Listen to the Grand Slam Final of the Australian Poetry Slam 2008 broadcast nationally on ABC Local Radio webcast live across Australia via the internet, on Thursday December 4. The webcast starts at 6.30pm to introduce the finalists before crossing to the Sydney Opera House at 7pm hosted by Andrew Daddo, presenter of 702 ABC Sydney Evenings. Poets compete for $5,000 and the title of Australian Poetry Slam Champion. The night is the culmination of a three month search for Australia's best poetry slammers, consisting of state winners, plus the ABC Local Radio online winner. The online winner 'Butterfly', submitted by Elise Batchelor from Karratha (WA), was selected from 77 entries by judges: Alicia Sometimes (poet, writer, musician); Dr Wendy Were (Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the Sydney Writers Festival); and Miles Merrill, the Australian Poetry Slam co-creator. Alicia Sometimes said of the winning entry: "It was the performer's succinct and powerful images within the piece that won me over. It was so well written." She describes the quality of the overall entries as having a "great freshness and some pieces had shining lines like 'our early night weezes in the rain' and 'Detox is the new Club Med'. The Australian Poetry Slam 2008, now in its second year, is organised by State Libraries and supported by ABC Local Radio. For more details about the Australian Poetry Slam 2008 or to view the online entries go to abc.net.au/poetryslam.

Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC's) Wattle Foyer Soiree is back! On Wednesday 10 December from 7pm. The BMEC supply a piano, a mic, warm atmosphere and a great audience. Come along and enjoy the evening, or try out that act you've written or recite a poem or sing a song. Just pop your name on the blackboard to be involved. There is no entry fee. For further information please contact Kylie Shead on 6333 6144.

Join us in wishing our Australian Poetry Slam Regional Heat winners all the best when they take to the stage on Friday night for the State Final of the Australian Poetry Slam 08. Shannon Elliott, formerly of Canowindra, won the regional heat with his energetic rap "Self Acceptance" - about life, along with Josh Simpson, of Bathurst, who performed a moving poem about poetry. They each won Sydney flights and accommodation sponsored by The Orange Regional Arts Foundation and a spot in the final on Friday 21 November at 6.30pm at the State Library of NSW, Macquarie Street, Sydney. Spoken word artist Miles Merill will also be there introducing 22 contestants from across the State. Good luck guys!

Writers Link is a series of workshops designed to help people put pen to paper and write - whether it be for their personal records or a new career. A special Writers Link Workshop will be held at Gilgandra Shire Library on Wednesday 3 December from 9.30am. Titled Retool and Remix, this workshop aims to give you the skills to compose books which include multimedia elements (audio, video, animation, interactivity) as well as words. Retool and Remix will enable participants to create works for podcasts, blogs or CD/DVD distribution. The workshop facilitator will be Dr David Reiter, an award-winning poet and writer of fiction, and Director of Interactive Publishing, a print and digital publisher based in Brisbane. Cost of the Workshop is $25 per person. This includes all refreshments. For more information call 02 6817 8704 (Orana Arts) or 02 6817 8877 (Gilgandra Library) Please RSVP by Monday 1 December.

You are invited to a special screening of the 2 minute trailer of locally made film Piet and the Wooden Statue on Friday 14th November, 4:45pm at the Australia Cinema, Lords Place, Orange. The film's director Luisa Machielse said it is very exciting to see all the images coming together so beautifully, and according to what she had envisaged. "Although most of the editing is complete, there is still the special effects to be done. This is going to require a lot more funding, and although we narrowly missed out on government funding, it's time to call in other resources. Hence the screening of the trailer. The producers and I would like to extend this invitation to providing an opportunity for members of the general public to be involved by making a donation to the cause, and getting your name, or business, up in the credits. Every little bit helps, so bring your family and friends and come along to have a first glimpse of this magical local movie, " she said. To find out more about the film and how you can help go to http://cherrypip.com.au/piet/.

