Poets' Tournament

A Tournament of Verse in Pulsano

The Poets' Tournament is one of the most original concepts in the Italian literary scene: the country's only single-elimination poetry competition. In Pulsano, a small town on the Gulf of Taranto in Apulia, poetry transforms into a live challenge where sixteen selected authors face off in duels of spoken-word verse, judged in real-time by a quality jury. This format brings a broad audience closer to a genre often perceived as niche, restoring the oral, communal, and competitive dimension to the poetic word.

How the Challenge Works

From all the unpublished collections submitted from across Italy, the artistic direction selects sixteen finalists who compete in a true literary marathon. The duels are fought through readings: two authors at a time take the stage, recite their work, and are judged on the spot, round after round, until the winner is crowned. Each contestant presents an unpublished poetry collection of at least seventy pages, evaluated for both writing quality and public performance.

The Convento dei Padri Riformati

The home of the Tournament is the Convento dei Padri Riformati in Pulsano, whose cloister provides an intimate and evocative setting for the readings. The site, steeped in history and silence, amplifies the ritual value of listening and creates a direct, close-up connection between poets and spectators—the very heart of the event.

From Poetry to the Strega

The Poets' Tournament is more than just a contest; it is a launchpad for authors. All finalists receive free publication of their collection, while the winner embarks on an even more ambitious journey with an official presentation at the Premio Strega Poesia. It acts as a concrete bridge between the Apulian literary scene and major national awards, making this Pulsano event a valuable observatory for new Italian poetry.

A Widespread Festival

Born as a competition, the Poets' Tournament has grown over the years into a festival that weaves poetry with music, storytelling, and contemporary performance, supported by the Apulia Region and the Municipality of Pulsano. It is an event that puts the province of Taranto on the cultural map of Southern Italy, attracting poets, critics, and enthusiasts from across the peninsula every year.