directly and immediately.

Poetry slams are a poetic tradition that date back over twenty years, and were started in Chicago by a construction worker named Marc Smith. Poetry slams now extend to every continent on the planet and draw audiences in the thousands the world over.

What is the Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam?
After participating in the Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam for years, Dayton resident Bill Abbott re-introduced regional-sized poetry slams to the Midwest by creating the Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam in 2000. The first year hosted 8 teams and in later years expanded its field of participants to places as far away as New York and Canada. Some teams participate as a way to practice for the National Poetry Slam, some attend instead of going to NPS, and some come simply to party in the company of other poets. Whatever the reason, all of the teams come for the best competition in the Midwest, to share their poetic stories, meet compatriots from across the Rustbelt states and, most certainly, to have a good time.

Host cities of the Rust Belt have been:
2000 - Dayton
2001 - Dayton
2002 - Columbus
2003 - Columbus
2004 - Cleveland
2005 - Milwaukee
2006 - Milwaukee
2007 - Columbus
2008 - Columbus
2009 - Toronto

Who won the previous Rust Belts?
TEAMS
2000: Chicago/Mad Bar
2001: Columbus
2002: Chicago/Green Mill
2003: Columbus
2004: Columbus
2005: Columbus
2006: Chicago
2007: Detroit
2008: Columbus (Writers' Block)
2009: Brooklyn/Columbus

INDIVIDUAL POETS
2000: Jim Dwyer (Dayton)
2001: Jim Dwyer (Dayton)
2002: Buddy Wakefield (Seattle)
2003: Kim Brazwell (Columbus)
2004: Jim Dwyer (Dayton)
2005: Logic (Ann Arbor)
2006: Alvin Lau (Chicago)
2007: TIE - Versiz (Michigan United) & Alvin Lau (Chicago)
2008: TIE - Dee Matthews (Detroit) and Dave Nichols (Columbus - Black Pearl)
2009: Versiz