Did you know Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre (BMEC's) participates in Local Stages, a Performing Arts Development Program introduced by federal, state and local government to support the growth of regional theatre-making? It offers local performing artists creative advice, support, and development opportunities, and engages professional outside artists to help develop strengths within the community's local talent. From Local Stages has come Cabaret Kite, BMEC's regular cabaret, which showcases local talent, and plays to sold-out houses. It has been described as "the best night out, for the price, in the world"! Find out about Caberet Kite or come along to the next Soiree to be held on Wednesday 10 December at 7pm in the Wattle Foyer at BMEC. Try out an act, sing a song, recite a poem – get on stage. There is no entry fee. The Local Stages program, which continues to expand, is supported by Australia Council for the Arts, Arts NSW, and Bathurst Regional Council. To find out more about Cabaret Kite and Soirees contact Local Stages Creative Producer Kylie Shead on 6333 6144 and check out www.bmec.com.au

Hear author Banafsheh Serov talk about her memoir Under a Starless Sky about her family's escape from Iran on Wednesday 5 November at 5.30pm for a 6pm start at Orange City Library. At first her family was filled with hope as the Shah's rule collapsed and the Ayatollah Khomeini made his triumphant return. But they quickly came to realise that Iran had traded one dictator for another, more ruthless ruler. From the streets and bazaars of Tehran to the moonlit Turkish mountains, Under a Starless Sky is a detailed memoir about her family's extraordinary journey. The event is presented by Angus & Robertson, Central West Libraries and the Central West Writers' Centre and bookings are essential by calling the Library on 6393 8132. Everyone welcome.

Seriously fun that is. Poets on Wheels Mark O'Flynn, David Brooks and Marvis Sofield ham it up for the camera while they were in Orange after a marathon effort taking different sets of wheels - train, coach and hire car to arrive for the Public Poetry Reading and Wine Tasting with Rolling Wines event organised by the Poets Union, and supported by Arts NSW and the Central West Writers' Centre. Poetry workshop participants also learnt poetry has no rules and is more than words: it is music to the ears, about telling a story and visual like a painting. Congratulations to Dulcie Mclean who won the Poets Union award at the Public Poetry Reading and to all the performing poets who bravely read their works to an appreciative audience. Dulcie is pictured with poet Mark O'Flynn.

Budding poets can upload a two minute poetry slam video and compete for a wild card entry into the Poetry Slam National Grand Slam Final. The Grand Slam will be held at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday, 4 December and the online winner will compete alongside state winners for a chance of the $5,000 prizemoney. Anyone outside Sydney will be flown to the NSW capital and provided with accommodation. ABC Local Radio has joined forces with State Libraries to bring the Australian Poetry to all Australians. There is now a dedicated online Poetry Slam destination: abc.net.au/poetryslam. For the first time ABC Local Radio will broadcast and stream all State finals, plus the Grand Slam Final. The dedicated website will include video of slam performances from heats and finals as well as the video entries in the online competition. Visitors will have the opportunity to join in forum discussion and comment on poet works. The online competition closes on Sunday November 16. Online entries will be judged by some of Australia's leading writing professionals, including spoken word artist Miles Merrill, poet Alicia Sometimes and Sydney Writers' Festival Artistic Director Dr Wendy Were. For more details about the Australian Poetry Slam and to find out what is on the mind of poets and performers go to abc.net.au/poetryslam.

Poets on Wheels climb aboard the train to tour regional NSW soon. When they arrive in Orange you can hear three accomplished poets David Brooks, Mark O'Flynn and Marvis Sofield read their own work, quiz the writers, read your own poem in the open section, with prizes awarded for the best local poems, while enjoying wine tasting with Rolling Wines and bring a gold coin donation. It all happens during a wine tasting and poetry reading to be held at Orange City Library on Tuesday 21 October at 6.30pm. The next day join in a poetry workshop for adults from 12pm to 3pm with the Poets on Wheels at the West Room, Orange Regional Gallery, Byng Street. It will be a lot of fun and inspiring to learn from published poets. Cost is $10 and bring along ten copies of one of your poems plus pen and paper. Please book your place by calling the Central West Writers' Centre on 6393 8125.